I’ve been looking for a forum with some active and helpful folks, and hopefully I’ve found it. I’m just starting out, (in the process of building my first coal forge) I have alot to learn, and I’m looking forward to it! I’m on a very tight budget, but I have a decent sized shop that should have plenty of room for me to grow. As of right now, my anvil is a 9in piece of railroad track, I have a few tools from other hobbies, plenty of hammers (unfortunately only a few are ball pein) and a couple Sledge hammers.
I’ve been reading up in books and i watch a couple YouTubers so I’m learning quite a bit (not very difficult since I had absolutely no clue what anything was or ment, “what the heck is a Hardie hole? Wait what did he just say? A Taper??”
But all in all I’m enjoying the learning curve and I’m excited to see what I can learn, if anyone has any tips for anything, anything at all I’m all ears and will gladly listen!
Hey @Bucky, welcome to the forums! Ball pein hammers work just fine, just as long as they got a little more heft to them (1lb +), lighter than 1lb and it starts to be a bit of a battle.
My first tip is one @Javos_Ironworks gave me a bit ago, and I think it’s a good one - and that’s just to get out in the shop every day. Even for 5 minutes, clean a surface, review your work, just get in the habit of getting out there a little bit every day. If you have more time to be able to fire up the forge and do some work, all the better, but just being out in your shop keeps it at the top of your mind.
The best tips I have gotten so far as a newbie myself are get some junk metal to learn hammering techniques and getting used to moving metal how you want and don’t start with big dream projects. Start with little things and move on from there. Words of wisdom for me from other smiths I’ve talked to! Hope it is as much for you as it was for me! Have fun!
I haven’t heard this one yet. I’ve been trying to take this one to heart since you posted it. Good advice!
a good youtuber to watch is a guy called Alec Steele,
he is a fantastic black smith and is just over 20 or so years old,
he makes some amazing pieces
just a suggestion:)
Congrats for being bitten by the blacksmith bug! Two guys on youtube, black bear forge and christcentered ironworks make Great tutorials. I’m pretty new also so we can exchange what doesn’t work for e/o! This forum is looking promising so far as nice people go. I have a charcoal forge( made from a brake drum) so if you want ideas for that, let me know. I also know of some vids for making charcoal. Glad to have you here and be here.