HEPHAESTUS

All interested parties,

Bill Harsey and I are pleased to announce a new thread specifically designed to teach, advise and coach the ODA blacksmith.

While many sites on the net are designed to educate the modern Blacksmith in fabrication, this thread is for the ODA.

Included is a rough Draft of the course outline POI.

Because we do not have our own area, we should make every attempt to keep this area clean and organized.

By a show of hands, please send PM to Bill or myself if you are interested.


The Blacksmith

Source # 1

The Shop, a.k.a. “Smithy”
1. Site Selection
2. Organizing the work space
a. Safety Equipment
b. Exploding conditions, environment
c. Protection and Clothing

Source # 2

Tools and Equipment
1. Anvil, anvil stand
2. Hammer(s)
3. Tongs
4. Anvil tools, Hardy(ies)
5. Coal forge tools
6. Coal forges
7. Additional tools and equipment
8. Marking and measuring tools
9. Modern Technology, the LP gas forge

Source # 3

Iron
1. What is Iron?
a. Wrought Iron
b. Cast Iron
c. What is steel?
1. Commercial forms of steel

Source # 4

Preliminary Skills
1. Coal
2. Fire Tending
3. Working with Tongs
4. How to heat your Iron Stock
5. Temperature Color Indication
6. Selecting a Forging Hammer, (see source # 2.2)
7. How to Shut Down Your Coal Forge

Source # 5 (Time for work)

1. How to use Anvil Tools
2. Tapering
3. Spreading
4. Upsetting
5. Bending
6. Scrolling
7. Twisting
8. Handheld Tooling

Source # 6

Forge Welding and Assembly
1. Forge Welding
a. Forge welding fire instructions
b. Different types of Forge welds
c. Forge welding Temp. Appearance(s)
2. Scarfing
3. Rivets, Nails, etc.
4. Mortise and Tenon
5. Shrinking, Collars, Wraps

Source # 7

Making your own Tools, this is SF Field craft NUMBER ONE
1. Resources Needed to Make you own Tools
2. Drift
3. Handheld punches
4. Slit Chisel
5. Twisting Bar
6. Hold Fast, Hold Down
7. Hot Cut Hardy
8. Cold Cut Hardy
9. Nail Header
10. Hardy Bending Forks
11. Roll Bar
12. Monkey Tool
13. Adjustable Twisting Wrench
15. Pritchel Plate
14. Handheld Bending Fork
16. Working with high carbon Tool Steel


PROJECTS, (TBD) Committee Selection

[JJ_BPK]

This is a great idea.

It may not twist everyone's pickle, but I'm sure that at one time or the other,, most of us have had busted gear on vehicles or needed a on-site built structure.

I can see scenarios where the locals start drooling over some on-site fabrication job to fix the local well pump or erected a local TV tower for the school,, or a 300 ft suspension bridge over the....yadi-yadi-yadi...

Count on this FOG ghosting the classes...

Appreciate your support.

This is the type of discussion Bill and I were looking for.

I think we can keep the ex-wives yarn collection out of this one.

WD

[adal]

I am interested in the classes. It has been quite a few years since I played with blacksmith stuff. Been tryin to talk the wife into for years. This may help. Thanks for putting this together. adal

[The Reaper]

I think it is a great idea which would benefit current SF soldiers tremendously.

Can you imagine having a vehicle break on an extended mounted patrol and trying to locally fabricate a replacement part or repair, before BGs vectored in on your position? Sure beats calling for a rescue bird and blowing the vehicle in place.

You could also use the knowledge to help your local populace and win their support. Great concept, I look forward to the learning.

If this drops, I will sticky it for you. No charge.

TR

[Kit Carson]

If I can be any help, please let me know. I'll check on it daily.

Great idea, btw.

[Irishsquid]

Finally picked up a decent anvil and forge, so I'm back to forging. Slow but steady process of forging a karambit from a piece of a broken jackhammer bit. I'll post up when it's finished.

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by wet dog

Appreciate your support.

This is the type of discussion Bill and I were looking for.

I think we can keep the ex-wives yarn collection out of this one.

WD

Old School Crafts such as animal husbandry, Aqua-farming, sanitation and water engineering projects & smithing are the basic tools we need and use for the Harts-n-Minds side of our missions.

It may not be an primary MOS,, may not be a secondary school like MFF or SCUBA, but it is needed..

I'm pretty sure it was while I was at Brag in 69' that I heard about teaching aqua-farming of Talapia to the indigs in SA, in an effort to make them less dependent on the coca farming.

With more and more embedded missions in rual areas such as SWA and Africa on the agenda,, someone needs to get crack'n on these alternative skill sets..

I've located a website that illustrates a rather good home-shop sized gas forge.

http://www.zoellerforge.com/simplegasforge.html

My current forge is a old air tank, 3' long x 24" wide, 3/8" thick that held air pressure for our livestock water pump. I intend to build a new forge soon, considering this design, for ease in movement. Forges are one of those things that should be "copied" rather than "exploration and discovery". This design should be ok for most ODA needs.

WD

p.s. Sorry for the long absence of this thread, been kinda busy this summer. Take care all.

Originally Posted by wet dog

All interested parties,

Bill Harsey and I are pleased to announce a new thread specifically designed to teach, advise and coach the ODA blacksmith.

While many sites on the net are designed to educate the modern Blacksmith in fabrication, this thread is for the ODA.

Included is a rough Draft of the course outline POI.

Because we do not have our own area, we should make every attempt to keep this area clean and organized.

By a show of hands, please send PM to Bill or myself if you are interested.


The Blacksmith

Source # 1

The Shop, a.k.a. “Smithy”
1. Site Selection
2. Organizing the work space
a. Safety Equipment
b. Exploding conditions, environment
c. Protection and Clothing

Source # 2

Tools and Equipment
1. Anvil, anvil stand
2. Hammer(s)
3. Tongs
4. Anvil tools, Hardy(ies)
5. Coal forge tools
6. Coal forges
7. Additional tools and equipment
8. Marking and measuring tools
9. Modern Technology, the LP gas forge

Source # 3

Iron
1. What is Iron?
a. Wrought Iron
b. Cast Iron
c. What is steel?
1. Commercial forms of steel

Source # 4

Preliminary Skills
1. Coal
2. Fire Tending
3. Working with Tongs
4. How to heat your Iron Stock
5. Temperature Color Indication
6. Selecting a Forging Hammer, (see source # 2.2)
7. How to Shut Down Your Coal Forge

Source # 5 (Time for work)

1. How to use Anvil Tools
2. Tapering
3. Spreading
4. Upsetting
5. Bending
6. Scrolling
7. Twisting
8. Handheld Tooling

Source # 6

Forge Welding and Assembly
1. Forge Welding
a. Forge welding fire instructions
b. Different types of Forge welds
c. Forge welding Temp. Appearance(s)
2. Scarfing
3. Rivets, Nails, etc.
4. Mortise and Tenon
5. Shrinking, Collars, Wraps

Source # 7

Making your own Tools, this is SF Field craft NUMBER ONE
1. Resources Needed to Make you own Tools
2. Drift
3. Handheld punches
4. Slit Chisel
5. Twisting Bar
6. Hold Fast, Hold Down
7. Hot Cut Hardy
8. Cold Cut Hardy
9. Nail Header
10. Hardy Bending Forks
11. Roll Bar
12. Monkey Tool
13. Adjustable Twisting Wrench
15. Pritchel Plate
14. Handheld Bending Fork
16. Working with high carbon Tool Steel


PROJECTS, (TBD) Committee Selection

[Crue]

Pretty interesting thread going on at AR15 about blacksmithing in the backyard:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.htm...=635778&page=1

[Bill Harsey]

Thanks all for the interest shown in this, especially Wet Dog for getting this started.

Don't be afraid of anything when it comes to hot forming steel. The main thing is to get the steel warm enough to form under the hammer or shape it however needed.

The first thing I'd probably do (and how I did it) was to start collecting hammers of various weights and shapes from places like garage sales and second hand shops. Then find a chunk of steel to hit stuff on. This doesn't need to be an anvil proper, just a heavy flat chunk of steel that doesn't wobble when the work is placed and struck on it.
Go Devil gets it.
The next thing one needs is a fire to get stuff warm in. My very first forge was pretty simple and I used store bought charcoal grilling briquets in it. Don't laugh, it worked.

Edited to add: my background in working steel started by welding and fabricating for a logging side (at age 15) then blacksmithing and forging wood working tools that turned into knifemaking. I'd run just over two ton of welding rod for the logging side by the time I was done and that gave me some important clues about working with various alloys of steels. In other words some nearly catastrophic screw-ups made me start asking some important questions.

[Crue]

Mr Harsey,

Do you have any tips on determining if a metal is galvanized or not?

I want to start experimenting with scrap metal ( old pipes, plates, etc) but I hear that putting galvanized metal into heat/welding is a no-go.

[Bill Harsey]

Originally Posted by Crue

Mr Harsey,

Do you have any tips on determining if a metal is galvanized or not?

I want to start experimenting with scrap metal ( old pipes, plates, etc) but I hear that putting galvanized metal into heat/welding is a no-go.

Crue,
Good question. Galvanization coating of Iron or steel usually means coated with zinc whether it is done with galvanic (electric) coating, dip coating or hot spray.

Electro plating zinc to steel gives a nice shiny surface, hot dipping is a more silver-gray finish like some steel pipes might have.
Usually an uncoated chunk of iron is very bright or black from fresh manufacturing depending on the final finish from the mill, or dark-rusty from oxidizing. If it rusts easy or is dark, it wasn't zinc plated or the zinc is gone and don't worry about it, much. That last layer of zinc going away on old steel it will look a little rusty. Be advised and careful.

I've gotten a little sick from welding galvanized pipe so heating that stuff up has real hazards (even outdoors) . It's best to not do if possible.
If you have to work on something galvanized, you can grind or "burn" off the zinc in the area that needs work... just be sure to do it outdoors in a nice breeze and stay up wind. When welding or brazing, you have to get fairly close and have your face in the work. That is the bad part if zinc is involved.

[Go Devil]

Originally Posted by Crue

Mr Harsey,

Do you have any tips on determining if a metal is galvanized or not?

I want to start experimenting with scrap metal ( old pipes, plates, etc) but I hear that putting galvanized metal into heat/welding is a no-go.

Don't mess with heat and zink caotings!

Fully read the following link about DEATH by metal fumes.

http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor/safety3/index.htm

If you are not familiar with the qualities of ferrous and non ferrous metals you need to do further reading beafore heating.

[PrimalAndrew]

Originally Posted by wet dog

I've located a website that illustrates a rather good home-shop sized gas forge.

http://www.zoellerforge.com/simplegasforge.html

About how heavy would we speculate the finished simple gas forge to be in lb's?