Blacksmithing


Blacksmithing
I taught the Metalworking Merit Badge last fall for our Boy Scout Troop. The boys had to pick between a few different options like foundry, forge, tin smithing, etc. They of course picked the only one that I didn't have any equipment on hand. Oh well, here we go again...
	Since I didn't have an anvil and they are a bit scarce and expensive in CA I found a piece of railroad track and welded on a couple of legs. Wrapping it with logging chain helped deaden the ring.
	I had planned to build a simple forge with a home made burner similar to my foundry but after adding up the pieces needed and looking at the calendar I purchased a nice two burner forge. The Scouts had a great time and of course I got another hobby.
	I eventually found a cheap cast iron ASO (anvil shaped object) and fabricated a stand. Here you see the smithy as it sits tonight. Normally the forge is sitting on a layer of fire brick.
	A simple Celtic cross made from a railroad spike. It is a fun little project and it required making a new tool to enlarge the hole in the center of the cross. Arron helped with the striking and we managed not to break my anvil.
	One thing about blacksmithing that interest me is making new tools or modifying existing ones. This was a flea market ball pein hammer that I ground several grooves in the face after polishing it. It adds a texture to the surface that looks a lot like woodgrain.
	This smaller Celtic cross shows the texture from the hammer above. While the steel is still hot I brushed it with a brass brush giving it the gold highlights and then gave it a coat of hard wax.
	Here is another tool. This one was to help one of the Scouts. He has been using a pair of vice grips to twist railroad spikes and then turning them into knives. I used the CNC mill to make a pocket about the shape of a railroad spike head and then welded it to a longer piece of bar stock.
	Here is a close up of the pocket.
	Since I made a tool I was going to give away I figured I should give it a quick test and here is the result. The spike was badly rusted on the bottom so I decided to make a butter knife. Now I'm thinking I will have to make a fork and spoon to complete the set. I ended up making a second tool so I'd have one to keep.