Anybody have experience with Blacksmithing/Metalwork?

[Lord Furdle]

So last night I couldn't sleep. In fact its 10:45am right now and I didn't get any sleep last night over stress from my exams.

While I couldn't sleep, I browsed YouTube and came across Blacksmithing videos. I used to do metal work when I was in school and I was really good at it, but after I left school all I did was carpentry. (The three month Malawi carpentry project of 2014)
This summer I'll be back in Malawi for two months doing more carpentry and some designing too, but when I get back to university next year I'll be in a house, where I can get a good blacksmithing set up. I'm looking to drop £400 ($600USD) on a full set up. Already made a wishlist on amazon which comes just under £400.
Anyway, my favourite video I've found so far was by a channel called ZNA Productions with a forge appropriately titled 'Satan's Toilet' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XO1rE7v44g

Anybody do some metal work of their own? Maybe show some photos, I'm sure some of you will have made blades and stuff.
Also if you have photos of your workshops that'd be cool too.

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[gr8dayseth]

does welding count? I did a merit badge class on that once, it was pretty cool and fun but basic
metalworking in general seems pretty neat though I might try it more sometime

[Lord Furdle]

does welding count? I did a merit badge class on that once, it was pretty cool and fun but basic
metalworking in general seems pretty neat though I might try it more sometime

Yeah, Im gonna get a welder for around £100, I'm pretty stuff at it but I want to get better

[Cavik]

Ive done a good bit of welding and basic metal casting. No extensive forgery projects although I did turn a steel pipe into a sword once with a vice and some ingenuity.

[Pastrey Crust]

I weld and am pretty good at it. I've an electric welder and a butane welder.

I also have a small anvil but I mainly use it for silly things. Never made something serious with my anvil and hammer.

[Donnies Catch]

my friend Chef is a prof/fulltime welder, and wants to art with it too

[Rally]

Lol I was going to recommend ZNA the second I saw the topic title. Great channel.

OT though I haven't done much blacksmithing recently because I live on a rental property in dry-ass australia so there's no real place to build a forge and anvil. Back in the states I made one or two rough blades and tools but I've always been short on resources and tools lmfao. I'll probably just stick to rock carving for now

[Sheepocalypse]

I made a thing out of a soda can once

[Lord Furdle]

Yeah I'm thinking about how I'm going to make my anvil since buying one after buying a whole workshop isn't going to be an option.
I'm thinking of places to find a big ol block of flat iron. So far my only guess has been to buy a large free weight and if it's flat enough it could work.

[ßlöükfáce]

i would love to make blades/knives if i ever got the chance, hope for the best of luck op 👌

[Rally]

Yeah I'm thinking about how I'm going to make my anvil since buying one after buying a whole workshop isn't going to be an option.
I'm thinking of places to find a big ol block of flat iron. So far my only guess has been to buy a large free weight and if it's flat enough it could work.

You could try sinking a sledgehammer (or comparatively similar tool) into some concrete and using the head as the anvil. It wont last long but it does it's job

[Bisjac]

I recycle precious metals from computer/phone/coin/jewellery/silverware. It involves purifying metals compounds, acids, assaying, electric stripping and plating.
But its done at a much smaller scale then actual blacksmithing, so i cant really compare.

[XR-7]

Furdle you aren't trying to build your own shower pieces are you?

[Pastrey Crust]

You could try sinking a sledgehammer (or comparatively similar tool) into some concrete and using the head as the anvil. It wont last long but it does it's job

Concrete would be too weak to withstand a hammer hit with a hot metal bar on it. Not to mention most concrete blocks aren't smooth unless you compress/sandpaper it.

[JumboMuffin]

Best of luck with your project, I chose Graphic Products instead of Resistant Materials or Electronics for D&T so I don't have any knowledge of these things, but it seems like an interesting hobby, looking forward to seeing some of the stuff you might make if you go ahead with this.