Metallsmithing?

[yeahdotdot]

I'm really keen to start but I have no idea how or where to source materials... Anyone help?

[Kaielyn]

If it's for jewelry www.riogrande.com sells stuff. I'm not an expert on the topic though, there could be somewhere better.

[yeahdotdot]

Kaielyn

If it's for jewelry www.riogrande.com sells stuff. I'm not an expert on the topic though, there could be somewhere better.

Thank you so much!

[faolan]

There's a smith who pops in here now and then... page back in the forum, he posted a thread a month or two ago about a tanto he'd made, with plenty of process photos. 3nodding

[chainmailleman]

What kind of metal smithing? You have smelting and casting, forging, welding, and machining.

My weakest area of experience is casting. I do have experience in several casting methods, but nowhere near the level I have in the other fields such as forging or machining. Right now I'm just a journeyman smith(ABANA list of Journeyman skills). I only have a level 1 machining certificate, but I'm in the process of making my own CNC machine/3d printer. I'm very familiar with G-code and I write my own programs. It's really easy on 2 and 3 axis machines. I have a couple welders and make random things with scrap pieces too big to melt down into blooms. You can make your own spot welder with a microwave oven. It's really handy when welding chainmaille.

[yeahdotdot]

chainmailleman

What kind of metal smithing? You have smelting and casting, forging, welding, and machining.

My weakest area of experience is casting. I do have experience in several casting methods, but nowhere near the level I have in the other fields such as forging or machining. Right now I'm just a journeyman smith(ABANA list of Journeyman skills). I only have a level 1 machining certificate, but I'm in the process of making my own CNC machine/3d printer. I'm very familiar with G-code and I write my own programs. It's really easy on 2 and 3 axis machines. I have a couple welders and make random things with scrap pieces too big to melt down into blooms. You can make your own spot welder with a microwave oven. It's really handy when welding chainmaille.

I was thinking about trying forging and welding, for I was aiming to make jewelry or sculptures but am open to a lot of projects.

Casting does seem interesting but I would most probably look into that after a bit of experience. You sound very experienced! How long have you been a journeyman smith for? And a spot welder from a microwave sounds interesting...

[yeahdotdot]

faolan

There's a smith who pops in here now and then... page back in the forum, he posted a thread a month or two ago about a tanto he'd made, with plenty of process photos. 3nodding

Thanks very much smile

[chainmailleman]

yeahdotdot

chainmailleman

What kind of metal smithing? You have smelting and casting, forging, welding, and machining.

My weakest area of experience is casting. I do have experience in several casting methods, but nowhere near the level I have in the other fields such as forging or machining. Right now I'm just a journeyman smith(ABANA list of Journeyman skills). I only have a level 1 machining certificate, but I'm in the process of making my own CNC machine/3d printer. I'm very familiar with G-code and I write my own programs. It's really easy on 2 and 3 axis machines. I have a couple welders and make random things with scrap pieces too big to melt down into blooms. You can make your own spot welder with a microwave oven. It's really handy when welding chainmaille.

I was thinking about trying forging and welding, for I was aiming to make jewelry or sculptures but am open to a lot of projects.

Casting does seem interesting but I would most probably look into that after a bit of experience. You sound very experienced! How long have you been a journeyman smith for? And a spot welder from a microwave sounds interesting...

I've been a blacksmith for about 9 years now. I used to make plate armor and chainmaille in highschool as well as metal shop so I naturally fell right into it.

Your local hardware store should have this stuff called "Gypsum Plaster" or "Plaster of Paris". It's wonderful stuff. Buy a candle and make some cool figurines. Mix a batch of plaster and coat the piece with a thick coat. Heat up the mold to melt the wax out and you now have a mold that can handle copper, silver, gold, aluminum, and other metals. Sand casting is free if you want to steal from the local children's playground. Furnaces are really easy to build, even though they seem scary as hell. Copper is my favorite metal to cast. You can alloy just about anything into it.

[chainmailleman]

My main information thread

[yeahdotdot]

chainmailleman

My main information thread

Thanks so much for all your help smile

[chainmailleman]

yeahdotdot

chainmailleman

My main information thread

Thanks so much for all your help smile

No prob. That thread has alot of info and links to other sites with even more info. If you have any questions just let me know, I usually can point you in the right direction.

[yeahdotdot]

chainmailleman

yeahdotdot

chainmailleman

My main information thread

Thanks so much for all your help smile

No prob. That thread has alot of info and links to other sites with even more info. If you have any questions just let me know, I usually can point you in the right direction.

It's incredibly interesting thank you, may I add you so I can PM you with any questions? (Feel free to say no haha)

[chainmailleman]

yeahdotdot

chainmailleman

yeahdotdot

chainmailleman

My main information thread

Thanks so much for all your help smile

No prob. That thread has alot of info and links to other sites with even more info. If you have any questions just let me know, I usually can point you in the right direction.

It's incredibly interesting thank you, may I add you so I can PM you with any questions? (Feel free to say no haha)

Yeah you can. I don't mind.