wolf@netcom.COM (Buckskin Tech.) (05/29/91)
Well, my friend Boots and I just finished building a coal forge for an upcoming Renaissance Faire. As this will be an "historically accurate" demonstration of 'smithing in the late 1500's, it might not have much intersection with this group, but I'd be interested in hearing comments suggestions (please!), warnings (this *is* an outdoor forge, with thousands of people and huge oaks around, so we're being _EXTRA_-careful), and anything else from you folks out there. - Wolf PS: Anyone have a copy of _De Re Metallica_? Found a reprint in a bookstore once and didn't buy it, now I wish I had.
david@talgras.UUCP (David Hoopes) (05/29/91)
In article <1991May28.223635.20508@netcom.COM> wolf@netcom.COM (Buckskin Tech.) writes: >Well, my friend Boots and I just finished building a coal forge for an >upcoming Renaissance Faire. As this will be an "historically accurate" >demonstration of 'smithing in the late 1500's, it might not have much >intersection with this group, but I'd be interested in hearing comments >suggestions (please!), warnings (this *is* an outdoor forge, with thousands >of people and huge oaks around, so we're being _EXTRA_-careful), and >anything else from you folks out there. > > - Wolf > >PS: Anyone have a copy of _De Re Metallica_? Found a reprint in a bookstore >once and didn't buy it, now I wish I had. Make sure that you have something to keep the wind away from the fire. Even a slight breeze will suck a lot of the heat away. It doesn't take much. I keep a row of bricks to move to the side that the wind is coming from. Once you have your work up to tempature be ready to work fast. It will cool very quickly. If you have never worked in front of a crowd before be carefull not to burn up the work while you are talking. (I have done this several times) If you have two smiths, teach yourselves to let the one that is not working at the moment do the talking.. Sounds like fun. Where is the faire? -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- David Hoopes Tallgrass Technologies Inc. uunet!talgras!david 11100 W 82nd St. Voice: (913) 492-6002 x323 Lenexa, Ks 66214
mspencer@ac.dal.ca (05/31/91)
In article <1991May28.223635.20508@netcom.COM>, wolf@netcom.COM (Buckskin Tech.) writes: > Well, my friend Boots and I just finished building a coal forge for an > upcoming Renaissance Faire. As this will be an "historically accurate" > demonstration of 'smithing in the late 1500's, it might not have much > intersection with this group, but I'd be interested in hearing comments > suggestions (please!), [........] Umm....if it's 16th c. period, hadn't you better use charcoal? And not bricquettes, either :-). > - Wolf > > PS: Anyone have a copy of _De Re Metallica_? Found a reprint in a bookstore > once and didn't buy it, now I wish I had. That's a Dover publication, and I thot it was still in print. Check with yr friendly neighborhood bookstore.