Blacksmith camp

[BitterDan]

Hell yeah! I'll go pound on some metal with you!

[Blacksmith]

wait... I can't just work all the time??? hahaha, I have forgotten what that is like! I talked to the smith that was there last year and it looks like it would work out to join forces. Which is nothing but good news! I fully plan on giving lessons and having people participate in making pieces that will be incorporated in the final piece that will get burned. Sooooo much to plan and do!

[Captain Goddammit]

Hey Blacksmith!
I guess by now you've gotten the message that the Burning Man population at large will love having you, and your hammer isn't "noise", it's "sound"! Trust me, you won't be the loudest thing there.
Burning Man is full of people who work with all sorts of tools and build all sorts of things. You sound like you're a perfect fit here.

[Toolmaker]

We could use a thread in the Q&A Tips n Tricks titled "Learn How to Smith" or somesuch. I got my hands full with the welding thread, the new fire breathing thread and the upcumming fire spinning thread.

Sadly I missed the avil action this year since I was doing something or someone else. I have always wanted to work with the hammer but the closest I have ever come is an oxy torch and whatevers been handy to bend shit. Le Chat makes some really nice stuff so hopefully he will drop by the thread since he hammers n stuff.

I wish you the best with your camp.. maybe all the smiths should get together and do up a large themecamp or village. You would certainly get better placement and listing in a guide that may or may not be useless in 08. If I manage to make it this year I will put you on my top 10 list and possibly swing a hammer for awhile.

[natthebat]

I don't think you'd want to be right on the Esplanade for the first time doing this camp anyway. I'd rather have a more rural location. You know, not right next to the big city. Somewhere that's not too quiet, but you don't want soothing shop sounds being drowned out by musack. People should be able to hear you. You'll have enough on your plate just being there doing something big without the added stress of heave traffic. Don't worry ... they will find you.

[willyloafofphora]

Coal might be more authentic but I think clean up would be much easier if you use propane to power your forge. Ive never used a coal forge but I do pour iron and coal always gets all over the fucking place. I have friends that want to pour iron on the playa but we are having trouble figuring out a way to to it with out making a huge mess. The main problem is the wind and there will be wind. I don,t really know about the coal used in a forge but i do know that foundry coke breaks up into miniscule pieces that would end up all over the playa.

[Jew Boy]

You could sponsor events like anvil-tossing or a molten ingot relay race.

Maybe even a red-hot poker tournament.

[Rat Bastard]

An event like slave branding might go over well with all the S&M camps out there!

[LeChatNoir]

Hey blacksmith…

Welcome to eplaya. I’m going to wholeheartedly encourage your setting up a camp to do smithing. robotland (he’s on the board from time to time) and I talked about doing a Village Smithy a couple of years ago. He a whitesmith and I a blacksmith. Then we both got our hands full with other projects and it never materialized.

I have tossed the idea around of bringing a forge setup (including power hammer) to the playa, but logistically, it just wouldn’t work for me now, since I’ve got an art car thing that is my Burning Man focus and it alone is a trailer full.

If you (and whoever else) were to set up a camp, I promise you it’d be a hit. You’d have people wanting to play and learn at every moment you were willing to do it. And you’d have plenty of folks willing to pitch in and help.

As to the coal thing…

It is messy to clean up for sure, but I’m going to encourage you to work with propane for a different reason. The way coal is being mined currently is really just awful. And as much as I love the smell of it burning, behind that smell I detect the scent of the destroyed mountains of my old east Kentucky home. It’s a very bittersweet smell to me…

I like the idea of adding steam to the camp. There are a number of steampunks and gear-heads on the playa (and eplaya) who would probably jump at the chance to help you make things move and smack metal. The project I’m working on will have a PTO, actually. Here’s a link to the last few pages of a thread showing the finished project. Lots of the parts of this project were forged out in shop, including the 120 pound flywheel. And here’s the thread for this year, documenting the steam engine upgrade. Come over and chime in.

[Blacksmith]

hello Lechatnoir, it is great to hear that there will be other smiths at BM! I think I need to go and get as many connections as I can this year and then plan something on a larger scale for 09. I wasn't even thinking powerhammers or anything to that scale. I wanted to to prefab as many parts as I could forsee needing and mainly do assembly and the make whatever parts I need on site, as well and playing and teaching. I just opened my shop doors a few weeks ago and going to BM will be enough of a task without trying to setup a camp to that scale, I just don't want to bite off more then I can chew and since I don't really have a full grasp of what I am getting myself into I need to play my cards right.
As for coal vs. propane. I agree that mining coal and burning it is not green at all and cleanup will be less then a smashing time, I just don't see how I can manage to bring enough propane to last a week and safely handle and store it before it gets used up. If I can jump that bridge I would rather burn propane, but coal just seems easier to transport in the quantity that would be needed. We will see though, I will be working with blacksmith from last year and maybe between the two of us we can find a solution.....

[Toolmaker]

Anyone know if those fuel bricks made using used coffee grounds would work as opposed to coal. Just a thought.. something yall might want to peek into. I'm pretty sure center camp and other camps were giving away the used grinds for this purpose, it also allowed for folks to haul away less garbage. I tried to find the link but my link folder on biofuels is kinda overweight currently. Maybe someone else can dig it up before I do.

[Blacksmith]

The wheels are turning and I am getting ready to fill out the placement form and I have not yet heard back from the other blacksmith so looks like I will be flying solo. Are there any people out there that would like to join the blacksmith camp out there? It is going to be a really loose format, not too many responsibilites, having fun and a good personality are a must. You don't have to have worked with metal before, but you should be prepared for a good time and learning. As I said I am still working on a guideline but I haven't heard back anything from any smiths yet....... We'll see on how this can happen, if worse comes to worse I'll just make a cart and roll it around from camp to camp with a sign that say "Blacksmith for Free" and go from camp to camp and if someone wants me there I'll hang out, do some forging then roll on my way to the next camp.

[LeChatNoir]

I like the idea of a roving shop. This could help you keep it to a manageable size for yourself and make it even more fun, too. You’d be a hit around the steam punk-ish camps for sure. Like a small rickshaw-like rig that you pull around? Heck, dress it up with a little "old timey" period style, even. This could be much easier to transport out there for you as well, I’d think. Roll it into a small trailer, lash it down and hit the road.

Genius…

And with a mobile rig, you won’t need placement or anything. Just camp where you wanna.

Man… you’ve got me all excited now. I’m seeing big wooden wagon wheels.

Oh, hey… and don’t’ let me hijack your idea and tell you how it is that you want to do it, or anything. I just tend to openly (and often excitedly) let my mind wander with possibilities. Either way, if there is something that you need help with to make this happen, don't be afraid to ask. You'd be surprised how things can come together sometimes with just a littel help from here and there.

[Blacksmith]

You know I actually just made that idea up as I was typing out my last post and right after I typed it out the light bulb went off and I actually think that is what I am going to do. I might be starting a new job soon and if they let me have the time off then I will be putting my cart together and rolling around visiting camps and who knows what else! Damn, I am loving this idea more and more the more I think about it. it will fit well being the wandering vegabond bastard that I am. excellent....

[Box Burner]

If you use a propane forge I am sure that folks will be able to dig up a spare bottle just toe see you work and have a chance to try thier hand at it. You are gonna hafta come by the B(o)(o)by Bar.

[BBump]

I've done a bit of smithing and am really looking forward to your camp!
How many forges will you have set up and is it a BYOS event (bring your own steel)?

[BitterDan]

I've done a bit of smithing and am really looking forward to your camp!
How many forges will you have set up and is it a BYOS event (bring your own steel)?

Larry Harvey has kindly offered up his RV as material for Blacksmith Camp.

[B_alive]

Oh Yeah! Can't wait to see you out there! I've wanted to try... or at least learn about this for a while :)

[Intubater69]

The roving vagabond thang sounds awesome. This will be my first BM as well and planning to stay at or near kidscamp with my little dude-man and I would venture a guess that your forge would be a hit with the younger crowd as well. Sounds like all the older "kids" are equally excited.

[roamer]

I agree that having a roaming smithy setup is the way to go, especially as it's your first year. Although there is a lot to be said for setting up a great theme camp and letting Burning Man come to you, you'd end up spending most of your time there, rather than exploring the city.

You only get to experience your virgin year once and it is not to be spent in one place. Save the theme camp for next year and besides, you'll get so much inspiration this year that the ideas for a theme camp that you have now will expand beyond all recognition.

Just like to add my welcome to BM. You're fitting in wonderfully.

[Zorch]

I am totaly in love with the roving-smithy idea. I'd love to try hammerigng out some metal even if doing so might accentuate my inate wussyness

But I agree with roamer - this is our first year too and as much as I am dying to help out we are probably better off roving around and finding a neich we really fit into first. Then next year... watch out!! lol

[fciron]

I am still stuck on this "coal will be easier to transport than propane" thing.

I have used a couple of different portable set-ups for public demos. It will be my first time too and I am already overcommitting myself to Brass Goggles camp. Let's plot something for 2009.

Everyone I know wants to come to my shop and hang around, so any forge should be a hit.

Maybe we can get LeChat to tow us behind the contraption.

[MozyBonz]

I am still stuck on this "coal will be easier to transport than propane" thing.

I have used a couple of different portable set-ups for public demos. It will be my first time too and I am already overcommitting myself to Brass Goggles camp. Let's plot something for 2009.

Everyone I know wants to come to my shop and hang around, so any forge should be a hit.

Maybe we can get LeChat to tow us behind the contraption.

you have more support than you know.

and seeing the contraption pulling your setup would just be fitting

[rno172]

Good to hear about your roving blacksmith cart. One of my hobby's is art metal welding. Never done blacksmithing but hell I can bring my own tools and steel to give it a try.

Still looking for a good solid idea to come about. Was thinking some form of lantern or an Eagle Podium with the bill of rights written underneath it.

[**burn**]

Blacksmith -
I'll donate propane just to watch.
Strength and sweat - yum!

burnbaby

[unjonharley]

Anyone see Blacksmith posting anywhere lately??

[Bobzilla]

There was the Bohemian Blacksmith Camp last year, aka Joe and Amanda from Denver. They were awesome, they had the forge out and everything. it was great. I got to pound on some rebar. Learned how to taper.

[ragabashpup]

All I have to say is blacksmiths are sexy. I want to come and watch I dont even care about learning

[motofab]

The Hardly Davidson Cafe is located on the Esplanade and we're setup with BurningMan for cutting/welding/grinding etc. We're gonna be cutting and chopping bicycles, and a blacksmith would fit-in perfect

Fuser