Craft Forum / Wood/Metal / Blacksmithing / February 2010

have any of you skilled blacksmiths out there had any experience with
this pesky problem ? i'am talking about bending flat stock the hard way.
have fun, mark

Well, it's getting cold and wet here in DC and I'm beginning to realize
I've got a problem (I'm not known for thinking ahead).   I've built my
blacksmith shop in my single family home garage, and when the weather is
like this, I find it very difficult to motivate myself to go out ...

See pictures at the link below.
We went to Medieval Times Show in Schaumburg today. THey gave us some
yummy medieval food, such as chicken, and had a show of sword
fighting. Since the kids were interested, I wanted to impress them

Registration is open for the 2010 Spring Market.  The application is
online now, please click on the FORMS link to apply.
The 2010 Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa Spring Market is set for
Saturday, May 1st 2010.

With this discussion of how metal expands with heat, it made me wonder if
there might be some fun way to make use of it in a blacksmith project!
Such as a metal sunflower that would lean towards the warm sun?  Or a
dragon head that would lean towards a warm fire?

We spend some time in Mexico and I did a survey of decorative ironwork
on Isla Mujeres, the "Women's Island" which is a few miles off shore
from Cancun, Mexico.  This page shows how widely the work varies, in
age, style, attention to detail, etc.

any tips, technics or old hands at this procedure? i made some christmas
presents , metal leaf candle holders. quick and dirty, none the less
effective and easy to make. i've seen beautiful metal insects made this
way. any of you metal smiths out there have used this technic?