Edmonton newbie

[Shorty]

Hi everybody, I'm a ticketed red seal journeyman glassworker looking to get into blacksmithing and bladesmithing. If there's anyone from Morinville on here, I'm wondering what the regulations are against garage forges etc? And ofcourse I am in need of an anvil which I've learned is difficult to find at a decent price. Any suggestions?

 

[PeterT]

Welcome. Last year I drove up to the Reynolds museum when they had kind of a weekend show featuring local metal artisans & table/booths to show their stuff. Many knife makers were there. I'm not a knife maker myself, but I was chatting them about their heat treating equipment for somewhat similar size application & most were friendly to talk to. I still have the business card of this fellow who seemed particularly knowledgeable. He might not know the bylaw answer but might be able to direct you, or suggest a forum where they specifically hang out.
http://www.storchknives.com/

 

[PeterT]

Here is a blurb from past Reynolds 'metal art show' with links to some of the prior attendees if that helps with some contact names.
http://www.history.alberta.ca/reynolds/specialevents/metal-art-show.aspx

 

[Shorty]

Thank you very much Peter, much appreciated. This forum is fantastic!

 

[Jwest7788]

Thank you very much Peter, much appreciated. This forum is fantastic!

Welcome on board,

How did you get into glassworking? --> I was under the impression it was a bit of a dying art today, am I way off base with that?
You use the term glassworking, not blowing, whats the difference?

 

[Shorty]

Welcome on board,

How did you get into glassworking? --> I was under the impression it was a bit of a dying art today, am I way off base with that?
You use the term glassworking, not blowing, whats the difference?

Well I got into the glass trade at age 19. I honestly knew nothing about it but I needed a job to pay the rent and they were the first to reply to my application, and 14 years later I'm ticketed, red seal, been in a foreman position running jobs for 6 or 7 years. Now when I say glassworker.. I'm talking about commercial glass install. I did high rise swingstage work but now i work for a company that stays below 5 storeys. There is no glass blowing or glass art involved. Commercial glass and residential for that matter is certainly no dying art, but I think you meant glass art itself.

 

[Jwest7788]

Well I got into the glass trade at age 19. I honestly knew nothing about it but I needed a job to pay the rent and they were the first to reply to my application, and 14 years later I'm ticketed, red seal, been in a foreman position running jobs for 6 or 7 years. Now when I say glassworker.. I'm talking about commercial glass install. I did high rise swingstage work but now i work for a company that stays below 5 storeys. There is no glass blowing or glass art involved. Commercial glass and residential for that matter is certainly no dying art, but I think you meant glass art itself.

Makes perfect sense, you're right I totally mixed that up!

 

[Janger]

Anvils.... that's tough. They are expensive and go quick when they come up on kijiji. I inherited mine. However there are interesting alternatives. there's some video on the web of guys making them by welding together big hunks of steel and then heat treating. I took a 2" hunk of 6" diameter 4130 and and Josh and I attempted to heat treat it in his kiln. It seemed pretty hard until I got my anvil. I think we over heated it and I didn't cool it off fast enough. I think it is actually probably as soft as one of those crappy cast iron anvils from princess or grizzly or ebay. You could get one of those but they are viewed as pretty poor substitutes. Another approach is the railroad track anvil. Various things on the web on how to make those. @Alexander has a source for railroad track - we've been nudging him to cut some up for us.... There is a guy on here with more experience with this and he lives closer to you.. @Dogpounder have a look at his posts.