Cogold Rust

I remember sitting in my garage ten years ago, staring at a ruined piece of 6061 alloy that I’d managed to turn into a glorified piece of Swiss cheese. I thought I knew what I was doing because I’d spent Continue reading A No-nonsense Guide to Welding Aluminum Safely at Home→

I remember standing in my first real shop back in the seventies, the air thick with the smell of coal smoke and scorched scale, staring at a catalog of “beginner kits” that cost more than my first truck. They’ll try Continue reading Stop Wasting Good Steel: the Only Essential Tools for Beginning Blacksmithing Projects Worth Your Time→

I remember sitting in my first apprenticeship, staring at a piece of expensive mild steel and feeling that knot in my stomach because my freehand measurements were off by a fraction of an inch. I’d spent three hours prepping the Continue reading Creating Templates for Metalwork→

I remember sitting in my first apprenticeship, staring at a piece of scrap that a senior smith told me was “just metal,” only to have it shatter under the hammer because I hadn’t respected its composition. I’ve spent forty years Continue reading Stop Wasting Material: Why You Must Master the Differences Between Steel and Iron Before You Strike the Anvil→