December Blog post: All about the Twists

This month I have twisted metal for the first time. It was amazing. I made a steak flipper with some decorative as well as functional twists. In this video it shows how to make simple twists and even onions (onions are the cage like twists where they branch out into multiple pieces). The video does not include all the steps required it still shows the main process. There are over a thousand different kinds of twists that all show amazing results such as the Pineapple twist or the Rubic twist but this video is a good example of the some simple twists.  Enjoy!

Making steel

In these videos it shows how to make and how not to make Wootz Steel. This type of steel has an interesting pattern on it that is creating when making the steel not forging as apposed to the folded steel from Japaneses swords that get their pattern through forging (working the metal).

EQ

1. I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.


2. a.No looks fast and sloppy. Does not provides frame work. Only allows a side to be chosen by picking the most important factor. Not Specific enough to genral
    b. Yes. Frame work narrows the question down to a very specific topic. Takes a stance by having you choose a side. Specific enough for the topic.
    c. Yes. Frame work helps ask a specific question about not just hair styles but some thing about the customer. Has you chose sides between the different hairstyles I guess. Format Makes it very specific.
    d. No. Not enough to the question for adequate frame work. The sides chosen are to general. Not very specific.


3. Revised EQ: What factor is the most important in efficiently manipulating metal into a desired shape.

Lesson 1 reflection

Q1. What are you most proud of in your lesson 1 presentation and why?

A. I am most proud of the way I drew my audience in and kept them entertained not only with my topic but with the information and interactions with them. I didn't just stand up at the front, I handed things that I made at my mentorship out and showed them what I did to make each piece. This helped involve the class and ensured that I had their full attention when I taught them about the different colors of metals in blacksmithing.

Q2. What assessment would you give yourself?

A. AE

B. I would give myself an AE for multiple reasons. First I engaged the audience not just in one instance but throughout my entire lesson. I handed out things I made while working at the forge as props. This helped give them something tangible to keep them focused on what I was teaching. Second, I used body language to make my points more appealing. But even more so I used body language to show physical techniques used in blacksmithing. Third, I sited and referenced almost all of my sources including my interviewee both in the presentation and in the lesson plan. I showed information that my sources gave me as well as things I have actually tried and been taught in the workshop. Finally, and perhaps the most important, every one learned something from my presentation. Not just for a few seconds but something that they stored away and can use in the future.

Q3. What worked for you in lesson 1?

A. My props and pictures worked the best because they showed people what I was doing rather than me telling them. By showing them they have a better idea and can learn more about blacksmithing than if I simply told them. If a picture is worth a thousand words then the actual piece is worth a million.

Q4. (What didn't work?) If you had a time machine what would you have done differently to improve your lesson?

A. I would have gotten better pictures of the different colors of metal. I had a few but nothing concrete that can stick with them. I should have brought a piece of copper that I colored though heat treating. I didn't bring it because it is the wrong type of metal for me to be working with if I am a blacksmith ( I explained the differences in my presentation). I also should have let them study the pictures a little more. If I had much more information would fit into the presentation even though the time limit was constricting.

Another Extra Blog post... Making Razors

This shows all the steps required for not only forging the metal but everything till the finished product from tempering and annealing to polishing and honing. Awesome video with plenty of information.

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1. My working EQ is :What is the most effective way to manipulate metal using a hammer and coal forge?

2. The best way to manipulate metal using a coal forge is by keeping the proper heat in the metal without which the metal becomes to hard to move.

3. The most important source i have found is my 8th : properties, identifications, and heat treatment of metals.

4. My mentor is Caroline at the Orange county heritage museum where their is a blacksmith shop so I work on making tools and materials their. 

Independent Component 1 Approval

1. I plan to create 3 products that have income potential. I will plan out how to create them, what materials are needed, and then how long it would take to make them utilizing the skills I am learning as a novice level blacksmith. I am currently working on my Level 1 certificate for which I must successfully complete the following:

Level I: Novice

This certificate will be awarded to those who have completed the Level 1, basic training or the equivalent. They will have presented to their instructor the Farm Gate Hook (see drawing below) and have passed a safety test. By doing so they have shown an understanding of the basic skills of a blacksmith, including:

• Safety
• Nomenclature of the hammer
• Hammers and types of hammer blow
• Tapers (Square octagon, round)
• Handheld punch in a round hole
• Hot cut (chisel or top tool)
• Heat treatment
• 7/8 x 1/8 slot Punch (or equivalent)
• Hammer, eye drift (½ by 7/8)
• Monkey tool (precursor to making a hammer – level 2)
• Butcher (chisel or top tool)
• Upsetting
• Round tenon
• Smoosh-a-matic
• Forge welding
• Bending over the bick or horn

Find Level I Classes »

Class Project

Farm Gate Hook: Level I project figure 1

Farm Gate Hook: Level I project figure 2

2. I will show my 30 hours of evidence by keeping a log of time spent on: showing detailed drawings of the project, lists and cost of materials, estimated and actual production steps, and finally the products themselves. Examples of projects and drawings can be found at: http://www.calsmith.org/resources/education

3. Blacksmithing is a lot more than hitting a hot piece of steel with a hammer. To create something there are a multitude of steps needed. First you must find a purpose for the piece or vice versa. Next you must find what type of metal is best suited for the purpose, a soft metal or hard for example. Then, the final step, you have to plan out how to hit the piece and how you plan on physically making the item with the hammer and other tools. I've already learned there are lots of tools. With this idea in mind I will learn all of the necessary step and how to execute them properly using the art and science of blacksmithing.

This Month

Yes, before you ask, I have made more stuff.  Lots of people ask me to make things for them as soon as they find out my topic is blacksmithing. They ask me for things ranging from knives to bracelets, but this past month I have had to put them on the back burner. I am mentoring at the Kellogg house heritage museum in Santa Ana. Instead of working on metal this week we decided to work on with wood. We decided to extend the roof out over a platform right next to the shop. This area would be covered by a ceiling but still outdoors because there will be no walls so the roof is more like an awning. On this platform we plan to build a new forge. This new forge will still be coal fead but instead of being on a raised platform it will be on a brick forge. Too make this all possible we needed to have lots of wood for the ceiling, so this past month we have painted quite a bit of wood. I will post pictures below.

PS: I have also completed my square punch and leaf key chain.

Blog 6 - 2nd Interview Preparation

1. My mentor is Kathy. Not sure where she works, but she is a special education teacher.

2. The questions I am going ask are:

          1. Where did you learn to blacksmith?
          2. How long have you been blacksmithing?
          3. What made you become interested in blacksmithing?
          4. What was the most difficult thing you have ever made.
          5.  How much time have you detected to blacksmithing?

Blog 5 - Mentorship Reflection

1. For my senior project i am doing blacksmithing. when I was younger, almost 7 years ago I went to a blacksmithing forge and started smithing. I stopped going and then when senior projects started being announced I immediately thought of blacksmithing agin. I went to the forge a few times over the summer and found out that it was defiantly the right choice for my senior project. I ended up making a few things such as the staple or the spring fuller and had lots of fun with it. I do not have one mentor but a group. They each work at the forge and tell me what to do and what not to do. and when ever I need help with a project they always provide assistance. If I had to chose one to be a mentor it would probably be Kathy because she is the most helpful and forthcoming without asking.

2. The most important article I have read so far is probably the "Anvil fire" it has lots of good information and directions in various locations on the site and it references great books that are also important in my research. So it is the most important because not only is it a great sours but it also has other sources I can use reference and ever recommended.

Mentorship

Mentorship 

My senior project is blacksmithing so over the past few months I have made a variety of things. The best part about learning to become a blacksmith is that most of the basic projects you do at first lead into the next project. For example, I  had to make a chisel out of a spring from a car. The next project then required me to use the chisel to make indentations. It is all very structured and planed out because they have had thousands of years to teach people how to blacksmith so they teaching methods are very well rounded. Just recently I made a spring fuller, a tool which is used to pinch metal, and then used it to make a leaf key chain. I have not completed I yet but I have done the leaf portion. Below are some pictures of the forge and of the leaf.

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1. I plan to interview Bob Cooper because he has been blacksmithing his entire life and is a great asset in the shop and is always very helpful. I know he has the knowladge I just have to ask the questions.

2. The questions I am going to ask are:

      1. How did you become interested in blacksmithing?
   
      2. What was the hardest/most interesting piece you have ever made?

      3. How many hours/pieces do you have to make on avrage to become an advanced blacksmith?

      4. What kind of metal is easiest/hardest to work with?

      5. What do you enjoy most about blacksmithing?

Topic Choice and Working EQ

1. Topic:       Blacksmithing


2. What is the most effective way to manipulate metal using a hammer and coal forge?


3. Working Bibliography        over there somewhere------->

Summer Mentorship Component

1. Log of hours and duties <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Tg_33P7QMQL-7Why_hYFGyG9oVuIBuB9-phHCzNstoQ/edit#gid=0>

2.    Address: 3101 west Harvard St. Santa Anna, CA 92704

       Phone number: 714-540-0404

3. No questions asked:  They said it was normal for senior projects to come there.

4. I learned how interesting blacksmithing is and realized it's what I want to do for my senior project. Its not just hitting something with a hammer, their is a lot of science and technique used, but most of all it is fun.

5. Blacksmithing because I practiced and that just pulled me in

Blog 1 Senior Presentations

1. What presentations did you see?

	Gonzalez, Marco	Insurance
	Escobedo, Seriah	Basketball
	Mendoza, Gabriel	Creating a Franchise
	Velez, Christian	Bodybuilding
	Nakielski, Noah	Defense Systems Engineering
	Uribe, Bryan	Architecture
	Legaspino, Nisa	Public Defender
	Larino, Leo	Basketball
	Cocjin, Ari	Warehouse Op. Management
	Salas, Isaac	Engineering
	Gamboa, Daniel	Electrical Engineering
	Pacheco, Vanessa	Marketing Management
	Munoz, Juan	Business (Corporate Leadership)
	Olivares, Adrian	Strength Training
	Negrete, Tannia	Business Management
	Lara, David	Lending

2. What questions do you have that haven't been answered about the senior project?

        The Seniors did a great job about answering my questions in class but i would like too know more about how the business management because that presentation was more about planing a single event thats only applicable to only type of company. I though it would be more about employee relationships and how to divide pay and determine when you should give a raise and lower pay. what are appropriate punishments besides firing people? Things that can be used in any business not just at SPA's.

3. what is the most important part about the senior presentations based on what you are seeing in the two hour presentations?
       
        From what i have seen making the time crunch is the most important part of the presentations because it doesn't matter if you give the best presentation and have go over everything you have too ands more. If you don't make time then it doesn't matter. 

4. What topic are you considering doing and why?

       I am considering blacksmithing. I used to go to a forge every week when i was little and my grandpa is a very good metal worker.  He works a lot with copper which is good for understand how metal functions under heat and how its properties change because it heats up easily and is easy to manipulate compared to steel or iron.

5. What are your plans for summer mentorship?
     
       I plan to practice with my grandpa more out in North Carolina and then become an apprentice at the forge I used to go too.