Shainarue (she/her) ⚒️ 🧶

Example showing progressive steps for making a pigtail bbq flipper out of steel. Pieces are attached to a board and a finished flipper is laying along the base. Gravel and twigs and leaves in the background.

I taught a beginners blacksmithing class at Go Wyld last weekend. I made this storyboard showing the steps to make a simple pigtail bbq flipper using a 20" long 3/8" round bar.
#gowyld #wildHERness #blacksmith #sunshinesmithing

Pieces of square tubing welded together. Laying on a steel table.

Some welding practice today on 14ga square tubing for an upcoming project.
I discovered pretty quickly that I cannot run a continuous bead because it gets the metal too hot and burns through. 2" to 2" and stacked 1" to 2" with a miter angle so it retains the 90° corners.

The deer strolled by while I was practicing making tongs the other evening.
#blacksmith #sunshinesmithing

A log standing in front of a portable DeWalt table saw with two squared pieces of wood propped on top. On a table covered in sawdust. Blooming bush in background.

I got some logs from my sister when she had her tree cut down. Today I cut some of them into hammer handle blanks. Beautiful, straight lines of grain. Should make a nice long lasting handle.

Two pronged steel roasting fork on wooden planks

A common project for a beginner's class is a roasting fork so I figured I should make sure I knew how to teach it, lol
This is my first time making one. There are just some items I never got around to trying not teaching a class will give me plenty of opportunities for new things.
#sunshinesmithing

Bag rack for my wife for bags of projects in progress. Everything is repurposed scrap. Pieces from deck and porch railings, and 1/8" bar to the yarn balls. Only thing purchased were fasteners and the wire which I twisted to make 3-ply 'yarn' strands to wind through the entire length of each support.

Rack made of steel with arms made to look like stands of thick yarn and a yarn ball at the end of each. Standing on a wood floor with a blue wall and white ceiling in the background.

Bag rack for my wife for bags of projects in progress. Everything is repurposed scrap. Pieces from deck and porch railings, and 1/8" bar to the yarn balls. Only thing purchased were fasteners and the wire which I twisted to make 3-ply 'yarn' strands to wind through the entire length of each support.

Also almost finished with a big project I've been working on. I'll post pics when it's done. The WIP has not been very glamorous, lol

Some exciting stuff coming up for me.
I've been asked to help as an instructor for the WildHERness Go Wyld event in June.
A friend opening up a business wants to sell my items in his shop under consignment.
A local maker mart has my contact info for next year's event.
#excitingstuff

Had a visit to Belle Ridge Farms in Excelsior Springs to visit the new lambs. I can't get over those little "baaaaa"s
I want to bottle it up for a daily dose. The sound from this video will have to do 😊

Sheep and lambs in a pasture

Sheep and lambs in a pasture

Sheep and lambs in a pasture

Lambs in a pasture

Had a visit to Belle Ridge Farms in Excelsior Springs to visit the new lambs. So freaking cute!

Shaina hammering an object on the end of a railroad rail hanging vertically in the anvil stand. Background is a workshop.

Pieces of the portable anvil stand laid out on the ground. On the left: 2 pieces of angle iron with offset tabs. In the center: 3 lengths of square tube. On the right: plate of steel with the shape of railroad rail cut out from the center

Railroad rail anvil in horizontal orientation on anvil stand. Cream wall in background.

Railroad rail anvil in vertical orientation on anvil stand, passing through center of top plate. Cream wall in background.

Portable/Collapsible anvil stand completed and tested in action for 4 hours without issue. Success!
A few minor tweaks I want to make but I'm happy to have something I can take in the trunk of my car!

Steel plate with profile of railroad rail cut from center. Background is wood planks and dirt/gravel.

Working on making a new anvil stand for the railroad rail anvil. It will be able to be be disassembled for travel. I hope to have it in use on Friday!

My two favorite YT channels are @markcrilley.bsky.social & @markliamsmith.bsky.social

Another practice idea: draw a blob/random shape and then make something out of it. This pushes your creativity.
Warmups: my favorite is circles and then shading the circles.

Practice idea: grab a piece of junk mail or magazine with a picture. Cover half of that picture with your paper and try to complete the image. This pushes the realism/observation aspect.
Also fun to find a YouTube channel and follow a tutorial.

I got one of those little 6"square Holland swage blocks at a "defect" discount last year at the BAM Conference and while it's useful, I find myself using the good ole log more often, lol. I don't do a lot of spoons though. Someday...

Ouch!

You need that punch holder I made a few months ago! In the meantime though, maybe try holding the punch with tongs or at least a leather gloved hand to absorb a bit of the blow. I also have a knack for whacking my hand and those are the tricks I use (when I remember 😂)

Steel ring sitting on a jig. The job is a curved piece of flat bar welded to a piece of angle iron and clamped in the vice. Dirt ground in background.

Two steel rings on a wood plank background

I made a jig last night to help me true up these rings made from some scrap handrails. In the pic with two things, the bottom is freehand and the top is after truing up on the jig.

I couldn't find my wax so I used a blue crayon for the finish 😂

On the left, a picture of a page from the book "Hooked" with the number 109 in the lower right corner. On the right, a metal hook hanging from a small nail on a white background.

Trade item for March meeting next Saturday is to attempt Hook #109 from the book "Hooked" by Matt Jenkins of Cloverdale Forge.
Took me a titch over 3 hours.
If I tried it again, I would split a longer portion for the top decoration but leave the overall starting length of stock the same.

YouTube video by Shaina Making steel rope #sunshinesmithing

Making steel rope for a sort-of not-a-coat-tree thing for my wife's bags of various fiber projects in progress.
#blacksmith #sunshinesmithing

Assembled adjustable punch holder and three various sized punches which it can hold securely. Concrete bench in background.

Three various sized punches which the punch holder can hold securely and the diassembled adjustable punch holder consisting of a partially threaded rod with large hole at one end, a section of pipe, and a handmade wingnut. Concrete bench in background.

Assembled and disassemble pics of the punch holder prior to cleaning it all up and smoothing out the mouth of the pipe.
#blacksmith #sunshinesmithing

Finished up an adjustable punch holder for the trade item at tomorrow's Blacksmith Association of Missouri club meeting. Handmade wingnut and hand threaded pieces.
#blacksmith #sunshinesmithing

Nice work!
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Hand forged snake on wood patterned background

A horseshoe with the center forged into a hook, with a wood patterned background

An assembled homemade punch holder laying next to three various sized punches on a stone background.

An assembled homemade punch holder demonstrating how it holds the punch with two other punches in the background laying on a stone bench with brown leaves around it.

A few things I did at the end of 2024.
The tool is an adjustable punch holder with hand forged wingnut. Rod & wingnut hand threaded. Can hold up to 3/4" diameter punch and as small as 3/8", possibly even 1/4". Keeps my knuckles away from the hammer!
#blacksmith #sunshinesmithing

I see you still have a can of gold! I just opened my last can this week 😬

Two leaves with coiled stems made from steel, with a leather lace going through the coils. Wood textured background.

A steel hook with a tightly wound curl on the end of the hook and a leaf with curled stem at the top. On a white background.

Two steel candy canes held in the palm of a person's hand.

A steel bracket hanger that hanging from a curtain rod and has a bracing foot extending from the backside to brace against the wall. There is a macramé curtain and white textured wall in the background.

Some other items I've made over the past few weeks.
A leaf necklace, a leaf hook, candy canes, and a hanger that hooks onto a curtain rod with a bracing arm. A friend needed to hang some paper lanterns but didn't want to screw into the wall or ceiling. #Blacksmith to the rescue!
#sunshinesmithing

Red Christmas bow made of metal hanging on a post with a dark background.

Red Christmas bow made of metal hanging on a post with a partial view of the house and some trees in the night horizon behind it.

Update on the Christmas bow I was working on. My wife wanted it painted red instead of sealed natural - which hides some of the texturing I did but I really like the red!
#blacksmith #sunshinesmithing