[Artemisia] Bloomery updates

[Cat Clark]

Greetings y'alls,

it's the week before Uprising.  I just wanted to hog a little space on
the Aerie right quick about the Bloomery.

If you want to play with furnace or forge, you need to pack and wear
all natural fibers and/or leather (including shoes and socks).
Closed-top shoes or boots only (no sandals).  Basically, wear clothes
you could weld in.  (Natural fibers burn to ash; but unnatural fibers
burn and melt, leaving a hot sticky smudge of thermoplastic goo on
your skin that will give you a really nasty chemical burn.)  I'm not
saying that there will be any accidents.  What I'm saying is that it's
wise to be properly prepared in the unlikely case that something goes
wrong.

Supplies on Hand

We have made arrangements for, or have already gathered:

Willow for the wickerwork
Bricks for the foundation
Bellows
Iron Ore
Charcoal (the real stuff, not the briquettes which don't burn hot enough)
anvil
screw-top
shovel
hammers
sledge
Non-contact thermocouple
eye protection
welding gloves/furnace mitts

Things we still need to get before next week:

Clay (REAL clay, not Duke Alan "clay" which turned out to be a silty
loam... Hi Alan! <g>)
I would be especially interested if anyone knows of any old clay pits
or any stream banks where potters or brick makers used to get clay, so
long as it is within 4 hours of Pocatello.  If I can't locate a source
of natural clay in the area in the next few days, then I would be open
to donations of bentonite.  We used 5 bags last time we did a bloomery
at Uprising - and I don't see that amount being any different this
time around.

Furnace or forge tongs
Folding table
Donations of soda and munchies
Stool-sized tree stumps (for seating)

If you have any of these that you could lend, we would be in your debt.

Thanks!
ttfn
Therasia