I wanted to be more green and use leftover metal. So I picked up an old washing machine drum from the sidewalk. Once I heated it in the forge, the paint on it began to melt and smoke. A huge cloud of gray stuff blew all over the place. Someone down the street thought a building was burning and called 911. The fire guys came and just shook their heads at my setup. It was pretty funny after we all realized what happened.
Ngl, I was making hooks and didn't notice the tank was low. The flame died mid-heat, so the metal cooled unevenly. Now all the pieces have weak spots and I have to start over. Honestly, a simple gauge check could have saved me hours.
I do miss the rhythm, but my arms thank me every day.
I kept grabbing finished work too soon and getting blisters. Then I saw how cooks tap a pan to check heat, so I started lightly brushing my knuckle against the steel. If I feel any warmth at all, I leave it alone. No more burns since I made that simple change.