Draw a design ahead of time so you can work from a plan. Without one, you risk finishing your project with iron pieces that do not mesh properly, as well as an ugly piece of art. Depending on your design, you will need to measure how much metal each section will need before beginning.
Work the propane forge until it reaches just over 1800 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hold the piece of rolled mild steel with the tongs and place it inside the forge until it too hits 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. You will know when this occurs when the metal becomes a yellow-white color. Take it out of the forge.
Set the hot metal onto the end of the anvil if you're making a curved section, and turn the metal piece with the ball end of the ball peen hammer. If you're working on a flat section, place the metal on the flat top of the anvil and strike it with the flat end of the hammer.
Loop the metal around the tip of the anvil using the flat end of the hammer to manipulate its shape. Using the hammer and vice together, you can work the iron into the shapes, curves, and designs that you've drawn in your plan while the metal is hot enough to move.
Cool each section in the water in your 2-gallon bucket. The water does not require a set temperature; the white-hot metal will raise whatever temperature your water already is. The metal will cool merely by the process of submerging it in water.
Heat two pieces and hammer them together on the flat top of the anvil with the flat end of the ball peen hammer. Hit the metal until the two pieces fuse. As both pieces of metal are so hot that they're almost in a liquid state, this process won't take much time, but it will take much strength.
Create the ornamental designs by carefully heating, hammering and setting the rolled metal as desired. Once the piece is finished, place it inside the water bucket and set aside to cool.
Use metal paint, acid spray or another material to decorate the ornamental iron.