Forge project

[Spark plug]

Well after finally finding a decent anvil at a reasonable price, nearly a year of searching!

It's now time to get a forge build under way, I've looked on you tube but there are so many different designs and types I don't know ware to start.

I'm looking to build something for heating decent size stuff I expect to be working with 1/2"-1" most of the time but may end up doing bigger stuff from time to time.

I have seen the brake drum forges but these look a bit limited. I do have best part of an 8mm plate looking for a use.

Any ideas or pointers would be much appreciated.

 

[MCKDAVID]

been looking into this myself, as you say plenty of choice, maybe even too much...

big question is what you doing with it? which will then narrow it down to gas fired, or traditional coke. I'm going for gas, easier for me, already got the gas and adjustable regulators etc, and want to make a foundry later so makes sense for me.

Plenty designs out there, I'm going for the converted gas bottle, with hinged ends and a single burner. More than enough for me I reckon.

Good little project, will follow with interest, I'm not home enough at the moment to justify the time necessary, but it's on the list.

 

[Spark plug]

Forgot to mention I'm planning for a coke forge as gas is expensive and to me it seems a lot of gas is Bering wasted then the is no metal in there.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

If you are using coke and you want your forge to last you really need a forge with a water cooled tuyere or tue iron, a water jacketed pipe that carries the blown air.
The idea is to have a forge big enough so that there is plenty of ash and unburnt coke around the centre of the fire so that the support/frame of the forge is insulated from the heat and the only metal in contact with the heat of the forge is the water cooled tue iron. This means you can even make wooden forges, don't laugh as I have seen one!
Brake drums are OK but as they are quite small they will burn out over time.
The advantage with a traditional forge is you can control the size of the fire by how big a hole you scrape in the ash when you start the fire, long and thin for bar twists etc.
My forge is empty at the moment, I can take some pictures and measurements if you want. It's about 1M square and 350mm deep.

 

[Spark plug]

If you are using coke and you want your forge to last you really need a forge with a water cooled tuyere or tue iron, a water jacketed pipe that carries the blown air.
The idea is to have a forge big enough so that there is plenty of ash and unburnt coke around the centre of the fire so that the support/frame of the forge is insulated from the heat and the only metal in contact with the heat of the forge is the water cooled tue iron. This means you can even make wooden forges, don't laugh as I have seen one!
Brake drums are OK but as they are quite small they will burn out over time.
The advantage with a traditional forge is you can control the size of the fire by how big a hole you scrape in the ash when you start the fire, long and thin for bar twists etc.
My forge is empty at the moment, I can take some pictures and measurements if you want. It's about 1M square and 350mm deep.

If you could take some photos that would be very helpful and appreciated.

 

[captain-destructo]

I started making one a fiew years ago from an old barel and shopping trolly so it could be moved about. if i can dig it out ill take some pics and post them
or if you are in the area you are welcome to pop in and have a look ts17 thornaby

 

[julianthegypsy]

If you make a bottom blown forge, you won't need to worry about a water cooled tue iron as the heat is rising. You can make it out of two mill plate with a thicker section in the centre, drill holes in that for the air to enter and weld a tube underneath to hook the air to. You can make it as big as you like and it will work well, that's what I used for several years until I sold it! I'm building another one as soon as I get one of those round things, you know, a tuit or something?

 

[brightspark]

fire bricks out of night storage heaters make a good hearth however big u want http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fire-Bric...placesMantelpieces_RL&clk_rvr_id=664327726399hese talkin out of his a,,se price wise u can get em for nowt

 

[Parm]

I made a simple forge with a truck rim on a tripod type stand. I used some 10mm plate to close off the large hub hole. For the air supply I didn't fancy the traditional approach of a fan so used some galvan asides tube. One end was welded shut and 1mm holes drill through. The other end was fitted with a ball valve and some air line fittings to connect to my compressor. Works an absolute treat and doubles up as a fire put as I've made the air tube removable. The only limititation is the size of the bowl which won't allow very long lengths of metal to be heated in the middle. I made this to make knives so is perfect for me.

 

[Spark plug]

Thanks chaps, I'm getting plenty of ideas to keep me thinking.

I've bought a swage block tonight as we'll so looks like I'm going to have to get stuck into the forge build.

 

[Spark plug]

I've had this vein pump cluttering the shed up for a wile, would it be ok to use for the blower for my forge.

It has a 1/2hp motor and 1-1/4bsp ports and seems to move pleanty of air.

 

[julianthegypsy]

View attachment 45016

I've had this vein pump cluttering the shed up for a wile, would it be ok to use for the blower for my forge.

It has a 1/2hp motor and 1-1/4bsp ports and seems to move pleanty of air.

There's only one way to find out! More seriously though, a vane pump gives plenty of pressure but may or may not give enough volume. Forges like volume but aren't fussed about pressure, which is why centrifugal pumps are generally used. I'd still definitely hook this one up and see though!

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Yeah as above volume over pressure or you'll blow the coals out, or kill the fore entirely!

I use a leaf blower atm just stuck up my inlet pipe, works ok just a pain to pick up every heat, can't do much else as permanent space is limited.

 

[Brad93]

Do you want a proper coke forge as in the ones a blacksmith would use? or a gas forge like the ones a mobile farrier would use?

A cygnet is a great little fire that runs off propane. http://gasforges.co.uk/forges/portable-forges-and-mobile-forges/cygnet

Or one of these which runs off coke, would need some fire bricks in it. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blacksmit...lectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item233c034880

 

[julianthegypsy]

You could make a gas forge for a few quid. Thin steel box lined with firebrick then buy a venturi and stick it in a pipe. I shall be building one as soon as I have a minute.

 

[hareng]

This is a coke forge 3ft wide x 2ft x 10" deep lined with firebrick built in 75. Air pumped in by hand using bellows through 1" steel pipe running low down horizontally. Used several times a day since built sealed off with fire cement no water cooling. Skins about 1/16" thick including base.
Plate separating is 12mm thick seen bowed welded to original 5/16", air input runs through this covered over with coke and dust.

Heat generated can almost go to a white heat vary pale yellow, easily burn steel in seconds.
11 yrs use by three of us daily needed a couple of rebuilds and the yearly firebrick cement around the air tube inlet.
Its the only piccy I have got, bellows were the suede aprons we hated wearing.

 

[outofthefire]

If your going to make a bottom draft forge this is a good design. Brake drums are rubbish, they don't even make particularly good fire pots the sides are too steep. My old forge is slowly rusting away in the back garden (the coke forge ****** off the neighbours), if you want to drive down to Leeds you can take it away for free its still got loads of life the firepits made out of 10 or 12mm plate

 

[Spark plug]

If your going to make a bottom draft forge this is a good design. Brake drums are rubbish, they don't even make particularly good fire pots the sides are too steep. My old forge is slowly rusting away in the back garden (the coke forge ****** off the neighbours), if you want to drive down to Leeds you can take it away for free its still got loads of life the firepits made out of 10 or 12mm plate

Thanks very much for the offer but it a little far for me to travel and probably awkward to transport. Also the build is half the fun.

I am struggling to decide witch is better bottom draft or side draft. What are the pros and cons with either.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Bottom draft you don't need to faf with water cooling. Very simple to make. Never used a side draft tbh.

Dan

 

[outofthefire]

A water cooled tue is easy to make if your a welder. Its just a tube within a tube with the gap between the two sealed at one end. At the other the outer tube is welded into a water container the inner runs through the container. Generally though, side draft forges are bigger and less portable than bottom draft forges