Anyone do foundry work and forge knives?

[Railrider1920]

I was just wondering if anyone does foundry work and forging as well. If someone does, do you do it in the same furnace / forge? I am getting ready to make up a forge for knives and probably a furnace (for melting aluminum & brass). I was wondering if anyone has ever done both in the same unit and how it worked out. If someone has, have any pictures of the forge / furnace?
Thanks,
Rob

 

[sunshadow]

do not use your forge for melting bronze/brass. Trust me. I spilled bronze in a forge and everything I forged in that forge the next day went red-short. I had to re-line the forge

-Page

 

[Railrider1920]

...went red-short. I had to re-line the forge

-Page

Thanks Page. I didn't even think about spills. What is going "red-short"?

 

[12345678910]

Thanks Page. I didn't even think about spills. What is going "red-short"?

Brittleness and crumbling at a red hot heat where it should be very plastic and malleable

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I have never seen any reference to it but anecdotal, but they say that if you contaminate your forge with copper in any form, it will affect the welding of damascus billets and even regular forging. I have never experienced this, but I don't use much copper in the forge, either.

 

[barnett25]

I'd be curious to know the science behind the copper contamination issue. It would seem like unless the copper is IN your weld it shouldn't really cause issues.

 

[Miles Undercut]

Be extremely careful about ventilation when melting brass. Toxic fumes!