Dang. Hot Forge.

Fiddleback

Fiddleback

Knifemaker
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Messages
19,791
How about a pic of the first two from my forge.

Notice how the first one has been melted. Yep. Still stoopid it seems.

attachment.php
 
If I get the grind as good on this one as I did on the burnt one, it'll be really pretty. Of course, I'm planning to leave some scale.

What do you think I should do with the burnt one?
 
Hi Andy,

gas, coal? bellows, blower?

using a power hammer? Any helpers for hammering?

Are you holding a bar, forging and then cutting, or using tongs, and forging the shorther billet?

I found holding a longer bar worked well. it took a while for the heat to migrate. I thought using tongs was awkward, except when absolutely necessary.

Great wrok!

Tom
 
gravertom said:
Hi Andy,

gas, coal? bellows, blower?

Charcoal and a leaf blower.

using a power hammer? Any helpers for hammering?

No power hammer, just myself and a 2 lb cross peen hammer.

Are you holding a bar, forging and then cutting, or using tongs, and forging the shorther billet?

I found holding a longer bar worked well. it took a while for the heat to migrate. I thought using tongs was awkward, except when absolutely necessary.

I start out holding the bar. Then finish with the tongs... my tongs aren't the best, and I have one pair.
Click to expand...

They're forged from a rod of 01 tool steel. I gotta get a bigger rod too. Mine is 1/2" diameter, and I've pounded these down to ~1/8 thick, so this is about max for the size (at my skill level at least!)
 
Yes. I'd say so. Its supposed to anyway, but I guess you're right, its a good way to look at it. Now I know for sure. Neato.
 
i say market it and call it your own.

my blades are treated in a process i call forge-melted.
 
Andy, what kind of forge are you using? If it is coal or charcoal what kind of blower do you have on it?
 
He said earlier charcoal and a leaf blower...gets dang hot.
 
But, but, but Rosie said that fire wouldn't melt steel?:eek: BTW good luck, you are doing something that I can only dream about.
 
Yvsa said:
Andy, what kind of forge are you using? If it is coal or charcoal what kind of blower do you have on it?
Click to expand...


As Nasty said, its a charcoal forge and a leaf blower. A picture is worth a thousand words.

attachment.php



The picture is a few weeks old. I have changed the leaf blower for another one I got at a pawn shop for 15 bucks. It has a little bit of flow ajustment, so its better. Also, I made a 5 board bench out of 2x12 and set everything into the top with cutouts, and use it so I'm not stooping all the time. The forge itself is an old roasting pan my wife won't use anymore because its aluminum. I lined the bottom with Kaowool, and put fireplace mortar around the pipe.

The leaf blower is overkill. Way too much flow. People have suggested a squirrel cage blower, but theres a but ton of those ranging all price ranges. Anybody know of one appropriate for a small forge???
 
How about scrap computer fans? I see the cases tossed all the time, they all have 1 or more fans inside them.
 
would it help to drill some holes in the leaf blower tube, maybe a bigger hole with a hose attached so you could control the amount?
 
Fiddleback said:
The forge itself is an old roasting pan my wife won't use anymore because its aluminum. I lined the bottom with Kaowool, and put fireplace mortar around the pipe.

The leaf blower is overkill. Way too much flow. People have suggested a squirrel cage blower, but theres a but ton of those ranging all price ranges. Anybody know of one appropriate for a small forge???
Click to expand...

I applaud you Andy, Very Inventive!!!! What did you make your tuyere out of?

"tu·yère
premium.gif
(twē-yâr') Pronunciation Key
n. The pipe, nozzle, or other opening through which air is forced into a blast furnace or forge to facilitate combustion." for those of you who don't know what a tuyere is.;) :D

Tim Lively is a well known unplugged bladesmith with lots of info for forging and such.
Tim is known as *unplugged* because he doesn't use any electrical power to finish his knives, all hand done!!!!:thumbup: :cool: :D
Do a Google search on him and check out his website! Tim makes forges out of kitty litter and such and just think of the size of the forge a contract wheelbarrow tub would make!!!!

As to blowers methinks a used furnace blower would make for a great air source for a forge. You could tweak the size down and use a simple natural gas valve to regulate the air flow.;)
Then of course there is still the old time bellows and hand cranked blowers.:eek: :p
 
Yvsa said:
I applaud you Andy, Very Inventive!!!! What did you make your tuyere out of?

"tu·yère
premium.gif
(twē-yâr') Pronunciation Key
n. The pipe, nozzle, or other opening through which air is forced into a blast furnace or forge to facilitate combustion." for those of you who don't know what a tuyere is.;) :D

Tim Lively is a well known unplugged bladesmith with lots of info for forging and such.
Tim is known as *unplugged* because he doesn't use any electrical power to finish his knives, all hand done!!!!:thumbup: :cool: :D
Do a Google search on him and check out his website! Tim makes forges out of kitty litter and such and just think of the size of the forge a contract wheelbarrow tub would make!!!!

As to blowers methinks a used furnace blower would make for a great air source for a forge. You could tweak the size down and use a simple natural gas valve to regulate the air flow.;)
Then of course there is still the old time bellows and hand cranked blowers.:eek: :p
Click to expand...


Thanks Yvsa! I'll get on those leads right away. The wheelbarrow idea is great!!

For the tuyere I used an 18"x1" nipple with several 1/8" holes drilled 1" on center down the center of the pipe. One side is plugged, and the other is exoanded to fit a hairdryer. Hairdryers took a crap immediately, and were quickly scrapped for something beefier....
 
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