Forge pictures and questions

Beile

Beile

Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
772
I made a forge today and was wondering where you'd put the gas line, center? I have a marked spot for it but not sure if it's in the right place, (I have it more towards the back) and why are they always at about the ten o'clock position? The length after lining will be 16" long, front to back. Also, how far in should the pipe go in the forge, flush? Wait, more, The torch is 3/4" O.D. so how big of pipe? Thanks for the help.
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The place you have it is OK. Weld a piece of 1" pipe at that spot. Slide the 3/4" burner in it and use a set screw to hold it in place.
The burner should project to just slightly more than the refractory lining. The angle at the 10 o'clock position allows the flame to swirl around the chamber. You don't want it straight in towards the bottom.
Stacy
 
I hope a bunch of the bladesmiths see this topic, because I also would like to know what most guys would suggest?
 
Allan Molstad said:
I hope a bunch of the bladesmiths see this topic, because I also would like to know what most guys would suggest?
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Yeah, I cannot find any information on location of the pipe, pipe diameter, angle, size of chamber, front opening size.......I'm guessing there is a book somewhere but I'm too impatient to order it and wait for it to come.
 
I use a forced air forge and use a 2" pipe for the burner. I made mine from Wayne Goddards design. It works great and has no problem getting up to welding temp. In fact I have had it up aroung 3000F, way too hot. I can also tune it back to run right around 1500F for heat treating. I think you may find that there are just about as many different ways to make a forge as there are smiths using them.

Chuck
 
OK, thanks, I guess it'll be trial and error. I can always try a bigger burner if I need it, I just had the torch lying around so I used that.
 
Hi bulb, You might need 1 1/2" ID pipe to mount a typical 3/4" venturi burner (to clear the flare). Also, you might find you're only using the front third of that long a forge, so heat coming from way in the back might make it tough to heat things evenly. The tip might warm up before other parts of a blade are ready to forge.
Best of luck, and great job, Craig
 
cden said:
Hi bulb, You might need 1 1/2" ID pipe to mount a typical 3/4" venturi burner (to clear the flare). Also, you might find you're only using the front third of that long a forge, so heat coming from way in the back might make it tough to heat things evenly. The tip might warm up before other parts of a blade are ready to forge.
Best of luck, and great job, Craig
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CURSES! and thank you. I drilled the hole already for the burner but did move it towards the center more. Like I said, trial and error, I'm sure I'll be fiddling with it constantly and the pipe will be pretty easy to cut off with the angle grinder and move.
 
Hey bulb, I should have mentioned it earlier, but you might try Ron Reil's page at abana.org and zoeller forge for answers to alot of your questions, and a lot more. Sorry if you already knew about them.
Take care, Craig
 
bulb, Are you saying you are using a torch for the burner? If so, it won't work for a forge this size.
Read the many tutorials available on making forges. As was suggested, a blown forge will be far better.
http://forgegallery.elliscustomknifeworks.com/
Darren is the guy for forge burner kits and refractory supplies.
Stacy
 
cden said:
Also, you might find you're only using the front third of that long a forge,
Click to expand...
I didn't want to say anything, But the truth is that on my forge I like to use the burner thats right inside the door.
It seems to be a lot more easy to watch the steel get hot more even.
If I had to only use the one burner at the far end of my forge then I am sure it would be a lot more tricky to judge the correct temp.

But Im not an expert in this forge stuff...but I would like to also know what the experts think?
 
heres how i did mine. im still able to heat everything evenly once its warmed up.

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notice i dont have it going straight in but rather almost along the edge of the lining so that the heat swirls around and doesnt just blast one spot. if you put yours in the back be sure to angle it towards the front a little to help the heat travel foward. and just the opposite if its in the front, be sure to angle it towards the back a little. that step provides better effiency and heats the forge more evenly.
 
Has anyone tried putting it more towards the front and giving it a back angle, so it blos in a cyclone but it fills the chamber, the way I look at your chambers is it makes a loop in one spot, I think if you mved the nozzle towards the front then angled it towards the back a bit it would heat even more evenly. Maybe there is just too much heat to make a deifference.
 
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