Indoor Forging

J

John L

Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Messages
1,330
Can it be done with a hood over propane forge and vented outside? If so..how large a diameter and how high from forge? How many CFMs should the fan pull? Thanks.
 
My forge is 'indoors". I have a very large hood over it (probably 8 feet by 3 feet with 2 foot sides all round. It uses 16-inch ducting and two attic fans (one in the duct about half way and one at the exhaust end). These are the bigger-capacity ones, I think 1,200 or 1,400 CFM each). I also run a whole-house fan right out a wall (about 32 inch) that pulls some big CFM.
The place is sort of a wind tunnel if you stand in the doorway, but it works.
 
I run a propane forge indoors and over my forge is a 2 x 3 foot hood that narrows to an 8 inch diameter pipe that vents directly upwards, no fan.
I do have several fresh air vents as well.
I also have 2 carbon monoxide detectors in the shop.
Don't muck about get at least one of these.
I have had CO poisoning and its not fun, AND IT CAN KILL YOU!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Del
 
I am also in the process of setting up a gas forge in my garage and want to thank you for posting your question. My thought was to use a 55gallon drum cut in half the long ways as a hood and using 6" stove pipe with no pipe fan. Of course co2 alarms and doors can be opened!!! I hope this Idea will help you.
 
The reason my hood is so long is that I have a lowish ceiling. When the forge is running with both ends open, the majority of the heat is expelled not directly above the forge, but about 3-feet on either side.

If you're not going to use a hood to collect the heat/fumes and vent them out of the shop, It would seem to me the only thing you need (if you have a low ceiling) is maybe something flat to protect the ceiling from the heat. If you have a high ceiling, you might as well not use anything and just have a big fan pulling air clean through the shop.
 
My shop is enclosed. I run a heattreat forge and a 3burner lowboy inside the shop.
I have taken a slightly different approach to removing the toxic fumes.
I backed the 3 burner forge up against the exhaust plenum on one end and ran the ht forge in on the other end. I have a high speed exhaust fan above this setup with clean air coming in on the opposite side of the shop.
I have three exhaust fans in the shop; the high speed, a 400cfm with a 4ft by 2.5ft hood over the belt grinders and a 30inch slow speed high volume with
an auto shutter.

Work safe, Fred

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delbert ealy said:
I run a propane forge indoors and over my forge is a 2 x 3 foot hood that narrows to an 8 inch diameter pipe that vents directly upwards, no fan.
I do have several fresh air vents as well.
I also have 2 carbon monoxide detectors in the shop.
Don't muck about get at least one of these.
I have had CO poisoning and its not fun, AND IT CAN KILL YOU!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Del
Click to expand...
That is excellent advice on the car/mon detectors. I have two in my 16x20 ft.shop. You can't see it and you can't smell it either. Nasty stuff.

Fred
 
It's funny, I can be running a forge all day and the carbon monoxide detector shows nothing. The wife pulls the Honda into the driveway past the door and it registers carbon monoxide.:confused:
 
Happily married with 3 kids. Now that I come to think about it it was shortly after that CO poisening. Maybe some residual effect. :eek:
Del
 
I think Allan has a very very valid comment "You Guys Can't Be Married"!

My sweetheart of 38+ years tolerates a mini mill. drill presses, a mini lathe , my engraving equipment, and a few other things in what used to be my son's room....and I get more than half of the garage.....but she is a GEM. Obviously a number of you'all can say the same about your Sweeties also!
If you are "forging inside", I hope you mean inside a concrete block building, or something as fire resistant as that, that isn't attached to the house.....
Good On You'all!...and your most probably "Better Halfs".
 
Well Wendy does not really have a good Idea what I'm getting into in the garage:rolleyes: Do I Really need a fire estinguser:eek:
All kidding aside its not a fool around for me. If it can't be set up right I won't invest my time or my familys safety.
 
JCaswell said:
It's funny, I can be running a forge all day and the carbon monoxide detector shows nothing. The wife pulls the Honda into the driveway past the door and it registers carbon monoxide.:confused:
Click to expand...

Sounds like your forge is burning clean but your wife's car isn't. At least you know the detector is working!

I'm not forging yet, but there's no way I could in anything attached to the house... I get enough complaints already about the hot steel smell coming up from the grinder in the basement. I think the future will find me full winter clothing, forging in the garage.
 
Oh, it can be done ...
I ran a forge and air hammer in my condo garage for four years before moving to my house. Never a complaint, which seems like a miracle in retrospect. :)
One time I sparked up a noisy motorcycle and whammo! ... the cops arrived minutes later, but roaring forge--"bangity bangity" trip hammer? No problem!:confused: :thumbup:
 
Try "sparking up" a 140-watt 6x12 Ampeg stack, driven by a '84 Gibson Explorer with Iommi signature pickups and see what happens :D
 
GibsonFan said:
Sounds like your forge is burning clean but your wife's car isn't. At least you know the detector is working!

I'm not forging yet, but there's no way I could in anything attached to the house... I get enough complaints already about the hot steel smell coming up from the grinder in the basement. I think the future will find me full winter clothing, forging in the garage.
Click to expand...

Those layers of full winter clothing will come off pretty fast when you are forging. Friday I was forging for a very small time with the garage door wide open...wasn't 3 minutes into it and the layers became a t-shirt and a shirt-jac! Works up a good sweat in no time. ;) -Matt-
 
Good point grease-man, I wasn't thinking of the heat and physical effort involved in forging (you can tell I'm a newbie, huh? ;) )
 
This is how we newbies learn though GibsonFan! Reading good info from all these knowlegeable folks! :D -Matt-
 
Indeed! This forum and the folks who share their knowledge and experience, are a HUGE resource.
 
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