It's done, it works, and it's DEAD SEXY!!! (lots of pics, so it may be slow)

Kalindras · Jun 9, 2002

Okay, all...here are the pics of the finished forge...it's not an aesthetic treasure, but it heats steel like I couldn't imagine, and it runs on practically nothing, as far as I can tell!!!

First, a pic of my forging setup, just now. They say that from humble beginnings...well, it don't get a whole lot more humble than this!! Makes me feel like some of the old Indian smiths, when I work at this setup.

I KNOW I'm making a bunch of no-nos, like the plastic quench bucket, but it's what I have...most of my spare cash went into that beast on the right, there!!! What I'm lovingly calling the Hellmouth. Here's a closer view, in all of its jury-rigged glory!

And here's the heart of the 'Mouth. A T-Rex burner from Rex Price! For $100, this baby comes ready and tested...heated up a piece of 3/8" stock to forging temp from dead cold in about a minute or so, at just under 5 PSI! I don't know much, but I'm told that's reasonably good... *Rex has a website for your perusal at this location

My earlier problems stemmed, apparently from my over-enthusiasm to build this puppy. I made it 16" long, which is just a hair too long for a single burner, apparently. So I put in a back wall of Durablanket, and reinforced it with a firebrick, and we were going, full-tilt boogie, in minutes. I constructed a front shelf of firebrick to extend out from the beast and support my tongs while I was heating, and so I this little aura of flame licking out the front as I forged--thus the name!!

I'll post some "in action" pics soon! I was going to today, but *sheepish grin* I noticed as I was getting ready to grab my digicam, that the tires on my dolly were starting to smoke. You've never seen an idiot move so fast to kill a burner!!

And finally, a lesson to all good little smiths, boy or girl...Propane is a sneaky substance...it will *POP* and SOUND like it's burning, but when you look into the forge, you won't see any flame. At this crucial juncture...TURN OFF THE PROPANE. Wait a few minutes, then try again. DO NOT...repeat...DO NOT immediately thrust a lit aim-n-flame into the forge mouth. While body hair is, apparently, vastly overrated, this happened THREE FEET back from the forge...if I had compounded my stupidity by looking into the forge while I'd been doing this, then at the very least I would be sporting the Pink Floyd look (POST "Is There Anybody In There?"), or at worst, I'd be in the ER with a flash-blind.

Happy forging, kiddies!

Kal

Edited because I did links, instead of pics...still heady from the propane...must...clear...head...!!!

tmickley · Jun 9, 2002

Very cool. I especially like the singed hair pic....adds a nice touch to the baptism.

rlinger · Jun 9, 2002

Neat, Neat, Neat! Lots of fun. I'm testing some ATS-34 now in my brand spanking new oven.

I have been told not to use plumbing tape on gas fittings. Is that teflon tape in the pic.?

RL

peter nap · Jun 9, 2002

That's a pretty slick setup Kal. I light mine by spreading a little rubber cement on a stick. Light it. Lay it in the forge and turn the gas on. I learned the hard way too!

ddavelarsen · Jun 10, 2002

Kal, nice job! It's good to see the Rex Price burner, I may take advantage of one the next time myself, I didn't do a very good job on my Reil burner.

Do your neighbors notice the ringing anvil?

Better not get too enthusiastic too late at night!

Good luck in your forging, I'm sure looking forward to the work that comes out of this baby. So don't wait too long to post results!

Dave

richard rosvall · Jun 10, 2002

That is a thing of beauty, Kal! Now, we want some knife pic's!!!

Kalindras · Jun 11, 2002

Why, thank you! I've been told by many people that I have nice legs...!

I have an old hunk of steel that I got from a friend at work. It was (nominally) shaped like a sawback Bowie. I'm probably going to take that on as a first practice project. I'll post pics of that, once it looks something like a blade...!

WinDancer · Jun 12, 2002

Good Job!

You might want to move that propane bottle a little further from the forge- the burn you have will be nothing comparred to the one coming if that bottle decides to vent!

Now- some knife pics!

Dave

Kalindras · Jun 17, 2002

Yeah, I've moved it about 8 feet back...I just have to keep it close to light this sucker.

Anyway, did more with it this weekend, and actually have pics of flames and everything, for those of you who don't actually BELIEVE that Momo (me) can make fire!!!

I am the god of Hell-fire!!!!

Bottom of the page.

I'm running at about 5 psi, normally. This is about a minute after lighting. Next time I light 'er up, I think I'll take 'er up to about 10, and see what that puppy'll do!!!

Kal

P.S.--For those of you who have these things running, two questions: I noticed this time as I was forging, after about 45 minutes, I started to get a sort of odd sulphury smell that I've always associated with coal forging--is that normal (i.e., it's actually the smell of the steel/tongs/hammer/hours of your life spent at the forge)? Also, every time I've shut it down, it blows out with a little "Pop!" that lets me know that the flame is out, and that I'm not about to be blown sky-high...this time it didn't do that. After I'd ducked and covered for about ten minutes, I started to wonder if this was because the forge was running hotter than its been run before? Any thoughts? After, safety is paramount, here. I am a snivelling little coward when it comes to skin grafts, after all.

mikeS · Jun 18, 2002

Kewl forge! I light mine by shoving a wad of burning newspaper in the mouth and then turning on the gas. Mine pops sometimes somtimes it don't. The smell you smell is probably the kawool, specially if you notice an itchy throat after using it a while.