My first forge

J

JoeyNumbers

Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
26
My forge is about 99% completed I just need to work up a coupler for the air supply. Here is the basic outline of how I made my forge.

For my guide I’m using the design utilized by Tim Lively in his video “Knifemaking Unplugged”, I really hope he doesn’t mind me mentioning this.

I started with a 5 gallon tub, steel pipe with drilled holes, and some metal tape to hold it in place.
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For my insulation/liner I’m using wood ash, which was a real pain to collect enough to fill the tub.
Step1.jpg


Sifted the ashes to get only the finest, removing any remaining charcoal or anything that didn’t burn. I just use an old piece of window screen to sift.
Step2.jpg


Only the finest ash, about the consistency of flour
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Wet down the ash until about the feel of fudge (don't eat it)
Step5.jpg


Applied the wet ash to the forge. I tried to make the tyuere as narrow as possible to lessen the amount of charcoal I will need. It took several weeks to procure enough ash to fill the tub and I applied it as I collected hence why it appears so little ash fills the whole tub.
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Here is the almost finished forge; I just need to work on attaching the air supply and maybe creating a nice stand for it to sit on.
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My next project is mounting my anvils; I’m using a piece of railroad track I got for free.
What used to be this…..
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became these. I'm going to mount them upside down relative to one another (practically took an act of God to cut this things).
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I think my build should work nicely, I hope to start doing some hot work before the end of December.

Thank you for reading, any feedback is appreciated.

- JoeyNumbers
 
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You could also mix in some cheap kitty litter (cheapest you can find, it's clay) and some sand. I used a similar forge but mine was in an trashed out barbeque grill. :thumbup:
 
Double posting to add some info....

Depending on what you're planning for the air source, I used the flexible dryer ducting to connect the blower to the tyuere, you can also go to Lowes or HD and get a flexible coupling that uses a pipe clamp on each side.

Keep some clay about, you can use that to plug up unused holes in the tyuere and save fuel (one of the big advantages of solid fuel forges) then knock it out if you need to lengthen the fire pit.

DON'T USE MATCHLITE OR ANY OTHER CHARCOAL WITH LIGHTER FLUID IN IT!!!! :eek: :eek: It's very exciting.... I know from experience.
 
Very nice. Now much ash was needed? Half a 55 gallon drum or less?

I have to clean out my chimney box as well as the fireplace....I bet I have a bunch of useable ash.
 
Thank you all for the responses. :)

My air source will be a hair dryer. Its simple and it was free. In a perfect world I would get one of those nifty Champion hand blowers, but I'm pretty poor lately. So far I have barely spent 10 American dollars on my forge and I'd like to keep that trend going for a while because I find that to be a drawing quality to the hobby.

I know I shouldn't use matchlites or briquettes. Gonna use hardwood charcoal, hope I can make some myself.

The ash packs so well when its wet, I wasn't able to keep track of exactly how much I used. If I was forced to estimate Id have to say 3 or 4 of those 5 gallon buckets worth, probably more. I know I needed to clean out my fireplace 10 times! After a while the ash becomes almost rock hard, tried hitting it with my fist and it hurt!
 
one of my bladesmithing mentor's Jeff Davis, still uses this type of forge! ofcourse, though Mr. Lively was one of HIS mentor's... anyway Good forges! they'll last ya several years. he also used his wifes hair dryer with the heating elements removed, to provide the air for a while!

Jason
 
Here is my forge update, this is the completed forge......I think (I have never done anything like this before nor did I follow any instructions, so I don't know what finished is.)
Step9-1.jpg


This is the housing of the anvil, a simple wooden box. The PVC pipe going through the box allows for rebar to be inserted and used as handles for two people to carry this heavy thing!
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Here is what (I hope will be) the final look of the anvil, just waiting for the cement to harden. Then I will wrap the remaining bit of anvil with some metal chain to help with any ring. The metal bars are holding the anvil in place while the cement hardens. The little space on the left side will be a nice place to put my tools.
Anvil.jpg


Suggestions? Feedback? Ego boost? All are welcome, please :)
 
I think you should have mounted your anvils on a big hunk of wood. That concrete only makes them a b!#@h to move. Weld on a couple of tabs and use a couple of heavy lag screws and viola, easy anvil. This is how I mounted mine.
Anvil_by_angusman219.jpg

As for the forge, I think you need a better blower than a hair dryer. Just doesn't have the "umph" you really need. If you can find an old gas furnace, one that no longer works, you can pull an almost ready made blower from that. Not the big fan that moves air through the home, but the smaller blower that forces air into the combustion chamber. Llike this. To control it, all you need is wire in a simple dimmer switch.
Blower_by_angusman219.jpg

Put it all together and it will look like this.
Latest_Forge_Update_by_angusman219.jpg

One last thing. If you can come up with a way to create a cover, same shape and size, like a clamshell, with a round opening on one end and you'll have a much more effecient forge.
 
That set up looks great! Thank you for the advice, I cant even consider a place to find a blower like that. Would a vacuum air system work? Just reversed, of course.
 
JoeyNumbers said:
That set up looks great! Thank you for the advice, I cant even consider a place to find a blower like that. Would a vacuum air system work? Just reversed, of course.
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So long as you can hook up the exhaust from the vacuum air system to your forge, it would work. I doubt you can reverse the motor and make it work.

I just happened to stumble on my blower when pulling the fan out out the furnace. I had no idea I would get a blower out of the deal.
 
Very Nice!!

I made one a while back, I love it. I have improved it a bit since these pics.

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RR Track anvil on the left
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I've got an old washtub that will probably be converted into a forge one day.... I kinda like the whirrr of a Champion blower and the fire.

If you don't want to use all the tuyere length you can block some of the holes with wet ash then pop the holes open if you need the full forge length.

You can take chunk wood and put it around the top of your fire and it will char and then you can rake it into the fire... kinda like coking green coal while working a coal forge.
 
Thank you all!

Leavitt, I'm not sure what you mean with the chunk of wood charring. Just put a log on top of the burning charcoal and as it burns scrap the charred bits into the fire?

Bryant your set up looks great. I need to get my hands on one of those crank blowers. Technology be damned! :D
*jealous*
 
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Not a whole log but chunks and bits like you'd use to make charcoal. Put it in a ring around the top of the your fire.

First, learn to keep a fire... it's actually a little more complicated than whoosh fire forge, not much but where to put the steel, how to keep it running right and all that, then move on to charring wood as you forge.
 
When you can find one ( watch ebay) get a hand crank blower.
First - They are designed to deliver air to a forge, most small blowers and fan motors aren't.
Second - You only are supplying the blast when you need it, at the amount of air you need. This will save a lot of coal/charcoal over having the forge blower running all the time.
Third - Cranking a blower is just way cool!


As to Will's post about the wood - Cut your wood into small blocks and chunks. From about walnut size to fist size. Set a ring of that wood around the fire, and as it chars down, rake some in as fresh fuel. You want to be forging on burning coals, not a fire.

Stacy
 
bladsmth said:
Second - You only are supplying the blast when you need it, at the amount of air you need. This will save a lot of coal/charcoal over having the forge blower running all the time.
Third - Cranking a blower is just way cool!
Click to expand...

Second: I think you are forgetting about the importance of the "off" switch. :D

Third: I do agree. I'm hoping to buy one for my forge, but my budget is microscopic right now.

Thank you everyone for the advice!
 
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