Hey, ya'll! I'm a long-time lurker, but first-time poster. I took up bladesmithing a little under a year ago and have made a handful of knives in my free time. I acquired a rather old (mid-90s model, I think?) and thoroughly-used Pro-Forge 200 when I started.
Overall, I've been really happy with it, but the ignitor is broken and it needs to be relined. It looks like relining alone (not counting what-ever-the-feck-is-wrong-with-the-ignitor problem) can be a few hundred bucks. It also has significant rust to the point where I worry a little bit about the integrity of the forge itself (but still keeps the heat well insulated).
Looking for opinions/experience - with the PF200 or the smaller propane forges in general - is it worth doing the relining/repairs (I'm guessing that will be around $500 from what I've found, provided the ignitor is a simple replacement issue), or should I bite the bullet and get a new forge (newer PF200s are available around $800)? Does anybody have recommendations for smaller forges that work well and won't break the bank if I'm looking at buying a whole new unit?
Thanks!
Amanda
Overall, I've been really happy with it, but the ignitor is broken and it needs to be relined. It looks like relining alone (not counting what-ever-the-feck-is-wrong-with-the-ignitor problem) can be a few hundred bucks. It also has significant rust to the point where I worry a little bit about the integrity of the forge itself (but still keeps the heat well insulated).
Looking for opinions/experience - with the PF200 or the smaller propane forges in general - is it worth doing the relining/repairs (I'm guessing that will be around $500 from what I've found, provided the ignitor is a simple replacement issue), or should I bite the bullet and get a new forge (newer PF200s are available around $800)? Does anybody have recommendations for smaller forges that work well and won't break the bank if I'm looking at buying a whole new unit?
Thanks!
Amanda
