new forge?

[Tommy L]

What would be best type of material to build a charcoal forge out of and any advice on size for small hobbies only nothing longer than a 18inch knife?

[KPeacock]

you can litterally build anything to suit your needs. My first attempt at a forge was a brake drum from a large truck. i welded some legs on it and an air inlet out of 2" black pipe. i simply lit some charcoal and poured it in. i used an extra hairdryer that my wife ahd to force air into it. it worked well, but got too hot on the outside. I used 6" stove pipe as a kind of liner so i could make an adobe wall to insulate it a bit. i still have this forge, but i use it only for melting down aluminum and lead and what not. its too tough to get an even temperature along a blade.

 

The next set-up I made was very similar to tim lively's forge. (google "tim lively forge") this works geat for forging knives. I have had a hell of a time welding with it though. Now this is due primarily to my lack of experience, but I have come to believe that solid fuel forges are not the ebst way to go. I'm in the process of fabricating a propane unit.

 

For the charcoal forge, you really just need something to hold charcoal. once you have that, force air into it fro mthe bottom. use a leaf blower, hair dryer, floor drying fan..etc. anything will do. A lot of folks have used old gas grills. check on Craigslist in the free section. they're listed in there all the time.

 

Good luck,

[Tommy L]

you can litterally build anything to suit your needs. My first attempt at a forge was a brake drum from a large truck. i welded some legs on it and an air inlet out of 2" black pipe. i simply lit some charcoal and poured it in. i used an extra hairdryer that my wife ahd to force air into it. it worked well, but got too hot on the outside. I used 6" stove pipe as a kind of liner so i could make an adobe wall to insulate it a bit. i still have this forge, but i use it only for melting down aluminum and lead and what not. its too tough to get an even temperature along a blade.

 

The next set-up I made was very similar to tim lively's forge. (google "tim lively forge") this works geat for forging knives. I have had a hell of a time welding with it though. Now this is due primarily to my lack of experience, but I have come to believe that solid fuel forges are not the ebst way to go. I'm in the process of fabricating a propane unit.

 

For the charcoal forge, you really just need something to hold charcoal. once you have that, force air into it fro mthe bottom. use a leaf blower, hair dryer, floor drying fan..etc. anything will do. A lot of folks have used old gas grills. check on Craigslist in the free section. they're listed in there all the time.

 

Good luck,

 

 

Thank you very much I am hoping to start soon and this is a big help thanks again.

[C.Anderson]

you can litterally build anything to suit your needs. My first attempt at a forge was a brake drum from a large truck. i welded some legs on it and an air inlet out of 2" black pipe. i simply lit some charcoal and poured it in. i used an extra hairdryer that my wife ahd to force air into it. it worked well, but got too hot on the outside. I used 6" stove pipe as a kind of liner so i could make an adobe wall to insulate it a bit. i still have this forge, but i use it only for melting down aluminum and lead and what not. its too tough to get an even temperature along a blade.

 

The next set-up I made was very similar to tim lively's forge. (google "tim lively forge") this works geat for forging knives. I have had a hell of a time welding with it though. Now this is due primarily to my lack of experience, but I have come to believe that solid fuel forges are not the ebst way to go. I'm in the process of fabricating a propane unit.

 

For the charcoal forge, you really just need something to hold charcoal. once you have that, force air into it fro mthe bottom. use a leaf blower, hair dryer, floor drying fan..etc. anything will do. A lot of folks have used old gas grills. check on Craigslist in the free section. they're listed in there all the time.

 

Good luck,

 

Exactly!!

 

Here's a picture of my first forge:

 

Just some fireplace bricks from Home Depot propped up against cinder blocks, with a pipe tuyer running underneath...and a Harbor Freight mini shop vac for air (WAY too strong...needed to choke it down).

 

Here's the second generation of the same forge:

 

Again, fire bricks, the same pipe tuyer...only I packed mud around the bricks to hold them up in the position I wanted, and put the cinder blocks on the top to hold some of the heat in. Works beautifully, and since I plumbed a gate valve between the shop vac and tuyer...it works even better.

 

Hope that helps!!

 

Cris

[C.Anderson]

Oh I forgot to mention...most charcoal will spark like mad (particularly the store bought lump charcoal that's commonly available). The cinder blocks helped with that a ton...and if it's really bad, I can prop the lid on the gas grill down. My forging area is now covered by a relatively low hanging plastic tarp...and I've had no issues with the sparks or heat getting to it =).

 

Here's another picture. The black line across is the back edge of the tarp (cuts the light this way so I can forge during the day)...it hangs down less than a foot from the forge.

 

I also just recently forged a 27" overall length blade in it...but the best fit is about 15"-18" for evenly heating things.

 

Anyhow...not saying you should build one from a gas grill...just giving you some ideas of sizing and how to muffle it when you do =).

 

Cris