Craigslist Gas Forge

[Eric Dennis]

Hello, I've been thinking about making a gas forge- but just noticed this in my area on craigslist. I want to put it out there to you all: are nc tool co. forges alright in performance and design? The price doesnt seem too bad, but it's hard to tell how old this thing is by the pics. I'm guessing those are venturi style burners? Would it be more worth my while to just start making my own?

 

https://vermont.craigslist.org/tls/5684914315.html

 

Thanks Eric

[Geoff Keyes]

It's OK, but is you have any fab skills you could build better. There is lots of information here on forges and burners. BTW, here is a link to NC Tools to compare prices http://www.nctoolco.com/products.php?cat=Gas+Forges

 

Geoff

[Doug Lester]

I've built forges for less, even when you figure in the cost of a bounce house blower to supply the forced air for the blown burner. Most of the parts needed for a blown burner you can get down at your local hardware store. You might need to order a needle valve and a stop cock valve from someplace like High Temperature Tools and Refractory but you might also be able to get them at a local welding shop store. Same on the pressure regulator and connectors that you may need depending on if what comes with that outfit is adjustable and will take a pressure gauge. I also like a round body. You can find many examples on-line. I have one forge built in an old mailbox.

 

Doug

[Justin Mercier]

I do really like NC Tool Co forges (i own two of them myself) and that's not a terrible deal. That's a Whisper Momma without side ports. You certainly can build one for less if you have the fabrication capabilities, but you wont save THAT much unless you have most of the parts already on hand.

 

If you want to just get started and spend your time learning to forge rather than building the tools that's not a bad deal. The lining inside looks good and that's probably the most important thing with a used NC Tool Co forge. He's done what I've done with both my NC Tool Co forges by putting hard fire brick in the bottom. This both makes the chamber smaller, and increases the thermal mass, making it use less fuel, although it does make the forge take a little longer to come to temp initially.

 

I guess the question is, what's your time worth to you? It will cost you about 200$ to build your own forge, but might take you 10 or 15 hours of shop time, and if that shop time is worth 100$ to you... it might be smarter to just buy the plug-and-play solution.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Justin Mercier

[Austin_Lyles]

Justin said what I was thinking. I also own a whisper momma, although mine has side ports and no access through the main door like this one does. I think I got mine for $500...so if you can talk him down quite a bit ($200?), it's a solid deal. The lining is in very good shape. It's a great forge.

 

 

Edit: actually, since it has no side ports it's going to be very limiting in what you can do. Keep that in mind.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Austin_Lyles

[JJ Simon]

I also own an NC tools forge and it is excellent.
Also you can buy refab kits from NC tools any time you wear out the inside.
It not having a side door kinda sucks but isn't a deal breaker and $300 is a very good price for it.

[Eric Dennis]

Could it be feasible to add side ports? Or too much of a hassle?

[Justin Mercier]

Honestly I wouldnt worry that much about the lack of side ports. It has the through port in the back so you can still feed long stock straight through from the front. It just means that you can only heat 6 inches at a time instead of 12 by going sideways. The reality is, when you're working on a blade, you cant effectively hammer more than 3 or 4 inches by hand before you've lost your heat anyways. I do most of my blade forging with my whisper baby which is even smaller than that forge, and likewise has no side ports.