Wooden forge table

[Archie Zietman 0]

Hello.

I just made a new forge body. It is a clunky but solid table made from 2 by fours, with a firepot poking through, like a coal forge. Since I don't have any 1/4 inch steel plate, nor do I have a cutting torch, nor do I have time or money to get or rent either, I am using a half inch thick sheet of wood, with a piece of 16 guage mild steel over it to stop it really burning outright. Will this work do you think, at least temporarily without slowly charrinng and dying overnight?

[Bob Ouellette 65]

I don't think wood would be a problem, just don't let the area around the firepot get too hot. Maybe insulate it with wood ash.

[J. Helmes 1]

we've got an old coal forge here at work where the metal has burned away from around the pot. I would not recomend puting wood anywhere near the pot.. perhapse you could lay down some high temp cement or adobie or something along those lines.. I've seen an ash dump glowing red because it filled with little bits of lit coals , Granted I've never seen someone try it with a wood table. I realise you said that you have no time and money but if your really lucky you might be able to get some plate cheap from a scrap yard and if your even luckier they tend to have an OA torch handy and may just cut it out for you. hey its worth a shot. good luck

[J. Helmes 1]

oh i wouldnt think that youd need too much plate though. just enough to keep the pot well away from the wood

[Bob Ouellette 65]

I know there were waggon forges in the US Civil War. Don't know how they were made though. Maybe you could get a few fire bricks to place at the edge of the wood to set the fire pot on.

[DJPratt 0]

the forge table i use was constructed in a afternoon with a piece of sheet steel 3'x3', 12' of 2"x4" pine and 4 pieces of 1"x1/2" mild steel flat bar.

i did this by laying the sheet (16 gauge should be fine) over 4 pieces of 1"X 1/2" flat bar that formed a gird to support the fire pot. the grid was then bolted to the bottom of a box made of 2x4's that the legs where attached to. since a picture is worth a thousand words here is a drawing (forgive the poor quality its the best i can do while i am not at home).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

if that is difficult to fallow let me know and i will make a new drawing up in cad or photoshop when i get home.

 

Note: the only tools used in its constitution where a saw, cordless drill, 1/4" drill bit, and a crescent wrench so you should be in business.

 

there is my 2 cents i would trust this design over one made primarily of wood, and you can break it down or put it up in about 10 min thus i will travel with you should you need it to.

 

~~ DJ

[mete 0]

DJ Pratt, that design makes a whole lot more sense !!! And you could find some angle iron instead of the 2'x4' wood.Check out the code requirements for things like a wood stove ,that's got to be at least 18" from combustable material and they might have increased that too.

[DJPratt 0]

i would also use angle but wood is easier to work with limited tools. I also kind of like the fact that i can tell if the area i am about to handle on a piece is warm based on if the wood is smoking/smoldering or not :-) this has prevented at least 2 or 3 burns but then again i work out side and if the thing burst in to flames o well all i have to grab another 2x4 from work and have the fire department top off my extinguisher (which they do for free).

Edited January 29, 2007 by DJPratt

[Chuck Bussey 0]

Archie:

I agree with BoB O. There needs to be a gap from the edges to the firepot. If you lift the flange of the pot even with common bricks will help. I just don't like the idea of the firepot being in contact directly or in directly with the wood. I burn coke and the firepot gets extremely hot.

A drop in fit is ok because the firepot is going to expand and contract anyway.

 

just my .02 worth,

Chuck

Edited January 29, 2007 by Chuck Bussey

[blake fenton-williams 0]

i had a charcoal forge made from a tire rim lined with clay and set it on a plywood topped table used it for a while and noticed that the rim that contacted the plywood had actually gotten so hot that it burnt the wood. also i kept dropping stuff onto the wood tabletop.

[J. Helmes 1]

if you do get some 1/4 inch to work with you can actually chisel the hole out. Provided you have a good cold chisel and some free time it wouldnt be all that much of a big deal. You don't have to be hercules to get it done but you will have to make several passes.

[Archie Zietman 0]

DJ I just finished modifying the table so that it is more like your forge, except I used angle iron, and suspended a tire rim from it, which has the firepot in it, and an area to coke fuel in, and keeps the fire far away from any wood. I'm going to just put a few boards around to put fire tools and such on. More on it tomorrow.

[DJPratt 0]

Glade i could help hope this works out for ya:-)

[Chuck Bussey 0]

Cool. Just be careful of warping. I think you will be happier and safer with that set-up.

Good luck,

Chuck

[Jacques Delfosse 3]

another wooden forge...

made by French friends and working in Plelan, Bretagne - France, 2005, for the "iron festival "...enjoy !

Edited February 8, 2007 by Jacques Delfosse

[Chuck Bussey 0]

Cool set-up. I like these pics that show others creativity!

 

Thanks,

Chuck