Building a forge.....?

Stuart Ablett

Member
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15,917
Location
Tokyo Japan
I know, I know, just what I need, yet another project....... :D

Found this one........Zoller Forge Looks simple enough....

I've got to source a place for the parts, but I'm wondering if a pottery place that sells kilns would have this stuff...?

Anyone here built a forge?

I want it to heat metals for heat treating and shaping, not looking for a huge unit....... :D

Cheers!
 
Actually that is the one I meant to link to....
ssforge.jpg


should be just the size for heating up steel and or making some sharp stuff now and then.

Cheers!
 
Stu,

That is not a bad little forge, and the micro-forge I was talking about is even easier, but the mini-forge on Zoeller's page looks pretty good (probably the best I've seen) with a 1 lb. mapp tank.

(linky pic - I used one like this little firebrick, it heat up 1/4" square stock no prob)




Most of these micro and mini forges are more than enough to do edge tools, as you might be interested in. Those mapp tanks will get expensive though, I have to pay $6/lb at Home Depot. They are convenient for a very portable solution for small stock, and if you have ether propane or mapp, either 1 lb. tank will work. You can get propane for $10-$12 for 20 lb. if you have a tank. Storage and size, the nod goes to the 1 lb. tanks.

Then you can see bunches of burners available on Zoeller's site, Ron Reil's site, and Rex-Price's site. I decided to go with the Rex Price T-Rex burner, which has a 45 day backorder...but it seems like money well spent in the sense it can be used on various forges, and will take a 20/lb propane tank and providing a good solid forge.

I really think Ron Reil's freon tank mini-forge is what I want to build.



Any type of can, pipe, freon tank, propane tank, etc...will work. It's the kao wool that provides most of the containment.

Even Zoeller's mini-forge with the 1 lb. tank (mapp will get it hotter) is pretty capable and could certainly forge any type of chisel or draw knife, scorp, adze, plane blades, hammers, etc...just fine. You also wouldn't need too big of an anvil and could use a railroad rail section (gotta be some of that in Japan, if you could find it...there's certainly enough trains...;-). You could probably even buy some type of ASO, like a Grizzly, Harbor Freight, other, that are made in China, some are made in Europe, probably some in the states also. Maybe you have an anvil already, but you'll need something to hit on.

One last thing I just wanted to mention, is that it's very difficult to forge anything once you start shaping it. IOW, if you want to bend a draw knife, you will need to be able to fit that section in the forge if you want to continue forging. Some things you can bend and be done with it, if you get it right. I used a micro-forge that was so small, once the 1/4" square stock was bent, it wouldn't fit back in. It was a one shot bend. This is why larger and more open forges are desirable. However, for lots of small hand tools, you don't need that.

For more info, check out

You might even see Jr. Strasil over there!
 
Thanks for the info Alan.

I do have a chunk of railway rail, cost something like $10.

I'm going to be getting some wood from a Ginko tree in a few weeks, I think I'll make sure I get a good piece to act as a stump for the anvil.

I know I can get LPG tanks at Joyful.... :D

Cheers!
 
Now those are what I call small forges! I did a lot of work with a forge when I was in High School and it has been in the back of my mind that I would like to try it again some day. I never even thought that forges this small could be made, but now that I know they can, that day might be much sooner. Thanks for the information guys!
 
Stu, if you have the railroad rail, you should be good to go on edge tools. You shouldn't need too big of a stump for it, and you can probably sit down for small stuff if you had to. The Japanese sit on the ground when they forge, with no shoes...scary stuff...the smith requires I wear steel toed boots at the smithy, but there's a lot of heavy stuff around there.

I'm glad he did it, because I used to wear sandals in my shop at home and it's been bothering me as I know a couple folks that have dropped chisels on their toes, it will go through to the bone if the edge hits.

Frank, it's amazing how small the forges can be built. You can create excellent edge tools in one of these very small forges. Good luck if you venture to do that.

Thanks for bringing me to FWW! Although Tod invited me, it was because of you and Jeff that I left that other site on the web...with that behind us, looking forward to FWW gaining more membership. It's growing pretty quick.
 
...

Frank, it's amazing how small the forges can be built. You can create excellent edge tools in one of these very small forges. Good luck if you venture to do that.

Thanks for bringing me to FWW! Although Tod invited me, it was because of you and Jeff that I left that other site on the web...with that behind us, looking forward to FWW gaining more membership. It's growing pretty quick.
Alan, it is good to hear that I am part of the reason for you being here. Together, we can build a real community at this site.
 
Tod,

I just sent Jr. an invite in PM over on IForgeIron, he does hang out on there, and I even saw him in the chat room a couple days ago (which I don't hang out in much).

His back has been bothering him, so keep that in mind, he really hasn't been using the computer much at all. I suspect he'll be here, and most welcome when he comes, certainly.

Funny, when I first met him over on the other internet woodworking site, he posted a off-humor joke which I missed about a tailed old woodworking machine, and we started off on the wrong foot, unfortunately...but I've really grown to appreciate him, what a good 'ol galoot he is...(and I mean that in the best way! :cool: )
 
This is a kind of a funny story related to woodworking and forges.

My ex-father-in-law owns a lobster pound in mid-coast Maine which is really just a collection of buildings that house everything from welders, to bait bins, to old offices. In any case he threw me a set of keys and said "Hey Travis, you like woodworking, check out the old shop down by the oil collection shed."

Well with nothing to do I went down over the bank and walked into a woodworking shop from heaven. This place looked like it had been abandoned 40 years ago. Old machines all driven by line shafts, drill presses mounted on posts with massive flywheels, massive wooden planes with curved soles, and yes even a complete forge. Everything was left just as as it was. Gloves sitting by the tongs, coal still in the furnace, a casting box filled with sand...

Apparently they use to build wooden lobster boats in this shop. The forge was to make all the through hull fittings and stuff like that. It was really cool to see and when I told my ex-father-in-law what the place had in it, he shrugged his shoulders and said "probably worth something isn't it?"
 
Tod,

I just sent Jr. an invite in PM over on IForgeIron, he does hang out on there, and I even saw him in the chat room a couple days ago (which I don't hang out in much).

His back has been bothering him, so keep that in mind, he really hasn't been using the computer much at all. I suspect he'll be here, and most welcome when he comes, certainly.

Funny, when I first met him over on the other internet woodworking site, he posted a off-humor joke which I missed about a tailed old woodworking machine, and we started off on the wrong foot, unfortunately...but I've really grown to appreciate him, what a good 'ol galoot he is...(and I mean that in the best way! :cool: )


thanks alan! i`ve learned over the years to listen to the ol` timers, most of `em are chock full of good information if i`m smart enough to listen...tod
 
thanks alan! i`ve learned over the years to listen to the ol` timers, most of `em are chock full of good information if i`m smart enough to listen...tod
There's some wise ol' timers around, that's for certain. It's rare you get one that can express themself on the internet, some of them get it and some of them don't.

There's a great divide where professionals are not computer literate, and those who are computer literate are not professionals. Somewhere in between there are those that cross the divide, and these days it's becoming more so. However, this divide still exists, even though the gap is narrowing.

As an example, the smith I study under has an incredible amount of knowledge to share, but is challenged and can't express it very well on the internet. It's too bad for him, there's a great world he's missing out on, and in turn, a world that can't share his wealth. I always feel that it's worth a little time for people to invest in learning how to type, so they're not so challenged. The gap in the great divide does continue to narrow.
 
Alan,
I've run into so many old timers who are at the least are very reluctant to take part in forums...or are simply not able to express themselves in written words. My Dad is one of those...

I work with the president of the New England Blacksmiths http://www.newenglandblacksmiths.org/ ... I think I'll invite him here. He's pretty good at writing on many subjects...but I'll make sure he knows he has to leave religion and politics to our one on ones. ;)
 
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OK, getting back on track here... :rolleyes:

I went out and got a charcoal brazier today, and some fire bricks rated at 1500C (2732F)

charcoal_brazier1.jpg
$10 worth of charcoal brazier

charcoal_brazier2.jpg
Unwrapped and ready for it's new job

charcoal_brazier3.jpg
There is an adjustable air hole in the side of the brazier.

cb_firebricks.jpg
The firebricks were about $1.50 each.

cb_dia.jpg
It is about 15cm across (6")

cb_depth.jpg
about 19cm deep (7.5") for a total volume of just over 212 cubic inches...

one_torch_in_airhole.jpg
I stacked the firebricks up in front to make a door of sorts, and I stuck one torch in the air hole, this did not work well, the torch was not stable, and as it was at the very back of the forge, it was not a success.

front_of_forge2.jpg
I next drilled two holes in the side of the forge, and I stuck two torches in them, this worked a lot better.

two_torches.jpg
You can see the torches just above the fire bricks and you can see stuff getting hot inside the forge.

looking_in_air_hole.jpg
With the lights off, looking through the air hole, you can see things getting up to temp in there...............
 
............
cherry_red3.jpg
It took about ten minutes to get this piece hot, it is a lot better than what I was doing, but no where near hot enough or fast enough........... I need more power! :D

I'll be going to Joyful tomorrow to hopefully buy a 20lb propane gas cylinder for this, as well as a regulator and other bits to make a better burner. Wish me luck.:thumb:

anvil.jpg
Here is the small rail I have as an anvil.

exhaust_fan.jpg
And this is my exhaust fan, it is rated at 650 cubic meters an hour, or 22,950 cubic feet an hour, which is 382.5 cubic feet per minute, I think this will keep me well ventilated. The whole Dungeon, with out all the stuff in it, is about 2500 cubic feet of air, so in less than 6 1/2 minutes, all the air is exchanged in the Dungeon (in theory).

Cheers!
 
I've run into so many old timers who are at the least are very reluctant to take part in forums...or are simply not able to express themselves in written words. My Dad is one of those...
Yes, and please try to encourage folks like that to participate, they have a tremendous amount of info to share with folks, and there is no reason for them to have any complex about using the net.
I work with the president of the New England Blacksmiths http://www.newenglandblacksmiths.org/ ... I think I'll invite him here. He's pretty good at writing on many subjects...but I'll make sure he knows he has to leave religion and politics to our one on ones. ;)
I see some cool papers he has on there, titled Ed Groves Blacksmith Techniques. Is that some type of periodical or publication? That looks cool, reminds me of Alex Weygers drawings.

Don is right that mapp is hotter, but propane should get plenty hot. The probably is most likely air, or the container and/or how the hole goes through...
 
OK, and Update.

I went out to my DIY Heaven, Joyful Honda and did some shopping :thumb:

I ended up with a 8 Kg (17.6 lb) propane tank, and a regulator for about $100, another $15 to fill it, and I should have gas for a while.

8kg_lpg_tank_reg.jpg

I also found out they sell propane powered cutting torches here, not cheap, but WAY cheaper than the Oxy Actlyne units :eek:

I got one of them white fire bricks, I plan on cutting it in half to make a shelf in my forge. I bought some bits and pieces to try to make a burner, it sort of worked, but not well, needs some more work, but hey, now I'm cooking with gas :thumb:

stus_burner.jpg

Cheers!
 
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