another portable forge build begins

[Paul B]

I am new here and green as grass. I thought the fire pot had to be cast iron for some reason. Yours looks like welded steel. How thick is the steel you used? I have been looking for a forge recently with no luck. Let me rephrase that "I'm CHEAP". I could make what you have there for a little bit of nothing.

I saw a video on one of these sites where a guy used a brake drum for the fire pot, actually it looked like a recessed rotor for disc brakes.

Any info you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Paul

edit: spelling

[Sabre]

ya..you can hand make them.....you can use 1/4 inch if you want but it will not last as long as 1/2 inch....thats a good size to use....mines a welded fire pot..i think there just as good as a cast one..

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Paul!

Wow, you're the second guy in a row that included your location right off the bat! I'm proud of you guys already.

Forges tend to get overthought by folk breaking into the craft. 1/4" welded steel will probably burn out in a mere 8-10 years of heavy use, about the same as a brake drum or rotor. Semi brake drums are WAY too big unless you're into industrial forging at home.

If you just must have cast there are several outfits selling them, a web search will turn them right up. Heck, there might be a group putting on an iron pour near you and you could make your own pattern, I might do exactly this next summer if I don't mold up a replacement fly wheel for my post drill. Heck, might as well do both.

Sorry, got sidetracked there. Anyway, there are lots of options including a piece of cast iron cookwear if you're so inclined.

The really important thing is do NOT wait till you have all the "real" (HAH!) tools and equipment to build a fire and start hammering. Reading is good, talking is good but unless you actually do it you will never learn it.

Good to have ya.

Frosty

[Dale Peters]

Hammerkid, your forge is looking good! However, if it was me building it (and it's not) I wouldn't attach the vise to the forge. If you should get rambunctious with twisting or hammering while using the vise, things could interesting very quickly.
I have a welded firepot in my coal/charcoal forge. IIRC it's 3/8 plate. Works quite well.

[Glenn]

Paul B
Look up Blueprint BP0133 the now famous 55 Forge. Quick, simple, and easy to build. You can have a forge and a fire in just a couple of hours, with little or no money invested.

[Arbalist]

Originally Posted by Frosty

There are lots of options including a piece of cast iron cookwear if you're so inclined.Frosty

Now thats a good idea I hadn't thought of Frosty! Next time I'm near a cook shop .....

[hammerkid]

First off,Thanks Everyone, I hope to finsh it today after I get off here.

Originally Posted by Dale Peters

Hammerkid, your forge is looking good! However, if it was me building it (and it's not) I wouldn't attach the vise to the forge. If you should get rambunctious with twisting or hammering while using the vise, things could interesting very quickly.
I have a welded firepot in my coal/charcoal forge. IIRC it's 3/8 plate. Works quite well.

I`am not attaching the vise to it that was for the orignal idea of building it for a portable forge.

Originally Posted by Paul B

I am new here and green as grass. I thought the fire pot had to be cast iron for some reason. Yours looks like welded steel. How thick is the steel you used? I have been looking for a forge recently with no luck. Let me rephrase that "I'm CHEAP". I could make what you have there for a little bit of nothing.

I saw a video on one of these sites where a guy used a brake drum for the fire pot, actually it looked like a recessed rotor for disc brakes.

Any info you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Paul

edit: spelling

No it can be mild steel. Their is a thread here that Is named something like Cast Vs mild steel firepot , which tells a lot of good info.

Originally Posted by olcarguy

Nice work kid. However, I thought you were going to use a brake drum? I'm new here but you new pot looks better than a brake drum ever could.

Thats when i was planning to use it as a portable forge.
Chris

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Arbalist

Now thats a good idea I hadn't thought of Frosty! Next time I'm near a cook shop .....

Just make sure the cook's looking the other way or you'll end up IN the soup yourself.

Frosty

[hammerkid]

Today i made the brackets for the hood to bolt on to the forge table. I was going make the blower mount but ran out of time More updates Wednsday.
Chris

[Paul B]

The pictures in reply #15 show the underway forge. What is the angle of the slopes of the pot? They look very steep. Also what is the dimensions of the top edge and the depth? I hope you don't mine me picking your brain.

Paul