homemade forges?

[Ten Hammers]

New shop forge built a few years ago. Nothing really complicated. Simple airgate pic installed pic. Coal and charcoal used in this unit. Also shown are hood pics ( idea stolen from Bill Printy in Bentensport Iowa ). As for the question about heat in degrees, the greatest heat will produce the fastest heat which will in turn make for the most of your time. This forge will make the most of my time. I have a hip roof and need forge located in center of shop. Flu location makes need for location of forge ( consequently I do not have space for side draft hood). I have an old oil stove inducer in the flu. Flu is an old piece of 8" auger pipe. This forge replaced a borrowed Champion factory forge and a couple of other Canedy Otto forges over the years. Finding a good table can be an issue when you really need it so just stick built to solve the problem. Rogers firepots are the best in my opinion. I no longer have his phone number though. Perhaps someone does.

[skunkriv]

My shop forge also has a Roger Lorance firepot. Like Tenhammer's it is set into a steel table built to suit me and the space available. Roger is in Illinois, his phone is 309-475-9012.

[FrogPondForge]

I built one like tenbears'. I have about $8 in metal in it. The Blueprint is BP0545 (are they down right now?). Or you can look at it here: index . Works great!

Mike
FatherofFrogPond

[Covforge]

I use 2 forges I built from scrap sheet metal with fire pots made to size of the store bought ones. I started with a brake drum, just put a table around it if you need more space used properly a brakedrum works great.
Travis

[Sabre]

well maby arround 3000 f more like 2500 or somthing to heat up steel quickly.

[Ten Hammers]

The real thing is, achieving the heat needed to do the process. Charcoal works fine in a solid fuel forge but a wet coal mound will insulate and make a very hot fire for bar and round. If you have needs to hotcut and forge 1" square you will need a little bigger fire compared to working smaller stock. Building tripods at a rondy will take up some more fuel compared to just putzin around makin a few hooks from 3/8 rod. A forge should have the ability to heat whatever you need. We learn as we go. The actual degrees in heat can be found with temp sticks but not really that necessary to me to know. Charcoal is my choice at rondys because I can make coffee and burn brats in the same fire I forge in. I also bank with firewood.

[Glenn]

Use the materials available to make SOMETHING that works as a forge and get started.

Different fuels require different forge designs. Different size stock (3/8 inch vs 3 inch) requires different size forges. The blacksmith will use (or build) a forge to suit the job at hand. No one ever said you could have just ONE FORGE. The forge is just a tool to do a job.

[Johannes]

Originally Posted by Ten Hammers

The real thing is, achieving the heat needed to do the process. Charcoal works fine in a solid fuel forge but a wet coal mound will insulate and make a very hot fire for bar and round. If you have needs to hotcut and forge 1" square you will need a little bigger fire compared to working smaller stock. Building tripods at a rondy will take up some more fuel compared to just putzin around makin a few hooks from 3/8 rod. A forge should have the ability to heat whatever you need. We learn as we go. The actual degrees in heat can be found with temp sticks but not really that necessary to me to know. Charcoal is my choice at rondys because I can make coffee and burn brats in the same fire I forge in. I also bank with firewood.

mnn, ten hammers your smithy must smell greath

[Ian]

Your pile of bricks, or even a hole in the ground will work, mine did. It's up to you what standard of work you can produce with them, but it will only improve with practice.