Momatt

Jason do you just set that on top of the bottom die?

Thanks frosty, sounds like a really neat forge, too bad the coal situation is not great there. I’ve been thinking of cooking a drum of wood inside a 150 gallon oil tank and making batches of charcoal. I am unrestrained by neighbors for the first time in my life and have unlimited wood. I don’t want to forge with it but I have a extra large green egg kamado grill that eats a bag of lump every time I use it

Thanks !

Thanks George much appreciated!

Hello, I’ve decided to add a coal forge to my kit after using exclusively gas for a decade. I will be burning blacksmith or bituminous coal and will have a manual crank blower. I’m about to order from centaur forge and have four questions that I would really appreciate your input on. Now is my chance to get it just right and I’ll be living with it from then on. 1.) Fire pits are listed as coke or coal. If it’s a shape or volume optimized to burn one or the other I’d rather have coal. If one is just heavier than the other I’ll order the heavier one. 2.)do you prefer a round fire pot or a rectangle and why? 3.) Do you prefer a sliding gate vs a ash dump and why? 4.) The hearth or platform are 24 by 30 inches and can be had with the pot oriented in either dimension. Is there a type of work that favors one over the other, maybe it’s just which fits your space in the shop best and doesn’t matter. thank you!

Daswolf, thanks! I admire your work. I am very blessed to live where I do, wake up feeling lucky every day.

Thanks Billy and anvil!

Finished head

I just got a 70 pound tire hammer it’s the clay Spencer type but with the newer modifications 8 inch anvil and heavier ram. I have no experience to compare it to but wow opens up new avenues compared to a hammer!

So David you are using a flatter to do it? I have trouble with the flatter handle jerking in my hand and bending.

How would you go about forging a wedge shape say like on a froe with flat dies? I’ve made a flatter and various fullers and am experimenting. Once I get something out of square I struggle with it jumping around. Still training my foot to let off the pedal it’s gotten interesting a time or two.

Next steps: I took a piece of a sway bar from and old car and forged it into the bit it’s spring steel I like a meaty bit then fire welded it in. I ground the top quick and poured hot vinegar over it to see the weld. I have a nice bit in there with the outer mild steel nice and even Tomorrow I will finish forging and hang it 1forguer he hasn’t gotten it yet, next weekend!

Jobtiel, once it’s wrapped I will forge the poll thinner, I like it 3/4 inch or so thick on the poll of the axe. This is just a preform I forged yesterday I need to cut a piece of spring steel off an old car sway bar for the bit which was under snow yesterday I couldn’t find it. As to the eye they come out an elongated d or a triangle but I will drift it with a teardrop drift.

Inelegantly worded I guess. I intended to reference that most of us use one of the wheels on our 2 by 72 grinders to fair the curves of things like axe langettes and encourage forging vs grinding just trying to generate some conversation on a forum that doesn’t see the traffic it did in the past. Also the attachment most used in my grinder and probably yours is the flat platen and that little 2 or 3 inch wheel on top gets a lot of use

Where are you? Many of us would let you come over and do that in our shops. if you can’t find anyone local to let you participate directly you can ship to me and I’ll do it for you.