thank you for your responses. my idea was to build a small box with an open top, then i could direct the beam from the giant magnifying glass into the box, thus heating it up to the point that i could heat metal to the point of being able to shape it. i know this idea would be somewhat cumbersome and would need to be adjusted regularly, but i thought it would be neat to build something that i could use without needing to stoke a fire, or buy gas. granted, i wouldn't be able to use it on a cloudy day, but i think it would be neat to use. I don't have any neighbors so i don't have to worry about burning down anyones house. my shop is located on top of a open hill allowing for lots of sunlight. the type of magnifying glass is said to get up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit and can be found in old projection TVs.
