SBOhio Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 I picked up this small forge. It's my 1st forge. There is a gap between fire pot and tuyere. As you see in the picture there appears there was something black between the two that is burnt out. What can I use to seal this? Also was wondering if anyone recognizes the forge or the firepot/tuyere as commercially produced or if you think its homemade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Greetings SB, That is not a forge ... That is the firepot. I think it is a whirlwind. If you look at the clinker breaker placement you will see what I mean.. I hope this helps .. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>> some light reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOhio Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 Greetings SB, That is not a forge ... That is the firepot. I think it is a whirlwind. If you look at the clinker breaker placement you will see what I mean.. I hope this helps .. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Your right. I forgot to post the second pic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOhio Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 Greetings SB, That is not a forge ... That is the firepot. I think it is a whirlwind. If you look at the clinker breaker placement you will see what I mean.. I hope this helps .. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Your right. I forgot to post the second pic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOhio Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>> some light reading! Thanks for the link Y2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Does it just need the bolts replaced to snug it up? If you don't want to fiddle with that I'd try furnace cement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Greetings SB, That's a lot of firepot for that lil forge... I think you will also find that the stack is too small.. 10'' works best.. That firepot was designed for a 3ft square school or repair shop forge for much bigger work than you have forge.. By the way replacement if you could find one is about 300. Repair would it would be best just to caulk up the separation and forget it.. Per Thomas.. Again the design is for a very large air volume hence the bulbus look and to remove the clinker breaker.. I would put that one aside and make or buy a smaller one. I wish you well Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 That's a BIG firepot alright. Do you weld? I have a 3''x4' forge table it'd drop right into, as in perfect fit. If I had good access to coal I might even be using it. Filling the gap is easy enough, wood stove rope is easy enough, you can even push it in with a flattened stick like chinking a log cabin wall. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOhio Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 Does it just need the bolts replaced to snug it up? If you don't want to fiddle with that I'd try furnace cement. Yes the bolts area corroded down to about 1/8" diameter at the end where the gap is. They will have to be drilled and tapped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOhio Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 Greetings SB, That's a lot of firepot for that lil forge... I think you will also find that the stack is too small.. 10'' works best.. That firepot was designed for a 3ft square school or repair shop forge for much bigger work than you have forge.. By the way replacement if you could find one is about 300. Repair would it would be best just to caulk up the separation and forget it.. Per Thomas.. Again the design is for a very large air volume hence the bulbus look and to remove the clinker breaker.. I would put that one aside and make or buy a smaller one. I wish you well Forge on and make beautiful things Jim The fire pot is what caught my eye. After your comment about the size I measured it this afternoon. It's 8 x 12" and about 3 1/2" deep. How large would make the fire pot for this size forge? I may try and save this one for a larger permanant forge. I'm going to try to set this one up to roll out of woodworking shop to safely work outside. I don't have a good safe area to work just yet inside. I thought the forge would make a good starter forge. I will see if I can open the hood up to 10". It's 8" opening and stainless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 3 1/2"x 8"x 12" isn't as large as it looks in the pics. It's still a nice serious forge size but not too large for hobby or small scale work. A couple bricks to take up some space and viola it's smaller! 3.5" is a nice coal fire depth though a little deeper is nice. Were it mine I think I'd still put it in a fairly large table, I find the room comes in very handy. I'd be thinking 2'x3' on the minimumish with 3'x4' as about right. That's my preference so it's what all free advice is. <wink> Whatever you build or find that's going to make you a fine forge, real fine. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOhio Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 That's a BIG firepot alright. Do you weld? I have a 3''x4' forge table it'd drop right into, as in perfect fit. If I had good access to coal I might even be using it. Filling the gap is easy enough, wood stove rope is easy enough, you can even push it in with a flattened stick like chinking a log cabin wall. Frosty The Lucky. I do weld a little. Mostly stick. Just picked up a Miller211 MIG. I've been looking for plans or pictures of larger forges. I got this one to get started. I will get the bolts repaced and try the wood stove rope or furnace caulk. I think I road the train by your house last summer from Anchorage to Talkeetna. Met the mayor, Stubs the Cat. Are you just west of Wasilla? What a state. My wife and I loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOhio Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 That's a BIG firepot alright. Do you weld? I have a 3''x4' forge table it'd drop right into, as in perfect fit. If I had good access to coal I might even be using it. Filling the gap is easy enough, wood stove rope is easy enough, you can even push it in with a flattened stick like chinking a log cabin wall. Frosty The Lucky. I do weld a little. Mostly stick. Just picked up a Miller211 MIG. I've been looking for plans or pictures of larger forges. I got this one to get started. I will get the bolts repaced and try the wood stove rope or furnace caulk. I think I road the train by your house last summer from Anchorage to Talkeetna. Met the mayor, Stubs the Cat. Are you just west of Wasilla? What a state. My wife and I loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I do weld a little. Mostly stick. Just picked up a Miller211 MIG. I've been looking for plans or pictures of larger forges. I got this one to get started. I will get the bolts repaced and try the wood stove rope or furnace caulk. I think I road the train by your house last summer from Anchorage to Talkeetna. Met the mayor, Stubs the Cat. Are you just west of Wasilla? What a state. My wife and I loved it. WHAT?! You rode the train past us just 2 miles up the road and didn't let us know? We would've driven the whole HOUR to Talkeetna just to tell you Alaskan whoppers and let you buy us a beer at the Fairview Inn! Arghhhhhh Mig is nice but stick rules. You can buy stick to weld darned near anything. Mig is more limited even if it's generally faster, prettier and MUCH easier to clean up. Just figure on making a rectangular sheet steel decked table with a rim, 1 1/2 - 2" high all round. And don't use plate, mine is 14 ga and has a fire brick deck, you don't need heavy steel for the forge table. Leave room at the back for a side draft hood. (My preference because they work so well.) Or an overhead hood. The advantage of an overhead hood is it takes up no table space, even with sides. Cut a hole the fire pot will drop into and rest on the rim about 6" from the mouth of the side draft or a foot or so from the back wall under an overhead hood. Make the deck a comfortable working height, lots of guys say about anvil high to act as a helper or just to have as many things the same height as practical. It just makes things more convenient and efficient if as many things are standardized as reasonably possible. I know my present propane forge is too high. Anyway, standard table stuff, legs, spreaders, etc. a shelf on the spreaders is a handy thing, good place to put hot steel, parts, tools, etc. but leave room for the ash dump and a bucket or can to catch hot ash, cider and clinker. A tong rack is really good on the forge, hang the hammers on or near the anvil, the tongs go near the forge. Well, I think I've rambled on more than long enough. Sometimes I just get going describing what I'm looking at in my mind. I just hope you aren't as dizzy as I might be right now. <grin> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOhio Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 I would have bought that beer. We had caribou steak and fried oysters at West Rib Pub. Is the purpose of the fire brick just to prevent burnout? Are they just layed up loose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I don't know the West Rib but I don't go to Anchorage if I don't HAVE TO. The fire brick is just a way to spread the heat so the sheet doesn't warp, laid loose, ash fills the gaps. It's a duck's nest forge so the fire "pot" is whatever shape I make it with stacked fire brick. The air grate is one I made before I knew what a good air grate is, it's a piece of 3/8" plate about 5" dia. with a bunch of 5/16" holes in a pattern I came up with a couple decades ago. The majority of air holes are blocked with dish head rivets, they drop in, don't hinder the rake and are easily rearranged. Not long after building and installing it in the old, "pioneering" tarp tent smithy I discovered good coal wasn't much of an option. What I was able to dig myself gets hot enough but is weathered and darned clinkery, it smokes a lot too, it cokes but smokes like a dragon that ate BAD chilli. So the overhead hood isn't near enough, I made THAT to someone else's specs and took it back . . . Because. These old memories sure bring on the windyness in me. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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