284 replies to this topic

[Glenn]

Quote

sorry i dont know how to post the thumbnail pics like everyone else.

Make your post as usual. Then below the box where you type in your text is a section called additional options. Go to the "Attach Files" section and click on Manage attachments.

Upload File from your Computer will let you browse your hard drive for photos. When finished and click on the UPPER button called UPLOAD.

Upload File from a URL is where you place the URL if your photo is posted on the internet (such as the IForgeIron Gallery). Copy the URL and paste it here. Click on the LOWER UPLOAD button. To add another photo, repeat as needed.

When you are finished attaching photos, go back to the box where you type in your test and click on Submit New Thread to save both the text and the images.

If the process errors out, it is usually because the files are too large in size. This is why we suggest posting to the IForgeIron gallery as it automatically resizes the photo for you. It also gives you a thumbnail link that you can copy and paste into the text of your post. When you click on that thumbnail, it will open another window and display the larger image.

[Hoary]

Well, I had put clay in to stop up the holes in the rim then a lit the fire to bake it :) not too bad. it was actually funny, since I didn't have any base for the forge yet I just put it up on a ladder turned on its side in the shape of a v. I'm hoping to find a more perminate base for it. but anyways here it is...

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•  fired.jpg   142.67K   325 downloads

[jimbob]

go to Lowes or Home Depot and get 1/2 dozen concrete blocks ...three on each side leave room for the blower. cost should be about $10.00

[Brian C.]

Here is my forge. Designed & 98% built by Loren Roper of Simply Smithing Blacksmith Shop. It has a homemade firepot of 1/2" steel plate.

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•  1st new forge fire.jpg   88.87K   402 downloads

[HWooldridge]

I have to comment on something I keep seeing in these pictures - mainly for the new folks.

I can't speak to charcoal and this doesn't work as well with coke, but a coal forge does best with a lot of fuel in the box. Although it may seem counterintuitive, piling a lot of coal up and around the fire will actually insulate it and use less fuel. In addition, it takes much less maintenance to add fresh fuel and makes the fire deep enough to weld effectively.

I have some lump coal from the Midwest and some slack coal (mostly fines) from Oklahoma that I use in my forge. I fill a 5 gallon bucket with the fines and wet it with about 2-3 quarts of water. After the fire gets going with a little coke from the previous session, I pack the wet coal around the fire so it will begin coking. On the outside of the wet stuff, I rake up whatever is dry and laying in the hearth. The mound at the firepot is at least 5-6 inches above the hearth so it is a nice deep fire. As the fire burns down, I pack it in from the sides with a poker. Most people work on bars of some sort so this method creates a trough in the fire.

I have seen newbies who tear down and practically destroy the fire with every heat or two trying to manage the heat, but effective fire control is more about regular and minimal maintenance to keep that hot glowing center, which will provide an efficient heat on the metal.

[Brian C.]

I knew that I would hear about that little bitty fire. :) I usually do it the way Hollis says, but that day was a test run of the new forge/blower set-up just to check things out. I do know better.

[Hoary]

I was just baking the clay in the rim holes, It's kinda hard to really black smith when my county is on a water restriction and the fire marshall is has issued a fire restriction so I had to keep the flames going in small sections.

[HWooldridge]

I wasn't criticizing - I realize these pictures are intended to show everyone's forge setup. I just wanted to add a tip to those who might not know since a newbie might look at this thread and think skimping on the coal is the right way.

[Hoary]

It was very helpful, I'm sorry having a bit of stress related issues right now lol kinda funny that I was a who's flame is bigger contest lol... yeah that sounded odd, but know it did give me something to think about and apply once I really get it up and running. Thanks :) I'll get a right start in the trade :)

[easilyconfused]

In my experience with charcoal, the bigger the pile of charcoal, the bigger the fire since it requires less air to burn than coal. You have to make sure to keep it wet on the outside to keep the fire from spreading and too much water douses the fire down. It's definately a fine balance that comes with experience and I still can't say I'm a master at it. I just let it burn usually and keep the fuel pile the size I want to burn.

[Brian C.]

I didnt take your post as criticism Hollis. :) It was good info.

We shall endeavor to persevere.

[hammerkid]

here is my coal forge , I ain`t got to test it out yet:(. It only costed me $50 for the blower everthing else was "Scarp" which ain`t a word:p:D

[hammerkid]

Opps I forgot the Pictures:o

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•  coalforge.jpg   93.06K   300 downloads
•  blower.jpg   82.29K   218 downloads
•  firepot.jpg   99.51K   231 downloads
•  firepot2.jpg   97.2K   273 downloads
•  forgeairsupply.jpg   93.36K   243 downloads

[Jacob]

Hammerkid,

You may want to weld a handle onto that cap for your ash dump to make it easier to remove. If you can find a pipe flange with the same thread, you can use that and make a pivoting ash dump, which is common and easy to use.

I don't know what you're using to control air volume. I've used a reostadt on a couple of forges, and I'm not generally impressed, but I think some blowers will handle it better than others. I'm going to try a gate in my new one.

Fire it up!

[hammerkid]

I making ahandle with a oinion cage twist . I`am got a gate thing

[welder19]

Home made pot in a table I found at work that was about to get tossed, it used to hold a 1000 gal oil tank, the sheetmetal was a quick and crude job I did with scrap sheetmetal I got from a HVAC guy and has just kind of become permanent.

welder19

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•  forge1003.jpg   129.94K   389 downloads
•  forge1002.jpg   104.71K   249 downloads
•  forge.jpg   113.37K   205 downloads

[Frosty]

Nicely done. It's been my experience most people don't build enough table space onto their forges. I like your set up a lot.

Frosty

[welder19]

Thanks, at the time when I got the table I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but I knew I wasn't going to let it get scraped, it's heavy, 4"x4"x1/2" angle legs and frame and 3/8" steel plate top, I just cut 12" off of the legs and a hole for my fire pot and it worked out perfect.
There are some things that I still have yet to do, like mount my vise, (note the C-clamp holding it) finish the ash dump, make a hammer and tong rack and then sometime I'll eventually make a nice hood and then paint the whole works black, I am also going to make a gas forge one of these days and I'll probably make a mount for that somewhere on the table, probably movable.
If I ever get it cleaned up I'll post some finished pics.

welder19

[hdwarner]

i built this coal forge with three legs
hard to see but i welded unistrut on both sides of forge to add accessories
like stock carriers , small quench tanks etc.
a centuar firepot with dumping ash gate
surroundings are a horse run in shed i bought with a crush and run floor

Attached Files

•  forge.jpg   2.49K   679 downloads

[skunkriv]

Very nice welder19. Frosty is right, nice to have a forge table at least big enough to dump a full bag or a couple buckets of coal on. You have that plus! Plenty of room to lay your fire tools (mine don't even have hooks or eyes for hanging, they always lay ready in or on top of the coal) and room to lay tongs as they cool (a good habit is to never put hot tongs back in the rack, they should be laid off to the side or put on the floor). Plenty of room to have the pieces you are ready to forge handy and to lay the things you have just forged to cool.

If this forge was mine I would be cutting a piece out there at the right end to allow long pieces to be heated in the middle for twisting, bending etc. You could weld one of the pieces you cut off the legs underneath the cutout to reinforce it. The 3/8" plate would likely never bend in use but might if you pick it up to move it.

A really nice forge!