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I Forge Iron

Newbie from the north of England


Anunzi

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Good day folks!

 

Just recently discovered this forum and my word, its a gold mine of information!

 

I've never swung a hammer at hot metal before, but looking to start construction of a forge in my garage/shed over the coming weeks. Making a start on clearing and such like tomorrow morning. I don't have the ability, or skill, to weld but I'm a dab hand at brick laying and joinery (lots of practice in renovating my house) so i think I'm going to mostly build it out of house bricks and fire bricks.

 

If anyone is interested I'll log the build with photos and make a thread in the forges section.

 

I'm sure I'll be bombarding all of you veterans with questions before long!

 

Cheers :)

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Welcome aboard Anunzi, glad to have you. Experience has shown that unless you think a masonry forge will be a decorative enhancement to the shop you might want to think small and portable forge till you've learned the craft. It's really coo for folk to have the picture of perfect tools and equipment in mind when they start out only to discover it's not what they really need.

 

For instance you'll discover you don't really want the forge THERE, it's in the way and is too far from another piece of equipment. Or, the chimney on that side of the building causes a downdraft making the shop smokey. Etc. etc. I've been doing this as  a hobby for probably 40 years and still move the forge, anvils, vises, tables, etc. it depends on what I'm doing, how many folk are there, etc.

 

There are a lot of variables to setting up a smithy and unless the set up is scripted, say a museum or living history exhibit a masonry forge becomes an anchor you have to work around and not in the good way.

 

Keeping things easily mobile isn't a set in stone good thing but it's nice to be able to move things till you know how you work, what you're going to make, what the neighbors think, etc. You can always lay brick when you know what you're going to want for the next few decades

 

Of course that's just my opinion, I'm often wrong. Makes life interesting you know.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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welcome Anunzi! Frosty has a good point about making a portable forge atleast for the meantime until you get used to it and make sure you dont want to modify it. there are some relatively easy to build that dont require welding or slightly better designs that you dont need to be a very good welder if you can get your hands on one for the afternoon (mines holding together just fine  :D ).  just need a brake drum and a peice of pipe with some kind of fan. can prop it up on some bricks if you need, theres a post on here about the "55 Forge" with differnt takes on using a 55 gallon drum to make a forge out of.

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welcome :)  A forge building doesn't ned to be anything more than a tarp and a forge no more than a shallow hole in the ground. At least that's how I have spent many many hours working. Mind you, a proper solid building and raised hearth are much more pleasant :D

 

North/South divide. Frankly, anything north of Bristol is Northern from my perspective!

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welcome :)  A forge building doesn't ned to be anything more than a tarp and a forge no more than a shallow hole in the ground. At least that's how I have spent many many hours working. Mind you, a proper solid building and raised hearth are much more pleasant :D

 

North/South divide. Frankly, anything north of Bristol is Northern from my perspective!

 

Uh huh, anything S. of Greenland is southern from mine.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Welcome aboard!

 

Frosty brings up a valid point for forges, especially with the idea of getting to know what you want to make. I had poor luck making my portable forge (the "Two Brick Forges") without it breaking too often, and instead just caved to buy one, but if you have the skill, tools, and the means, I'd highly recommend going that route!

 

Good luck with finding what works best for what you need!

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Thank you all so much for the replies. Certainly got me thinking!

 

I think you may be correct Frosty, brick is pretty permanent after all, if i'm not happy with where its sited then i can change it around. Would gas be a an ok starting option? I'm just thinking its more mobile as a chimney and flue wont be required. That way I don't have to go punching holes in my shed roof just yet!

 

PS Rob, sorry totally missed that reference, doh!

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I think the gas vs coal discussion is an age old debate and based on personal preference.

 

My first two knives were made on a coal forge with a gas forge for heat treating, while my third (my first on my own) was done on a gas forge (waiting for the weather to clear to clean it up). I find them to be pretty comparable, but each has their advantages and disadvantages. In my case (setting up in a shared yard in an urban area), a coal forge was just a bad idea, but a small gas forge was a better, safer option.

 

I'm not saying that's the route you need to take, but I find gas to be a bit better for urban living situations. Just make sure that regardless of your approach, you work in a well ventilated area. Carbon Monoxide is not something you want to have too much of.

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