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I Forge Iron

Trying to get started smithing


X3r0

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I'm having a lot of trouble getting started into metal working as a hobby. So far I've gotten most of what I need; A trip to lowes and some craigslist searching found me a decent anvil and a hammer. My difficulty presented itself when I began to try some basic techniques I found

I set several pieces of metal into what I called a forge but I feel Its just not getting enough heat

My design was just a Dakota fire pit with an 8 inch fan from the lowes trip but The airflow seemed to help the fire but it still felt very limited. How much airflow should I have or am I doing something wrong trying to forge in dirt

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do you have any pictures of what you are using? Im sure some one here can offer some advice if we know exactly what you are dealing with. 

You definitely don't need anything fancy to get started. But if you are using a coal forge and its not getting hot enough you probably don't have enough air flow. Might be the way ya got it piped up. Pics would help.

 

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​best picture I have is this here.

I originally took this to show off to my friends but this works too

the hole with the cyclone of flame is the "forge" and the hole to the left has an 8 inch fan aimed through a small gap underground into the hole with fire

CBE2xTfUsAAnABU.jpg

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The Dakota fire pit is generally used for heating dinner. The one I am familiar with is two holes in the ground with a connecting tunnel at the bottom of the holes. Fire is put into one hole and it naturally sucks in air, burns, and flame comes out the other hole. Put the pot to be heated on the top of the second hole and it should cooking in short order.

A ground forge differs in that you need a depression in the ground to hold the fire and coals/embers generated by the fire. Put a pipe (usually underground or at a slight down angle) into the bottom of the fire and blow air through the pipe. The fire ball should be about the size of a large melon. Fuel does not make the fire hot, AIR makes the fire hot. The metal gets hot when it is in contact with the coals/embers of the fire ball. The best location for the metal is 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up (near the top) of the fire ball.

 

Do a site search for the "55 forge", look under the solid fuel section on the site, and specifically search for information on a side blast forge. The side blast forge is the air pipe coming into the forge from the side rather than the bottom.

Please give us more details as to your fuel being used. It makes a difference in the information reply to your question. Add your location to your profile. Do a site search for a blacksmithing group near you. They will be able to help you with your questions, and a day with them at one of their gatherings will jump start your blacksmithing immediately to the next level or two.

 

 

Edited by Glenn
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You do not need a hole IN THE GROUND, but a mound of dirt on top of the ground that will contain the fire. You can use a combination of both in ground and above ground if you wish in order to get the top of the fire ball above the ground level.

Blow air into the side of the side (toward the bottom) of the fire ball. The metal MUST be in contact with the coals/embers to get hot and about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up the fire ball. See drawing above for the "right" position of the metal to be heated.

Look carefully at the drawing. The section labeled "wrong" could be a good example of the placement of the air pipe for the side blast forge.

This type ground forge, or modification, has been used by blacksmiths for years, and it can reach a welding heat.

Edited by Glenn
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Maybe this will help. You need air moving THROUGH the fuel to make heat. Blowing over it will burn fuel it but not make forging heat. The closer to the nozzle of the air blast the more unconsumed oxygen is present and it will happily burn your steel too. Rust or scale is ash from oxidizing or burning steel. Too far away from the air blast and the oxy is not only consumed but the heat is dissipating through the unburned fuel so the temperature is falling.

Putting your steel in the spot where the oxy is completely consumed but the heat isn't being spread out all over the place is the sweet spot or heart of the fire.

Tinker around and test it till you discover where it all is. It's just a matter of seeing it and you'll have it.

Frosty The Lucky.

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Assuming the use of charcoal, a shallow bowl (be it just scooped out of the groun or an actual bowl) 3-4" deal and 5-6" across works well. As dose a half inch pipe with a ball valve. Charcoal doesn't need a lot of air, in fact to much ia worse than to little.

the forge in the pictures has a 1/2 black pipe twear molded into the garden clay back wall 1" of the bottom and the bowl is 3 1/2" deep. The double action pump provides plenty of air. Don't get locked in on any one thing, such as my air supply 

image.jpg

image.jpg

Edited by Charles R. Stevens
Clarificationdon't be fooled
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