Solid Fuel Forges

There have been several questions on forges and fires. Many of the questions have been answered several times on the site already. A forge is something to hold the fire. An anvil is something to hit upon, and a hammer something to hit with. The rest are details that make life easier for the smith. >What do I need to get started in blacksmithing is a good review. How to build a fire First if you have a chimney, loosely wad up a couple sheets of newspaper, set them on fire and place them into the chimney so the heat will get a draft going. Next build a fire that would make a boy scout proud. Gather a bunch of sticks, chop up some kindling, or even…

Fire Dragons are illusive beasts but sometimes they are caught in photographs. Show me your Fire Dragons you have captured in photos. This one is by Irondragon Forge & Clay. No, the dragon in the forge, in the background.

So I was asked to try and impart what I have learned about designing a side blast forge. So I will give it a try. First, how I came by my knowledge. I started by asking members from England about their forges, and I googled commercial English forges. I went so far as to read adverts that had pictures of old forges for sale. Then I asked another member, our expert on Civil War blacksmithing. He shared some blueprints for traveling forges, mountain howitzer pack forges, and navy portable forges of the era. Then I started reading everything I could find on Iron Age and Viking-era forges, to include side trips into African, Iron-Age European, and Viking-era…

The following is a quick summery of the 55 Forge. More in depth design and discussion can be found on the site. The original 55 Forge was bottom blast. The fire shown is a little shallow, so if there is a question, just add more fuel. The tuyere was a piece of auto exhaust pipe with 1/4 inch holes to accept 1/4 inch round bar in a X pattern to form a grate. Lots of open room for air to move up and into the bottom of the fire. The next test modification was to put a brake drum into the 55 forge as a fire pot. You can see the cone shape to the ash and the rim of the fire pot. The bricks were added to give the fire more depth f…

I want to make a forge using some stuff I already have. I'm totally new to all this. Can you make one thing that works well for blacksmithing and also gets hot enough to melt metals like copper, brass, or aluminum for casting? I would like to make something that will get hot enough to try to make damascus or forge stainless steel. It would be cool to make something that I can use inside to heat my workshop in the winter, but also roll it outside for summer time forging. I have 2 old roasting pans, and also 2 brake drums. I came up with an idea for a side blast forge with a 4 way split so air comes in both sides. A couple months ago I made a brick of DIY refractory cement …

Here's a few photos of my old forge design. If there are any questions about it, I would be happy to try and answer them.

I'm looking for some help identifying this forge I recently picked up. Instead of a hand crank, it uses a lever/pump action to move the blower. It's definitely been repaired on top at some point over the years as it looks like the pan probably rusted through. Everything else is in original shape and works great, although the legs are pretty wobbly at this point. Should I restore them and make it usable again or leave it as-is and sell it to someone who needs a decoration? The hand crank mechanism works, ie. it blows a bit of air, but it's a lot more work than turning a hand powered version, even one without a flywheel. Just seems very over complicated and inefficient, whi…

Started rebuild of a "lever forge" today. That's what my hard cover, 1902 Sears, Roebuck & Co. Cat.#112 called it. Looks like their No. 24V1008 , cost $5.95 in1902! Some one decided, years before I got it, to cut some holes in the pan sides, but other than that everything will work. I do need a 1" x 52&1/2" leather belt to make the blower turn. Does anybody have any idea where to get something like this in the USA. Will accept alternate ideas. Belt will have to lace together, the blower fully is inside a casting, no way to roll a solid belt on it.

Ok, I'm looking to build a simple charcoal forge, v shaped with an air supply from the bottom. The idea is specifically for heat treating swords. I've never really seen one and I'm not finding much info online. Anyone have experience or advice? I'm thinking an air pipe on the bottom drilled or for air flow and 1/4 inch sheet making the body. Line it with fire brick and call it good?

You all have heard of the JABOD forge, Well for those without the "B" in JABOD. There is an alternative. JAHIG (Just A Hole in Ground) forge. Today, I had a need for a forge that could heat the length of a 20" blade. Evenly, without having to slide it back and forth through the fire. So, I dug a trench in the ground long enough to accommodate the blade. I used a three legged tuyre to allow even airflow over the length of the fire. 3 pieces of 11/4" tubing about 14" long, installed like chicken toes, in a side blast. Fired it with charcoal, and air was a hair drier. Worked very well. Forge on left, quench tank on right. The large flat rock to lef…

Hello ! trying to find info/value of my Buffalo Rivet Forge. Complete and in working condition. No rust or cracks. Thank you.

I couldn't resist and bought a vintage Champion Forge and Blower. I don't think I will be using it for forging but for $800.00, it was a nice piece of history to add to my future shop decor. I am guessing it is early 1900's. It has a grinder wheel, anvil, blower and forge pan. See pics.

I posted a similar topic on the Anvil site with a pic of my first anvil. I am new to blacksmithing and started to buy a few starter items last month (old leg press, used coal forge, used welding table and some new hammers, gloves and tongs). I don't know much about coal forges but this one was listed on Facebook marketplace just an hour away. I paid $800 for it. The guy threw in some some tongs and two large bags of coke coal. I will be building my shop this summer and wondering if this would be suited outside under an overhang or building a hood/chimney for it inside the shop. Here is a picture of my forge. It is very heavy/solid and the blower really works good…

Hello all, I've been back in my old workshop for just over a year now and have until now been subsiding on my gas forge, but I could really do with getting a good solid fuel forge established again. I've always used bottom blast forges in the past (either commercially available cast iron BECMA forges or homemade brake rotor ones. I want to upgrade this build to a side blast (I know there's a lot of debate about the merits of each, but it also seems to be cultural, as a brit, side blasts are the standard in the UK and considered far superior to bottom blasts, especially for welding) I have the table made, I'm designing the pot to go into it. I'm not able to weld …

Hi everyone! I'm new on this forum, so I'm sorry if this post is in the wrong place. I'm new to forging and just built my first forge — a JABOD side-blast. However, I’m finding it hard to control the airflow, especially using charcoal (there's no coal available where I live). With the side-blast, I constantly have to reposition the charcoal to keep an even fire, which causes it to break down into useless bits much much faster. Because of this, I’m considering switching to a bottom-blast setup, which seems easier to manage and better suited for charcoal. My question is: for a charcoal forge, which bottom-blast design is better? A single central pipe at …

Hi! I’m Zach and I am a hobbyist backyard blacksmith. I am slightly familiar with it, as I’ve been doing it in various backyards for about 8 years irregularly, but I’m ready to come up with something a bit more permanent and reliable while still portable. I’ve done a lot of reading and searching online but decided that openly asking as myself would lead me to a better answer. I’ve seen many possible solutions. Side/bottom blast JABOD forges, Glenn's 55 forge, Tim Lively's washtub forge, the Whitlox forge, Japanese style channel forges, brake drum forges, ZnA Productions' folding chair and table weight forges, medieval dirt forge, dirt channel forge, medieval clay for…

My neighbor friend texted me and said he was stopping by this morning. He backed his pickup in the driveway and dropped the tailgate to reveal this coal forge. It is about 2.5' in diameter and has a round lip which looks like it accepted a sheet metal enclosure while the huge firepot is octagon. The lever off to the side operates the central "tube" like thing and raises and lowers it I guess to break up clinker but it seems there is little space to allow them to drop through. Air enters the firepot around this tube but not through it and it looks like a huge fire could be built in it but with seemingly small central air flow. It came out of a building that was once …

So I am 16 and on an extremely tight budget and want to transfer from my crappy little propane forge to a solid fuel forge and preferably want to make a side blast what are some heat resistant things I can make to coat some old patio pavers with a thick layer of it I know you aren’t supposed to use things like bricks or patio pavers but firebricks are so expensive I have access to torches plasma cutters chop saws all types of welders and know how to weld and I can get a decent bit of plate steel probably up to 3/8 being the max for free from my trade school I go to I have plenty of shop vacs i can use for blowers along with fans and an industrial grade blower fan just w…

Information on C. Hammelmann star portable forge patent April 6,1886

I am looking for a part for a buffalo 660 downdraft forge. The forge is complete except for the blower and the re-circulation tube that goes from the back of the forge to the blower inlet. I may be able to find the blower but the tube will be a challenge. If anyone knows of someone that has a forge parts junkyard any help is appreciated.

Greetings, I hope this is an appropriate place to present this. I have this Buffalo forge, and I would like to know the value. It just sits here on the property, I don't use it, I'm hoping to pass it on to someone who will use it. I'm curious about its value. I'm in Bend Oregon.

Started on our charcoal side draft forge. We plan to use lump charcoal in it. Not that we need another forge, but it will go with our 2 bottom blast coal forges and 1 propane forge we built. For knife making charcoal is hard to beat and Debi is getting really good at making knives. Put on the legs, yep made out of rebar. Then added a rim and pipe to hold the tuyere. That Champion 140 blower puts out a lot of air, won't need to crank it hard. The plan is to clay the dish with raku clay (we have about 80 pounds on hand), just have to decide on the shape of the fire pot, trench or bowl. Of course paint it green to match the blower. Hooked up the Cha…

Was chatting with another Blacksmith over the weekend. I'm interested in a Side Blast Forge. Greystone in the UK was making them. But, it is now out of business. The other fellow said he heard of someone making them commercially in Minnesota. Does anyone have any info on that? I know they can be made. But, I've lost a couple of years remodeling a house. I'm chomping at the bit to get back to forging. Thanks, Ray

Hi All, I’ve been getting back to smithing after making room in my shop and have noticed the sides of my Centaur forge cast firepot glow a dull red with an active fire. I have been using nut size anthracite and have the air gate minimally open during heating. When I am not heating material, I close off the air gate. A few questions: Is this typical for a coal forge firepot? Should a small amount of air be allowed to blow when stock is not being heated? My thought is this may help keep the fire pot cooler.

I am looking for information about Cavalry Pack Forges. I have one in exceptionally good condition and am wondering when in history and where they were actually used. It is a really neat idea and surprisingly large in size, yet originally it all fit into its own closing and locking box to transport. Mine has had the legs extended with riveted sections and will no longer fit into itself. Otherwise it is pretty original. It has been years since I have had a fire in it, and When it got it, it was lined with fire clay (ditch clay) which is how I used it as well. It kept the sheet metal in pretty good condition. It weighs 110# to carry. Just a neat forge. Please ignore the rot…