mage2

GotMitUns

I am just south of austin. 

1.25 pipe interesting will have to look into that. I have some AL i need to make molten. 

Not to hijack a thread. but what is the largest size T-Burner that has worked?

Hey Frosty, 

I will do so. It will be next week though, as im going out of town to see family and friends this weekend. 

Will let you know!

if you want a video, its around 100 megs and is rotated 90 deg.

http://www.bleedingwound.com/forgeburning.mp4

let me know what you think.

So it dried for a few days in the Texas heat/sun.

I put the burner in place and started using it.

Specs:

The pipe is 8" long. I am using 3/4 pipe, 3/4 T connector and a .35 mig tip.  The inside of the forge is around 200-250 ish cubic inches.

I have been running at around 5 - 7 PSI but can go much higher. I have formed a cone out of the wool where the burner enters the chamber.

Its 2" ceramic wool with a ITC-100 coating and a solid firebrick (also ITC-100 coated) that I can replace easily. 

Here are some pictures.

Any input on tuning the burner would be great.

the blue hue'ed pictures are right at startup

the red/orange is after its been running for a few minutes.

So I have built the forge. well mostly. I am using 2" wool sourced locally and applied the ITC-100, drying time.. two days!! in texas?.. i have my doubts in that. The way the weather is going round these part, it might fire its self.  

The season ended. He is still posting to facebook and youtube and such. 

That said, I am kinda disappointed in some guys here. He makes swords that are obviously over sized and not true to any historical anything. They are fun, and thats it. If you watch the show or watch his live chat things, he never claims to be a blacksmith, or a bladesmith. In fact he states clearly and repeatedly that he is a welder. As a welder he makes and sells swords that he enjoys making. He uses pre-hardened steel plate that is shaped into what the customer wants.  And its a reality show, thus its for entertainment, of course its going to be hyped up. I agree that the discovery, history, science and etc channels are far from what I remember/would like them to be. I think he makes some cool looking swords and seems to have fun with it.

If you are making a living doing what you love, I think you got it right. 

anyway thats my .02

Charles, 

That is a great idea. I plan to make the back either open or a "door" so that I can work longer stock. so that would work. 

Thanks for the great tip. 

I do not have the exact dimensions of the tank, I have the tank just no tape measure..

kidding.. nah I just have not unearthed it from the closet of junk. So based on my google skills with 2 layers of wool I am looking at 520ish cubic inches(cant remember exact number) so once I get it out and measure it ill know exactly how much wool to use to get it closer to that 300ish area. No body never said more insulation would hurt things..

Hey Frosty, Thanks again for the help. 

My crazy reason for the 3 inches was to drop the inside to closer to 300 sq inches not 500+. 

Charles, I didn't lose the hair on my knuckles because I am at least partly fire resistant.

Frosty. Thanks for the info. so building out of softbrick is better, and wool is better than that?

What is best to use for the floor of the forge? I have read many tutorials and blogs on forge builds. Its sometimes hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. 

My initial plan was a cyl forge with walls roof with 2-3 inches of coated inswool  and a hard brick for the floor. I worry that the brick on the floor might give me problem if it soaks up all my BTU. What about softbrick for floor?

I don't really care about the shape of the forge, as much as the quality/usability. I honestly do not know why cylindrical forges are so popular, I just guessed they know something I don't.  These soft bricks are pretty old and abused. I have a dozen or so hard firebricks but I have no idea on the temps they are rated for. I could put them into making a forge, but from what I understood the wool gets hot faster than hard fire bricks(less mass?) I would like to be able to forge weld in this, is my end goal. would a hard fire brick forge do better at forge welding? You said this could make a hot 300 cubic inches. if i say went for around 200 cubic inches with hard fire brick, rectangular work area. Do you see any problems with forge welding once it gets up to temp?

I am sure this is covered somewhere, and i might have already read it and do not remember. So if i am asking something that's been beaten to death just drop me a link and tell me to RTFM. Ill read instead of you guys re-writing a novel.

comments?

Also when i do long posts, i copy them before i hit go, that way if the site has timed out my session i just paste it back in. 

Yea this was just a "test run" I m sure its running crazy rich and there was some back pressure due to just the volume that I was pumping into that little space. It was expected. Didn't lose the hair off my fingers, so that was good.  I am just waiting for payday to get refractory and such. I am planning on using a used up single use helium tank mostly because I already have one. I dont know the dimensions off hand but I think about 2-3" of wool with the IR reflecting stuff coating it and  a hard fire brick that I am going to use for the floor. I think it will do well.  I will keep you all updated. 

So thanks to all of you, I built a T burner based on frosty's design. is 3/4 ID black iron pipe 8" long with a .35 jet (mig tip). 

I have not built the body of the forge yet (need insulation and such) , so I decided to try it out with the body of one of my one brick forges. 

After drilling a hole and setting it all up I fired it up. I know the volume of the forge is way tiny  so there is some massive dragons breath but I just wanted to try it out. 

Anywho here is a picture. I think this was @ like 6psi. 

Its xxxxxxxx awesome. 

Hey the dark shadowy figure in the window is me,  my boy is in the striped shirt talking to the older boy. 

it was a good time thats for sure.

Hey Frosty,

Thanks Ill get in touch with Amerigas. There is one across town. 

I appreciate your help.

Hey there Frosty. 

Its not cost that bothers me. its value. 

The ones I am seeing look at cheap as the ones i find on amazon. That is where my issue is.

I don't mind paying for good tools, because pay once, cry once works in my favor in the long run. 

That is why im searching for brand names with good reps. If i by the "cheap import" off amazon for $30 or the same cheap import from the local hardware store for $80. its the same trouble im in. 

So on the same topic. Is there any reason I could not use an acetylene regulator? I have a extra victor. 

Thanks again

Tim 

Hey Jcornell, 

Thanks for replying, might i ask who made your main regulator?

I was planning on putting a gauge on the line so I am not too worried about if it as one or not. But if there is a better option, well that is what I am here for. 

Thanks everyone for input.

Tim

what brands are you guys used to seeing/using?

Tim

Hey there Frosty,

The cost locally is about double for the similar items. Also I can not find a 40psi regulator for anything local. 20-30 is about the best i can find round these parts

I am looking to make a naturally aspirated  3/4 T burner based on your design, so its great that you replied.

I have been using a propane benzomatic torch with a oversized "single brick forge" for my simple projects for years. It takes forever to heat up anything with any mass and does not reach forging temps. So that is what I am looking to change. That and running off a propane tank instead of a bottle will save me some dollars.

Thanks

Tim

Hey there, all the local places seem to be in love with the variable pressure propane regulators. So I am having to resort to amazon. 

I have found a few options. 

0-40 PSI or 0-30  psi from bayou classic. 

Any opinions, has anyone ordered a regulator off the interwebs? Care to share your success with everyone?

Thanks 

Tim 

a lesson learned long ago, is better to give too much info than not enough. 

The Young Forge. pictures speak volumes. 

as i understand it to check to see if you have cracks beforehand try to polish the steel before you do any work on it. 

if there are cracks they may show up on a clean surface.

Hey there.
I am a maker from central texas, have made a few knives. am relearing to weld and building up a workshop.
kinda new to some things but am having fun.