youngdylan

Well IronD you could always risk sending off that money to a seller in China with over 30 negative feedbacks who sells amongst other things, fancy dress clothing and plastic parts for motorcycles. They might even send you a suitable machine, that might actually arrive and hey, even work,maybe not. It might even last a few months or so but how would you deal with warranty issues if they arise? Who knows, they might even be CE certified and so you wouldn't risk having them impounded by customs, maybe not. Or ...I could sell you a CE certified one with warranty and support from a manufacturer with a proven track record .... it will cost you a bit more than that figure you mention but could well be cheaper in the long run.

Thanks guys! I guess the virtual world lost a lot of it's attractions when the late GREAT and never to be forgotten Grant Sarver passed away. It was his posts which drew me in here. 

I've attached a picture of my induction set up. Long coil on the 40KW to heat up bar stock in seconds and flat wide coil on the 25KW to reheat after its be forged into flat or wiggly things. Since I'm selling them and get them at cost I'm toying with idea of putting another 25KW on that tower of power. Probably won't swap coils over that often with three on the go!!!!

I'm selling both the 15KW single phase and 25kW three phase in the UK. PM me for details.

I've been using a 25kW for over 4 years and it did between 80-90% of my heating but I've gone real big and also got myself a 40KW BEAST. It's an absolute joy having two different sized coils on the go with loads and loads of electromagnetic Uummphh. I don't use the coal forge anymore .... getting rid of it to make space for a 75kg  Anyang powerhammer. I occasionally use the gas forges but try not to because the induction heaters are SO much cheaper to run and the working conditions so much more pleasant.

 how much is a bigger one and where would you get one in the UK  ( I currently have 4 power hammers working and want to sell one to release money for an induction coil set up.)

Owen, with John N's help we imported two from China. The idea was that if they proved reliable he would think about selling them. We'll, its got so much built in protection and it's never missed a heartbeat .... I've not spoke to John for a while but he has an advert in the BABA magazine that mentions induction heaters so it might be worth giving him a ring.

If you want to see one in action you're welcome to test drive mine if you're ever near Manchester

by the way I vote power hammer.

So do I but an induction heater is very close second. Just wanted to take issue with the idea that they aren't versatile. Three years of use and I'm still finding uses for it .... all sorts of shapes and sizes

it's especially usefull for making jigs and tooling up for a project on the fly. Also very useful for bronze work when seeing the colour is oh so important

... and some more induction versatility is because the heat is so intense, rapid and local, you find yourself holding little itsy bitsy little bits without tongs .... more control and faster work

... and some more induction versatility is because the heat is so intense, rapid and local, you find yourself holding little itsy bitsy little bits without tongs .... more control and faster work

Have you used one for any length of time? They are wonderfully versatile machines.

I am a professional smith whose only source of income is the work I design and make. Time is EVERYTHING to me. I make a wide and diverse range of bespoke metalwork and have to be both productive and creative to compete in today's market. I forge plenty of tooling and fixtures to make my work and rarely use my coke forge and only occasionally use my gas forges. A quick peek at my website will show you I do large-ish work

My induction heater is the 25kVA machine and is used for over 90% of my work and gives me a massive commercial advantage, This in terms of what it can do that the other forges can't, it's speed and the huge cost saving in fuel. It is also such much nicer going home without being drenched in sweat that collects in bucket loads in my boots after a day at the gas forge. It is also a MUCH more efficient and greener way of heating steel and I'm not breathing all the nasties from burning coke. It's wonderfully having an idea and being able to try it out with a flick of a switch and a few minutes wait rather than all the palava of lighting a coal forge or waiting for it or a gasser to get up to heat

I've had my machine for about 3 years and it's paid for it'self many times over. I don't sell induction heaters but can absolutely testify how versatile they are with direct experience. I love mine so much I'm seriously thinking of buying a bigger 35KVA machine, both as a back up machine and for faster heating.

Having said the above I would say get a power hammer first (I've got four and still want another) if you are earning your living from smithing (and have a suitable workshop), followed closely by the biggest induction heater you can get; once you use them you modify your work flow and realise just how versatile they are. A press would be a distant third to me but still indispensable.

WOW, I don't know what to say other than thank you very much for your compliments and innovation. I know from your profile you lurk here frequently but it's good to see a post after such a long hiatus, especially this one.....MB

Well I guess it makes up for the way we got off on the wrong foot when we first met over here :)

I miss youngdylan's posts also.  Good to see you again.

Hi Ciladog, I guess the internet suddenly beame very empty after the late great and never to be forgotten Grant Sarver passed away. SO much knowledge, help and humour suddenly wasn't there  and the whole thing lost its appeal.... his post ARE the ones to miss..

Looking good Bruce, looking good

I saw your first version but since you were the other side of the pond I spent a few days building my modified version. T'was time well spent because the results on the leaves I was veining were SUPERB  and it saved $DAYS$ of time. It's a great little machine you came up with Bruce .. and for the right job it will print money.

My condolences to his family.

Sadly I never met Grant but I hung on every word he wrote. This man was a goldmine of information and all he ever asked for giving it away was a chance to gently take the mickey, or display his unique sense of humour. As John N mentioned above, we obtained some induction heaters with SO much generous help from Grant. I use this machine a lot and everytime I use it I will remember him.

RIP Grant

I don't know about youngdylan's - hoping he'll post up with what he did.

Matt - haven't seen the ka150, is that made by the same guys as the ka75 (no reference to it on their page?).

Cheers, Al.

Seein' as how we're talking about "crazy" ideas, how about this one: Make the handle a thin leaf spring to give it "whip". Works well for power hammers.

looking REAL good Danger, real good.

How much painting/ finishing do you do on site?

I had commented before on engineers trying to talk me out of induction heating in the past... "It won't work unless the coil is matched to the stock" What they were saying was it won't work at a level of efficient and speed that matches the production requirements that they expect, but I have found them to be very useful in spite of the engineers predictions.

As a gedanken experiment---how many houses are older than 500 years in the USA that might require real wrought iron for historically accurate repairs?

The market is not that great in the USA.

Its sad I cant buy it except from England as recycled scrap. Its gone and its never coming back I know that yet you can get all of these other exotic expensive alloys.

Well I'm someone who's given Robert some negatives but I certainly don't think he should be banned even if his political views are just about as opposite to mine as it is possible to be. That said I don't loose sleep about it one way or the other, I've no problem with people talking politics, we live in a political world and it affects just about all of us most of time. Now as for religious guff; that's a whole different thing.

Some of the most interesting contributors and folks who have excellent info to put out and apply to the work have abysmal ratings solely based on one or more people`s agendas and vindictiveness.Take the Good Captain(Dave Hyde) and Southshore for example.

Unicorn forge had "mysteriously" gotten a positive rating in the 70's only days after the rating system came in to existence. Even higher than Grant Sarver . There was more going on there I suspect.

Thanks for posting the photos Danger, they're very informative

beep....beep....beep...

Am I correct that the 15kv is about $3000 the 25kv is about $5000 and the 35kv is about $6000 and the 25 and 35 both need 440 volt 3 phase. Is the only one that can run on 220v single or 3 phase is the 15kv model? It would be nice to have a larger unit but being limited to 220v there may not be choice of machine.
Rob

Ok here is my confession..

I dont need an induction forge.. there is no way that it would pencil out as a business purchase. That holds true for pretty much all of my forging equipment. I make my money doing industrial fabrication and repair.. I work forged items into my day to day stuff because I have the ability to do so... but to say I need a 200 ton forging press or a 3B Nazel to conduct business would be a flat out lie... In times past a large part of my income was generated by architectural ironwork... I would say 70% or better... so when that was true I forged quite a bit that went into a product... but since the collapse of the housing market I would say less than 10% of my work comes from residential ironwork... The way my shop operates is I work hard at the industrial stuff because I have a large overhead... a 6500 sq foot shop doesn't come cheap and just keeping up dozens of machine tools costs a bit.... The forge shop is there because I like it... its my "hobby" for lack of a better term.... I would like to be able to spend "work" time in the forge but the reality is it could not support itself currently... The reasoning behind the induction forge is simple.... I had a motorcycle... I thought to myself... You know I would rather have an induction forge than that motorcycle that I haven't ridden in two years and needs a bunch of work and money to be what I want.... So I sold the motorcycle.... How does that equate to what size induction forge I should buy? Well.... I dont know. Thats kind of why i posted this... I was really looking for more of a current induction forge users "feeling" about what the machine does.... I know there is limitations for every machine.... And I really dont know what it is I want for an answer... Five grand for a middle sized machine is a pretty big gamble for something that is not a income generating proposition.... I guess I was hoping to hear " the 25KW will do everything the 35KW will do only not as fast"" or "you really need the 35KW if most of your stuff is over an 1"" So something to steer me... Grant has been helpful... which is one of the reasons I plan to buy a machine through him even if its more money... Having a knowledgeable person willing to walk you though something like this is worth way more than saving a few hundred dollars (its about 10% more) But if having a 35KW machine at $6000 is going to make a big difference.... I sure want to know now and not after I have the 25KW up and running in the shop....

Photos show some recent work I've finally got round to installing. Customer was one of the best, inquisitive appreciative, patient ..... and rich! He had two pairs of these gates made and looks like he will be having other stuff made around his place.

Main members of the gate are forged from 30mm and 25mm round, the frame is 40mm square. The posts were made from 20mm round and 30mm sqaure. All the round bar was given a light forged texture and the corners of all the square were broken. When led on the bench I was worried these sections may have been too chunky but when the gate was made they had the right degree of delicacy. It was one of those jobs were I seemed to be always making the tools used to make the tools that were needed to make the work