Thats Hot...

This is filled with play sand.

I keep two box fans on 24/7 here in Fl. and about every 3 months I hit my large metal tools with WD-40...

I don't use the shop as much as I like at all. I have a lot of Back and Body pain. In the back ground you can see a Bell that I have been working on, it should have been up and ringing a few weeks ago. I got hurt back April 19th 1995 in Okla. City.  When you are on the 5th floor and they find you on the ground.... you tend to hurt more as time goes on. This helps me relax some and welding helps also. But I pay big time for every hour bent over the table welding or pounding on the anvil. Work a day.... off three to four. So I have a lot of time to clean.. Will I stop... No.... I read a lot here and try things that don't need a lot of hammering.   

I have been down with a lot of Back and Full body pain, but that's something I just will have to work with. I did get the Chile Forge up and running. I did lose one burner... the replacement is on it's way.  Here are a few pict.  The blue burner is not working, the choke will not move free at all.  My little coal forge will still be used a little.

Well..... I for got to ask. And I was on here so I said what the ---- ask here. Some times it takes me two hours to watch 60 min..

I have a Cayenne, Chile forge on it's way. I have a stand I am going to use, if there is any one here with a chile forge that could give me the size of the base please. And I have a 100lb tank I think should work. 

The forge will be used for artseee work.. no blades.

12 hours ago, Curious Mind said:

Howdy....I am new to forging and have decided to build my own forge. The one thing I am having issues with is fuel. I have used coal in the past on other peoples forges

but I am having an issue finding a reliable source in central Florida.  Can commercial  charcoal be used and will it get hot enough ? I have run around the net and I have gotten no where.

Can anyone recommend an alternative ?

 

Thanks In advance

Doug

Call the Pioneer Settlement in Barberville. (386) 749-2959 100lbs. Bag for $35.00. Check out the Florida Artist Blacksmith Association. They are on FB and the web.

6 minutes ago, Black Frog said:

For that condition Hay Budden, the price was very cheap.

I am with Black Frog, I think you got a ""Nice"" HB for the price. Well done.

21 hours ago, cdnaxe said:

Hi Guys, 

I just picked up this anvil from a yardsale junkie friend of mine. i agreed to the purchase based on a cell phone photo and conversation with him. Overall it looks to be in pretty good shape. The edges are in decent shape, the horn is not drooping and it still rings like xxxx. My question is this: i notice that the whole anvil face is sloped from heel to horn.. apx 2in difference in height.

Have any of you seen this before in an anvil?

my plan was to shim the low side when I mount it but is there a reason to leave it tapered? 

Also I notice that one foot is out of plane by about 1/4in leaving the anvil to rock a bit. This can be easily shimmed but just wondering if this is common or a sign of poor manufacturing quality?

Also can anyone take a guess at the manufacturer? it weighs in at 198# even but the markings on the side are hard to make out. it looks to be like 1-2-something 2.. although at 198# i would have expected 1-3-2

The name stamps are all but gone but I can sort of see a C up top and a WA lower down.. Any guesses?

 

Thanks for any thoughts or advice!

 

 

Cdnaxe, you could try this idea. Fab up a stand with wood or go with steel, fill it with sand and then work the sand until the anvil is level.

Would using a sand box stand help with getting the anvil level ?

The Sand I have in the stand is just white play sand. The anvil is not used as much at all compared to some members here. I am sure if my set up was used by someone who knows what there doing, there might be different results in movement of the anvil etc. 

When I started thinking about getting into forging I just would keep putting it off, do to my Back. I have had 5 back surgery . and going in for my 6th later this month. All this back crap started back in April 1995 in Okla. City..

I hope this is to be my last surgery on my back. At 63 I hurt a lot all over but hell I still can do things. I went with just the rotor forge and the old grill, and it has worked great for me . When I started looking for an Anvil, I was thinking I would just buy a new one. There are two Farrier stores with in 6 to 8 miles of the house, but I waited and found the HB here in Ocala. The stand was going to be a stump, not hard to find a stump here in Fl. just nothing I liked.So I found a pict. of an anvil stand with sand in it and I said this could be easy on my back. And so this is what I came up with. 26" high 12"x12" .. The stand is on a rubber mat. and a step in front of the stand. As I worked with the anvil it was clear that a lot of hammering was not going to work with my back. So I started making pull handles for Barns in this area just heat.... a twist and done. They like there barns down here. The movement of the anvil was more of going down when I first started. The sand had to settle some. 

After the surgery I am going to p/u a gas forge. Turn it on... work an hour or two turn it off and walk away. No cleaning the coal forge....Make a forge you say.... No I need my rest.. I wish I had started down this road years ago. But for now I will keep reading here and try to use the info in some way in my shop.. I hope I did not take this post to far south.. 

This is a an easy 1/2 day build. 

On 7/2/2017 at 8:24 AM, mechelement said:

Does the anvil constantly slightly move in the sand as you work? 

No, It stays put. The only time it would move is when I use the hardeee  hole to bend thick stock..  

Here is my sand box stand. There is not much ring when I use it. I did look into the tie downs ( rods going to the bottom of the box in side ) but I just went with letting the anvil settle in to the sand with use over time. If i did a lot of bending work at the anvil I can go back in a tie it down. I wish I had started this years ago, with my back the way it is now, I don't spend the time I would like to in the shop... I do a lot of reading on this site, I just have not put what I have read into work time.   

This set up worked for my rotor forge. 1/4 plate with 3/8 holes.

Island_Forger, here are three pict. of my rotor forge and the flange. The flange is just bolted to the rotor. So far this has worked great.

I went with the height of my out side grill... 

Sand !!!!  The ringing has been a part of smithing from day one.. This is like a swimmer who does not like to get wet...

I am in the same boat, and I have a air tank just like yours that I don't use so thanks for the push Jeepin Joe.

Now my back hurts just from looking at all the bending over to work this. It will heat and you can work the metal and that is all it takes..

I was going to make the frame out of bed rail. But every time I weld up  something welded with bed rail, it leans this way and that way. This was a one day build I had everything but the floor flange for the pipe.

This is the forge I use. So far it has worked great.

Yep I am still learning...

Hawgdirt, I am a hubbyist and I use you tube a lot,  and this fourm as for a class..... that's up to you... what are you going to get for your $1,000.00. That money you could put to ward other tools that you can not make. 1000 years ago there was no class... they just built a fire and got with it. Some did better than others.. same as today. Get your forge up and running heat some metal bend and make something and then think about that class..... you might find that the class is not what you need. Just my two cents.