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I Forge Iron

metalworker77

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Everything posted by metalworker77

  1. I have a Mig welded joint that needs to be bent back to shape. It is a different kind of joint is and is almost impossible to tack and get straight before welding. If it is possible, I know I can get it to shape by heating it in the forge and bending it; then maybe rewelding it; is this possible?
  2. I have a 55 gallon drum that I converted into a kiln; it's basically just a 55 gallon drum elevated with air intake holes in the bottom. Basically you get the wood burning really well then put the lid on with a small gap; you then build up sand around the base and let it smolder. I have been doing this for a while and find this design doesn't produce a substantial amount of charcoal, below half after a full barrel of wood. I believe that some of the reason could be that the heat is constantly leaving the kiln therefore it needs more fuel to draw off the water in the wood. If there was a way to keep in the heat so it takes less time to draw off the water then it would take less fuel to transform into energy; therefore leaving you with more charcoal. Has anybody ever heard of putting a layer of fiberglass insulation around the kiln along with another layer of sheet metal? Would this concept increase efficiency? Is there a possibility of the insulation catching fire?
  3. When I make charcoal I end up with anything from large bits to charcoal dust, although my forge is outside I am still a bit worried about inhaling the charcoal powder? Is the charcoal powder normally used un forges?
  4. Can you forge Aluminum i.e. with a hammer and anvil? Is there any toxic gasses or anything that I should be worried about?
  5. I notice a black outer layer that forms on the objects when I heat them to a high temperature. Is it just steel? or can it be impurities in the steel such as zinc rising to the surface? like slag? It's a black outer scale that has a bit of a waxy look to it. I ask this because I kind of like it, and it doesn't seem to rust the same way as steel? it find it gives the pieces a more natural look.
  6. I just came back from the hospital; I had to have a steel filling dug out of the center of my eye. I still have to get the rust ring burred out. I would just like to say that any protective wear that looks like any sort of designer sunglasses suck for angle grinding! The only way to go is with those cheep ones that are sealed all the way around top and bottom, they are cheaper and look dorky; but are the only ways to go. The other may be ok for forging, but not for use with the angle grinder. Bye, the way
  7. I'm in the beginning process of making a knife blade and something odd happened; I accidentally magnetized the piece of flat bar as I was grinding the rust off it. I am excited about it; I have never magnetized anything before! I know that iron can be magnetized when heated and quenched, but I never thought that the bar would get hot enough for something like this to happen. Maybe it was something else that magnetized it except the heat? vibration? Anyway, I kind of like it, could be a useful feature for a knife! Will the magnitization stay? How about if I heat it again in the forge?
  8. Somebody just gave me a huge plate T1 HSS. Is T1 steel a good product for making knife blades? How does it compare to something like Damascus steel or Japanese sword technology? Does it come pre-tempered? T1 Steel 0.75% Carbon 18% Tungston 1.1% Vanadium
  9. I've been blacksmithing only since the beginning of this past summer. I built a forge with an electric blower; it has very good air flow and achieves a very bright white light, I've been leaving the blower on till till the charcoal sustains that white light for up to a minute or so. Recently I've been trying to save on charcoal so I've been putting only a small portion of charcoal on, I will wait till most of the pile is dull yellow or white hot, I sit there and stare at it monitoring it till the charcoal and steel is white hot, I remember saying to myself...wow! That
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