edge9001

Finnally. I got the thing up and running. I had to get a regulator and hose for it. I ended up buying two propane regulator/hose setups from ace hardware. on was a fryer regulator with a hose I couldn't use. the second was a grill regulator I couldn'r use with a hose I could. Hooked it up and let the dragon breath. I got my current knife project to a nice cherry red in about 2 mins...hell yeah...I'm excited. I'll send pictures later. it's about time right?

Finnally. I got the thing up and running. I had to get a regulator and hose for it. I ended up buying two propane regulator/hose setups from ace hardware. on was a fryer regulator with a hose I couldn't use. the second was a grill regulator i couldn'r use with a hose I could. Hooked it up and let the dragon breath. I got my current knife project to a nice cherry red in about 2 mins...hell yeah...im excited. I'll send pictures later

I get my lump charcoal from walmart 3 20# bags for $20. looking for an cheaper supply

I've never heard of this before,. but it sounds great please when you get it done post some pictures

John your right, but if you happen to have a few, and now find you absolutely hate them, then.... scrap metal or trash 'em.

I agree, the more surface contact between the tong jaws and the work piece the better grip you will have. flat jawed tongs are great for blades, curved jaws are good for things like round bar and bolts.

I agree it looks like it belongs in a church instead of in front of one. looks great!!!!

very nice I like the tongs, my first set looks just like that with only one difference. the jaws. Mine are flat instead of convex like yours. the rest of your set up is great have fun with it.

If you truly hate vise grips why not take them apart nd reuse the metal, atleast that way your've not wasted your money.

such a bad deal you need to give it to me so there is no evidence of such a awful anvil with such a bad price seriously, I'm jealous

I only wish I had the money!!! I need a good anvil. not to mention I want it....the addiction strikes again!!

http://compare.ebay.com/like/200496942711?var=vipsrp&sort=BestMatch I found this, pretty sure it's not a usable anvil. It is interesting though.

This is what I was refering to. Making the drums into an oven of sorts, instead of burning the wood in them and then closing the lid.

I'll try that, I have a few pieces of sheet metal laying around. I'll let you know how it goes once I get it in place

Phil the adapter, which adapter do I need. the hose has a 1/8 connector on it, only it seems to be made to fit against a matching female connector with the threaded part appearing to only be for pressure. I bought some fittings to make thign fit, only the internal female connector isn't allowing for the threaded part to provide pressure in order to prevent leaks. so which adapter do I need to make this 1/8 male fitting work with out leaking? what is the part number from www.mrheater.com

1.First, can you get pictures of your set-up? I have pictures in the "show me your forge" thread, I just can't find them on my computer at the moment. It is a brake drum mounted into a 55gallon drum, plumbed in with 2 inch pipe to a standard bathroom fan, plenty of air if it is needed let me see if i can pull them off of there **edited** this it a picture of my forge you can see the dimmer swith, the back of the fan as well as the forge this is a picture of what my piping looks like inside of the drum this is the fan I use 2.How deep is your fire? Charcoal likes a deeper fire than coal. (I've gotten to welding temps with a fire 4 to 6 inches deep.) My fire stays around 4 inches deep, I keep it piles about 2 inches above the rim of the brake drum, 3.Is your forge insulated? It is easier to get hot if you don't lose as much heat. No not insulated, I think the only insulation in my entire shop is my welding gloves and the kaowool in the "still not working" propane forge 4.How do you regulate your air supply? Can you cut it back more? Charcoal doesn't need very much air to produce heat and too much air can blow the heat out of your fire and make it colder. I have the fan regulated with a dimmer switch 5.When you've cut it back, how does the fire change; hotter, colder, no noticeable difference? when I cut the air, the fire get colder. At full power this fan puts out flames from the coals about 6-8 inches high, cut back the air and the flames die back, with the air supply as low as the fan will allow and still turn the coal smolder brightly, with no flames

that's what i was thinking.

I went today to ace hardware to get a mt heater regulator. they had a different brand so i bought it. Now I need to have a hose made, the connection on the hose for the forge end has a connection I cant use. I guess I'll try to propane guys again, maybe they will be willing to make me a custom fit hose. I'll let you all know how it works

Ok guys I have an issue. I can't get my brake drum charcoal forge to welding temps. I have a bathroom fan for an air supply, 2 inche pipe connects the air supply to the brake drume, on hi the temps are not hi enough to weld. thinking I might be giving it too much air I turned it back a bit, still nothing. the best I can do is in a dark room I get a bright cherry red, just shy of welding heat, I think. I tried to weld a few pieces old strapping and an old hacksaw blade. I could not get it hot enough. any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have 5 local propane companies. the first one I went to looked at me like I was stupid. the second said we don't carry that. the third new exactly what I needed but said "we can install it for you but we don't sell parts to private individuals" the fourth knew what I needed but didn't have it in stock, and the last one said "it's illegal for us to sell it to you since you are not an installer" the last guy is blowing smoke. so I guess an online order is the route I will go. gonna cost me $60. I guess thats better than the $75 for a acetylene setup repurposed to propane

I could be wrong, I've not been doing this long, so please correct me guys if I am. How do I even begin? 2. Do I have to anneal the steel before attempting to cut it or shape it? step one anneal if it is short enough, if not cut to length, then anneal. a cut off wheel is grat for cutting as is a hacksaw or band saw 3. How do I re-harden the punch when I'm done? to re harden, bring the steel to nonmagnetic, ussually a bright red in color, then quench in oil. 4. How do I heat-treat using only a forge? (I don't have any torches yet) the heat treat with out a torch, simply put it in an oven at 350-400 for a couple of hours. 5. Anything else I should know? only thing I can think of is...worst you can do is mess up, just reheat and try again.

If it were me and my exwife the new wife would have put the ex into the hammer instead of the hot steel. I probaby would have let her. I can always plead insanity, or maybe gulf war II syndrome(a running gag with my brother, me being a GWOT vet).

A tong war is that anything like a thong war? because those can be fun if the right women are wearing the thongs. lol

If i have to guess the FIRST smith made a pair of tongs or some sort. he had materials obviously. with a rock to beat with, and a rock to beat on, a fire to heat in, only he would have needed to find an easy way to hold hot metal. as for air flow, to first smith would have probably used an open fire.

I'm available to be listed on someone's will. Not to mention my kids are interested in smithing as well so if you out live me....it can be passed on. lol