connor bachmann

Define "cheaply and effectively" lol

You'll want a sand bottom or an iron oxide and ore bottom for your 'puddle'. That's where the slag comes from. You'll have to use charcoal or coke to avoid the impurities in coal.

Look for a copy of "Wrought Iron: It's Manufacture, Characteristics and Applications" from the AM Byers Co. It's got some decent descriptions of various processes and furnaces. Nice pictures too.

yes, I have run a bloomery on a few occasions. I'd just like to cheaply and effectively produce wrought iron from scraps that I have in a bucket in my shop.

Charcoal's too expensive, and time consuming to make if I want to smelt AND forge.


Anyways, I had the idea of using my coal forge with a brick construction set up to focus the flame on the mild steel, melting it, then mixing in some iron oxide, which burns all the carbon out, and stirring. Finally I would (hopefully) have a bloom. Could this work? or would cast iron be the only method?

Hey, has anybody tried building and using a puddling furnace?


I'm thinking of building one out of brick and use it to burn mild steel into wrought iron blooms, any suggestions?

I WANT IT.. Lol it is an awesome forge, I would LOVE to use it

Connor,
I agree with Phil, I have one now for camping (air mattress) and it is slow.
They aren't real rugged and won't tolerate sideloading or uneven hard surface under them. The bellows material is also thin and won't stand hot sparks or slag hitting it.
For the time and funds invested your returns will be better on a home built bellows for this purpose.
my 2 cents,

Dick

that's why I'm thinking of using two of them, would that work?

i guess the ideal situation would be a champion or buffalo blower, but I think I might use these for now, I'll upload a video of the results later.

would using two of them be a good replacement for a hairdryer, though?

That'd be cool! Tell your wife it's an exercise machine! I wanna see the video!

Hey y'all (I'm from the north, so I don't know why I just said that )

I've been using a hair dryer as my blower for quite a while, but have begun to wonder about using two these foot powered bellows (one on each foot)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Kwik-Tek-Airhead-Hi-Volume-Bellows-Action-Foot-Pump_W0QQitemZ110591183019QQcategoryZ384QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp5197.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D5%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5325051683231096923#ht_720wt_678

Anyways, I am working in a shed with no electricity and have to run multiple extension cords all the way up to the house every time I forge, it's becoming annoying so I'm thinking of using these instead.

Any thoughts?

ok, I will

Call Cornwall coal in NY they deliver to conn.

thanks I'll try that

Hello, I live in Connecticut and I've been using anthracite coal from Agway for a while and.... I'm sick of it, it makes lots of clinker that sticks to the firepot, and it is quite difficult to light.

Does anybody know where to find coal in Connecticut?

I've never used a Hofi hammer, however, I did follow Hofi's ergonomic hammering technique, but using a flat mallet, cross-pein, and ball-pein, I'm totally happy.


But don't trust my word, I'm just a noob :P

it is indeed steel, I know that for a fact. I did put it into my coal forge with a HUGE anthracite fire, got it heated up to orange, and dropped it into a barrel of water..... nothing happened

I want to get a real anvil, but can't afford one at the moment, however, I do have some tool steel plates lying around, and I'm thinking of putting them on as a temporary fix...

lol, I'll pay $5 for the wrought iron in it.

I've had alright success with ebay, but it's not ideal. I think that etsy would be good, though.

Hey guys, I have a russian cast steel ASO that I've been using for the past 6 months. I have been widely unimpressed with this piece of junk, especially the fact that the face is WAY to soft. After attempting to harden it, I have found that it is either mild or a very low carbon steel...

Anyways, I was wondering if it would be worth it to add a tool steel face plate to the anvil. If so, what method should I use? Should I forge weld it onto there? arc/mig weld? epoxy? light-cure? braze? or use some other method?


Advice will be greatly appreciated. :)

Actually, I think I'll stick to a file and a piece of coil spring that I just got. I'll post a video later.

Thank you everyone for your help!

Thank you, I'll try the railroad spike, and file. I don't have any springs ATM, I'm too lazy to get some now ;)

sand, wood ash, iron filings, I've seen them all used.

I use borax but am thinking of mixing it with sand, I hope it works.

Hey guys, I'm fed up with my rebar and mild steel nail headers.


I'm wondering if it's possible to make a nail header from a railroad spike.

possibly from an old file?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated