flat lander

That looks realy cool and I agree the guys here are awesome.
Good luck to ya

I just tried using my charcoal forge pot last week and I installed a brand new 146 cfm blower from dayton and when I open the air gate all the way on a 3" dia. pipe it blows the charcoal out of the pot. coal is heavier and burns hotter that charcoal (I think) and my air gate was only open about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way and I was melting 1/2 sq. bars in no time.
Good luck

An up date on my forge pot.

I tried the pot today and I could not keep up with it I put about 10 1/2" bars in it to make tent stakes . 3/4" radius bend at one end and pointed at the other end. it took me about 1 hour and 45 min. to make 28 complete and another 11 with just the bend and I am worn out.
I burned about 12 lbs. of charcoal. I do not think that that is to bad for my first time on the forge.

Thanks guys for all of your help I realy Appreciate all that you have biven me and the other nubee's on the site

Well after reading this I think I will start building me one. I am finished with building my charcoal forge with the exception of the blower . I may have that completed by the end of the week end (may be) and the propane forge will keep the AQMD and CARB off of my back.
Thanks for the teaching lessons

1-No
2-3" is fine
3-go with a clinker breaker either way.

I have been reading about all of your projects and a got a wild hair today and started building a forge pot for my self. And I have a question for the experts. I made the pot out of 5/8" mild steel plate at the top it is 11 1/2" X 12 1/2 and the bottom is 5 1/2" sq. and right now it is 4 1/2" deep. All dimensions are inside dimensions

I am planning of using the forge for probably not more than 1/2" sq. stock I may go bigger but right now that is the largest material and I will be useing charcoal for the fuel and if I get that down I may add coke no coal I do not want the smoke.

My 1st question is. Is 4 1/2" to deep , to shallow or just right I have not made the top flange yet and I can trim it down if I need to at this point.

My 2nd question is since I am building the pot I can build the air intake and ash dump. Should I go with 3" , 3 1/2" or 4 " Diameter.

My 3rd question is.I have not decided if I am going with the coke at this point so should I install a clinker breaker or just use a grate.

Thanks for all of the advice that you have given me on other topics. You have helped me out a lot in such a short time.

Sure thing. Sounds very good, and I get where you're coming from.

I was planning on having everything slapped together by this weekend, but having to take the kids to events evenings this week has slowed the process down. If I get REAL lucky, I might be able to get things working enough that I can run the forge Saturday or Sunday.

I'm not anywhere close to really having a clue, but I've got an anvil and hammers and metal to beat on. It's enough to have some fun and try and figure things out.

Flatlander, I didn't bother calling CARB or the AQMD. I just went ahead and started burning and banging. I was more worried about bothering the neighbors than anything else.

I don't see how me burning or not burning 10# or so of coal on a weekend is going to make a difference in the grand scheme of things. But that's just me.

I should have my forge rebuilt soon. You should come down and try it out when I have it squared away.

Make sure the forge you choose is wide enough for the bending you plan on. Convenience bends are only convenient if taken when they should, but sometimes make the part wider than the opening on a propane forge. Having a slot up the side, or side access door will make this less of a problem.

Phil

Flatlander, sounds like you live in SoCal. I grew up in Big Bear, and remember running into the Mountain Men when my Scout troop was out hiking in the woods a couple of times. Good bunch of guys.

This is the first I've heard of not being able to burn coal in California. I run my forge in my side yard (being considerate of the neighbors - always) and have not had a problem with the Air Quality police coming down on me yet. I figure if I wasn't allowed to burn it, the guy I buy it from wouldn't be allowed to sell it out of his store, and he sells about 10-15 tons a year.

A friend of mine's favorite saying is, 'it's easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.'

Just my $.02. ;)

My girl friend will mind the store and I already know about the show and tell I was trying to build a blunderbuss shoulder gun 15 years ago and gave up on it at camp. I plan on doing most of my work at home when I do not have much else to do and I do not really want to have 15 different tools to do 1 job. I all ready have that at home now and I know that blacksmithing requires a lot of tooling everthing that I get must be pretty portable

I am planning on forgeing 1/2" sq. stock for fire irons and display racks that will probably be the largest stuff that I forge at a camp. most of my work will probably be 1/4" material for S hooks and hangers. some file and damascus steel knife blades as well.
As for forgeing axe heads I think that I am far from that at least at this point. I have been useing Oxy/Act for all of my blacksmithing but it is getting expensive.
I have made about 9 knifes out of old files and 1 out of a lock shank with my torch and the people I have talked to say that a forge is much easier to use . I do not know of any blacksmiths in my area I am pretty much self taught over 10 years ago I made quite a bit of stuff for my wifes trade shop and the other 2 blacksmiths at camp were not happy and I promissed them that I would not sale my stuff. Well one of them passed away last year and no one has heard from the other one for over 5 years. So I kept my promiss to them.
Thanks for all of the advice. it is helping me with some tough and hard decisions. I do not like to waste money on tools that are too small for what I need. Thanks agian for all of your time

Well I just got off of the phone with the California AQMD and they told me that If I wanted to put a nuclier power plant in my back yard that they could not do anythging about it but as soon as I leave my property and go on the road I am not allowed to burn any solid fuels this includes coal ,coke and charcoal. The California Air Resorces Board told me that I could not burn any coal or coke the charcoal question did not come up . AQMD also told we that I could cook with coal ,coke and or charcoal but that was it in California.
I can forge with gases ( natral gas , propaine and oxy/act.) as long as I use less that 2,000,000 BTU's . So it looks like propaine it is .
Anyone out there have a favorite small propaine forge that they use. I have looked at the Majestic and the Diamondback 2 burner units are there any others out there and which one would you guys pick to use. I am leening towards the diamondback unit that all three sides lift up on.
Any opinions on what may be my best buy

I do not mean to take away from the talk but this topic is about Charcoal.
How bad does the charcoal smoke at start up and how bad does it spark while the blower is on.
I have been reading about the sparking and that and the smoke may stop me from useing it where I live. can anyone explain how much there is thanks

If there are strict fire regulations, I don't see where charCOAl would be different than mined coal in the eyes of the law.

I heard this story about Bob Bourdon, a blacksmith in the 1950's and 1960's and on, who was not supposed to have a smith's coal fire in Vermont. He made an appointment to see the governor of Vermont in person, made his case, and got a signed dispensation.

They were blacksmithing with real chunk charcoal about 2000 years before they started to use coal. (High/late middle ages according to Gies & Gies in "Cathedral Forge and Waterwheel") and of course charcoal was still used for smithing until today in many parts of the world! So coal is NOT ACCURATE for mountain man smithing at the frontier, charcoal would have been what they used originally!

When I do accurate medieval smithing I use charcoal. (and two single action bellows and a side blown forge)

Try not to get "gourmet" charcoal that is not completely charred, (like mesquite). as it sometimes smokes. Real chunk charcoal does not smoke. You will need to alter a coal forge slightly to better use charcoal. I add a couple of firebricks to narrow and deepen the fire. Also charcoal tends to give off more sparks; letting it "dry" alongside the fire before adding it too the fire helps. You can also build a wood fire and transfer hot coals from it into your forge for a make it yourself go; but if they are fussing about smoke then store bought real charcoal NOT BRIQUETTES is the way to go.

Also charcoal would be what mountain men smiths used out on the frontier as they didn't have access to coal!

Try it at home so you can get a feel of how it works and how fast you go through it---tweaking the forge helps with that last! And remember both the viking era swords and japanese katanas were forge welded in charcoal forges so if you have problems getting stuff hot it's not the fault of the fuel!

I'm assuming you are using bellows since the hand crank blowers are post ACW...

Propane is the ticket....Way cheaper than oxy/ace cause propane is allot less than ace to begin with and you don't use bottled ox at all with a propane forge, just air.....If you got the bucks look into an induction forge.

First of all Hello this is my 1st post I have been reading the forum and wow what information you guys are great.

My situation is I live in California and the EPA laws here kill everything that anyone wants to do. They will not let me burn coal here so that is out. I have been useing Oxy/Acet. for my blacksmithing for quite some time (just a hobby) but now a door has been open for me to do some blacksmithing at the mountain man rendezvous in my area, they have not had a blacksmith for about five years and asked me if I would start at the camps. and since California will not let me burn coal what do you guys suggest ?

Is Propaine cheaper that the Oxy/Acet. What ever I do I will need to be able to hide the way I heat the material. A Propaine forge I can probably hide inside of the forge chimney a torch is going to be harder to hide I think. I have looked at the Majestik knife forge and the diamondback 2 burner metal smith forge. Any suggestions on how I should go about starting.
Any advice will be Appreciated