Rob Browne

You're right there :)

Would love to be worried about heating my shop. Its been 43 degrees C here (about 109 F) for a few days and the forge is a test of my endurance. Can only manage a couple of hours at a time.

Cheers

What great news

I go bush for a couple of weeks and come back to this news - fantastic. Keep on keeping on digger.

Nice work Dale.

I just tried AnvilFire and the links worked for the 139, 140,145 & 149 demonstrations. They are really great and have even helped me make a "working" lock, not pretty but it works :)

Impressive. I really like your tongs :)

Make sure you heat the metal slowly so it is the same temperature all the way through.

Get that cover up. I haven't fired up for nearly a month now as I have been trying to get my lean to built before the heat of summer forces me indoors.

Great repair job. Nice to see someone at the forge with safety specs on!

No need to get rid of the old girl. As already said a plate across the bottom of the forge bolted in, some straps or a plate across the crack, also bolted, connect the tuyere to the new plate and you have a functional forge. Much easier than starting from the beginning.

We have plain butchers knives we use to kill pigs with. They are used to stab the pig after it is shot with a pea rifle. I have never had one stick in the wound because it does not have a fuller groove.

Old wives tail......................

Those ones are not even ugly! I've still to produce a nice looking set with matched halves. Mine are funcitonal but ugly.

Nice work :)

Just don't breath the coal smoke. Problem solved.

I use a coal forge only because coal is very cheap here and I have only ever really been exposed to solid fuel forges. However, I have used a friends gasser and its really handi to be able to go in and just turn it on. After saying that its MUCH noiser and expensive to run.

I think both have a place in any serious setup but then I'm not serious, I only forge for fun so one forge does it all.

If you don't have a BIG forge and power hammer it would be too much work to be worthwhile to work. OTOH it would have some scrap value so you can use the proceeds to buy more suitable metal for your projects.

That pipe is not galvanised is it? If so be careful of the smoke, heavy metal poisoning.

Another thought, why don't you have a go at a Lively forge. Check out this thread for some info.

Again just one word............................... nice

Put a good length on a stump to give you the biggest face you can get. Put another piece end up and buried in the ground so you can hammer on the end. Use them like that till you find another you can afford and is better. I know lots of people who never have a "real" anvil and manage to use rail for most things. Don't over think the problem!

Only one word for it............................. nice

I spreaad my fire at the end and sprinkle with water to put it out. It dries in no time. Before starting next time I dig around in the fire pot and dump the fine ash then start the fire. My coal has lots of fines in it but I use it moist and they just burn off causing no problems. Every now and then I empty the water out of the coal bucket and make lumps/cakes of fines which I stack around the fire so they just burn away.

It may depend on your type of coal though.

Why not set up a hardy tool holder on another stump in your workshop? Its then always ready for use and you could leave tools mounted while using the anvil.

Fantastic news. Slow but steady progress is what we want.

Keep it up digger

Ratel,

You need third party insurance not the property bit. My insurance will chase him but its a hassle I didn't want/need. Now just to get back there to pick up my stuff if it hasn't been nobbled out of the yard, it caused a lot of interest when dragged in. A friend has lent me their ute for Saturday so a quick trip is in order.

Dale,

The box bellows is underway already. Its something I can do in the evenings so shouldn't take too long. Might even see if I can set up a motor on it, now that would be a bit fancy

See ya

Another point about charcoal forges is that the charcoal is often shaped using bricks, etc as, unlike coal, all the charcoal will burn even without the airblast. This wastes fuel and makes for a really big fire.

Try making a valley between a few bricks and putting your charcoal in there before lighting up next time as well as backing off the air.

Cheers

Welcome to IFI

Now get a comfy chair, some food and your favourite beverage and go to the font page of IFI then take the Metalworking Lessons link then the Lessons in Blacksmithing link and start reading. You will be there a while so make sure you have laid in a good supply of time and sustenance.

After all that reading you will be a bit less lost till you try to light and maintain the fire and discover that even that is a skill that needs to be mastered.

Take it one step at a time, enjoy and keep safe.

That's a great story :)