Adhamh

Hi All, I'm trying to estimate how long I should let my forge heat up and how long it should take for stock to reach forging tempatures. I've setup a coffee can forge and BZ 8250 burners as per The kaowool has had rigizidizer and ITC-100 applied. I'm in Austin which is about 600 feet above sea level. I've estimated that my forge has a volume of about 16 cubic inches. (its 2" in diameter and 5" on the inside of the kaowool). When its wide open the 8250 will put out about 30 PSI. Unfortunately, the regulator is not exact so I can't have it half open and expect 15 PSI. (This is what an engineer at Benzomatic told me). How can I estimate how long I should let the forge heat up before putting stock in? How long should it take for the middle of a 3/4" round stock to heat up to yellow? I fired up for the forge and let it warm up for ten minutes, then I stuck in the 3/4" round and let it heat up for 20 minutes ( I interrupted it once). It maybe got to orange yellow, but was probably just orange. I'm trying to cut the stock, and that heat really didn't get it done.

here's an update. I'm try to cut a 3/4" round and it's not working. Well, really I can't get the portion of the 3/4" round I want to cut up to yellow heat.... I have applied the rigidizer and the ITC-100. I also have a hole in the back of the forge to allow the round to pass through. I turned the forge on and let it heat up for 10 minutes. I then did two 10 minute heats to the round but it never got to yellow. In a forge that's getting hot enough how long should it take to get to yellow? Before I cut the hole in the back of the forge I did get an end to yellow. Im going to try that again with fire bricks blocking the back hole.

Thanks! Is it possible this is filled with concrete? It looks like it might be from the cut end. Not sure if it matters now. It also rings like crazy when flat, but on end it is better.

Hi, I just got the back of a forklift tine: It's around 150lb and looks like it will get me started very nicely. When making a stand for it, what do I want out of the stand? Other than height are things the stand can help with like noise reduction or spring? Are cinder blocks acceptable or will the crush? What about tree stumps? Thanks, sorry for spewing all these questions.

I thought rigidizer and ITC-100 we're separate products? I've done neither yet and am wearing a mask. I'm looking at applying the rigidizer and ITC-100, unless I don't need the ridigizer. I'd say the 3/8" rebar was hot enough 5 minutes after turning the burner on. I was impressed. Today I go some hardened 3/4" round and it seems to take 15 to 20 minutes. I wonder if the 3/4" round is starting to push the limits of this burner. Maybe the ITC-100 will help. Here are some pictures of the 3/4. In the first you can see that the forge does have a hotspot. I think this is after 15 minutes. This is after 5 to 10 more minutes and it looks much better... My biggest problem at this point isn't the forge though. It's an anvil and getting things at the right height. I was pounding the 3/4" on a 4" think flat block of Austin limestone tonight and cracked it after 3 hits. It was a nice clean straight crack at least...

Well, crap! I was really hoping this would work because it gives me a face and horn.

Hi, I picked up these two pieces today: Looks like an anvil to me! However I need to fill it with something. I was thinking maybe just some Portland cement. Right now it's not heavy enough so it bounces. I also didn't want to fill it with something that will kill the bounce. Suggestions? I also need to mount it so that I don't hammer bent over on the floor, and punch a couple of holes in it. Thanks.

I setup the BZ torch and a coffee can forge! It's pretty limited but it also got me going. I've since bent one end of the rebar into a loop, cut a piece off and did a little tapering. It's been fun. However, I think this has taught me that a newbie should almost never build their own forge. By the time you end up buying all the pieces you need you will spend as much if not more than buying one from a place like diamondback. This might not be true if you are going to do a brick pile forge.

Thanks! I had some trouble with my user account, but it seems fixed now. I plan on trying to pick up these parts this week.