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I Forge Iron

bvbaird

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Gulf Coast of Texas
  1. I will try to get pictures of my equipment. I'm not the best on computer. I may even be the last human alive that doesn't have a cell phone. My forge is homemade from 3/8 steel. The size is about 5" deep with the bottom being about 8" by 5" and the top being about 12" by 10". I have another piece of 3/8 that I cut slots in that I lay in the bottom. The blower I got from Granger I think and I really can't remember the output but it blows very well and I welded a gate valve to cut the flow. I have an old Fisher anvil that is maybe about 80# in rough shape and then I have a homemade railroad track that I welded a 1.5" steel bind on top and torched the sides off. It may be around 100#. I haven't been wetting my coal but I will start. I have been putting water on my fire to control the heat to a smaller area. I will get some new sreel and start working on it again in another week or so.
  2. This is a very fun hobby. I knew I wouldn't be perfect right off but I never realized that temp control would be the hardest part for me. I can't tell you how many times I have burned a piece off after having put in a lot of time working it. I am now constantly checking the piece and then I turn my back to set up for the next hits and sparks are flying when I turn back around. Another one lost. I got a leaf about 95% yesterday before the stem cracked off. This time I believe I caused it by hitting on a sharp corner with a bad hammer strike. I saw the crack start there after I started thinning.
  3. I use the rebar to practice hammer strikes. I am still all over the place with my hammer. I still have the same problem with what I would call good steel. I think maybe it is working too cold. I am outside and I tend to keep hammering after I loose color. I think I will move to the shop so I can see my steel color better.
  4. I am just starting and have a coal forge but I just found out I need to strain the coal and get the dust out. I have a lot of dust in my fire now. I will start sifting it from now on. I use any steel I can find and the last two leaves I tried with rebar. I shop at work for any steel and go to the scrap yard and pick up anything I can use. The last bottle opener I made kept cracking and finally broke off as well. I was making it from a 1" round bar. I keep getting the same results from any steel I use. I guess practice is the answer. One more question ya'll might know was I kept trying to save my bottle opener by stick welding but there seemed to be too many impurities in the steel. It just kept cracking and falling apart outside the welds. Could that be from the coal dust in my fire?
  5. I have been practicing on leaves but the stems keep breaking off. What is the problem. I can't keep cracks from happening. Am I working the steel too cold? Am I getting the steel too hot? Do I have too much impurities in my fire? I can't seem to get the small stuff to stop cracking and breaking off.
  6. Spend the extra money and buy your bottles. Renting will usually cost more in the long run. I like the Victor sets and they will run around $200 for the complete set not counting the bottles. It's been along time since I bought my bottles and don't recall the price of them. Your local welding supply store can set you up with everything you need. Check your big hardware stores for some complete kits and you might find some deals. Don't skimp on your regulators because I believe them to be the heart of the operation. Another great thing about having an oxy acetylene rig is oxygen is great for hangovers.
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