Greetings gentlemen! I recently built a Lively style washtub forge to explore my interest in blacksmithing, and have decided this whole "fire management" thing is a pain my rear. I would rather spend more time forging, and less time fiddling with charcoal to get my fire just right.
First, the T Burner: I'm building mine per the plans listed here: '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>, and have a few questions before I go spending my pennies. After much googling, I'm fairly certain I need an 1/8"-27 NPT tapered tap for my fitting, but a -28 is also available, can anyone confirm which I need? My coupling doesn't say, unfortunately. Also, are the HSS taps worth around 2x the price of high carbon?
Next, the forge. Most home built gassers are round, while almost every commercial forge I see is a box. Is this simply because empty metal cylinders are so prevelent in the dumpster, while square forges allow maximum efficiency of materials, and therefor profit, in a mass production type setting? Common sense tells me a cylinder should be better for helping my flame swirl around the chamber. Aside from the ability to make them modular and adjustable, which I'm not currently interested in, are there any advantages to a box forge? I've had no luck finding out if one shaoe is superior to the other. I'm planning on making smallish knives, mostly, maybe some decorative hooks and such for the love of my life to hang things on. Not sure if this matters.
A 10" vent pipe 14" long should give me about 340 cubic Inches after 2" lining the sides and one end. Fire brick front "door." A box forge could have interior dimensions of 7x5x10 after lining. Same front door. Either would be plenty of space to start me going in the gas world (I think :blink: ) Vent pipe would probably easier to build.
Also, would stainless steel be worth spending extra money on for the increased IR reflection? I'm willing to spend more if I get a noticeable improvement out of it long term.
Thanks in advance, and if this is all posted somewhere else, all I ask you post a link or what your search keywords were when you chastise me :D