Dave Hammer

If it's not been repaired, and has a reasonably clean top and edges.... The value could run between $2 and $3 a pound.

Check this video out. It shows how to build a simple burner. Also, late in the video, it shows the use of a home built forge that allows access to the burn chamber from one to three sides.... Good luck with your adventure... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxzdqcPzXj8&feature=results_main

There is no single answer... The outer shell temperature will vary, based upon a number of circumstances. When the dragon breath escapes, does it touch any metal? Does your thermal blanket have a refractory over it(reflective surface)? How long do you run your forge? How thick is your shell? How hot does your burn chamber get (and stay) when you consider it "up to temp"?. What is the weight of your thermal blanket? In general, even if your forge is made reasonably well, it will probably still be way too hot to touch after it has been in use for a while (at least on most surfaces). If you are wondering if you can burn yourself if you touch it (YES!!!). If you are wondering if it is hot enough to start other stuff on fire...., it shouldn't be if there is a few inches between it and any combustible surfaces (with the exception of within the range of the dragon breath). If you have your forge either "sitting on fire brick" or "elevated a few inches" (with metal legs), it should be reasonably safe. How far the dragon breath comes out depends upon how you manage your propane (pressure and volume) and air (if there is a blower involved). If the dragon breath touches metal, that metal will eventually get red hot. The longer your forge is being heated, the warmer the outer shell will get (thermal blanket is an insulator, but it will take in heat and convect that heat to the shell). After a short forging session, I could still touch my shell (not in the area where the dragon breath comes out). After a session of over a half hour or so, it gets too hot to touch almost everywhere. I have measured the temperature of my shell (even away from the openings) to be over 700 degrees when my forge has been in use for much longer periods of time.

Larry.... Have you learned anything yet to help you with your 3B stroke? I am interested in anything you may find out.

Personally, for safety considerations, I like the idea of keeping tools used with a power hammer as simple as possible. If I had a need for multiple stop block heights, I would probably use a saddle on my lower die and have multiple (drop in) stop blocks I could use with it.

You can have a forge inside a shed (either coal or gas) as long as you have sufficient ventilation. A coal forge should have a chiminey (side draft seems to work best), which could go out a window. A fan in a window with a door cracked open should provide enough cross ventilation for a gas forge. Use a carbon monoxide detector to ensure you have enough ventilation.

I agree with Phil.... there is no one size forge that fits all needs. I have built many forges trying to get there. For small work, I have evolved to the forge design in these pictures. It is simply an eight inch section of a large oxygen cylinder (eight inches in diameter), with a slot cut out of the side (with a table), and 3 inch "C" channel welded on the ends so I can use soft fire brick for sliding doors. A cylinder can be cut into an appropriate size and configuration with a zip disk. If you can weld, you can easily build this forge. Proper lining is the most important aspect to having an efficient forge. If your forge sits on a metal table, you could just sit bricks on the table for the end doors. If you do use the "C" channel for sliding doors, the bricks can be shaped with a farrier's file and/or easily cut with an old hand saw. A project can put in from the ends (passed through if necessary). A larger project (like a scroll) can slide in from the side. The soft fire brick can be easily pushed (tongs or rod) to open or close the end openings. I use a set of special (light) tongs to take the brick off the side shelf to gain access to the side entry. The small round forge is mounted on a pedestal with a round base so I can roll it out of the way when I'm not using it. I recommend one change from the pictures.... The burner should be angled toward the other side, rather that toward the side with the opening. For work that won't fit into this forge, I use a bed of soft fire brick for a forge floor (on a metal table), then place additional soft fire brick to build up walls for a forge the size I need. I have a flat top (six fire brick bound together with a frame) with two burners I sit on top. Sides have openings as are appropriate for any current project.

The most effective setups I have observed have been side-draft setups. Essentially, this is no more than a box (with a chiminey attached) with a relatively small opening adjacent to the fire. I have a smithy outside also and it has worked very well. After I start the coal fire, I ball up a newspaper, light it, and toss it into the chimney opening. This starts the updraft and (subsequently) the draw into the opening. Eight inches in diameter for a chimney pipe may not be enough to be effective..... 10 or 12 inches would be better. Although you may not be able to find 10-12 inch pipe at a big box store, remember you can snap two smaller pipe sections together to make a larger diameter pipe. I made my chimney using heavy tin and light angle iron (it's put together with self tapping screws).

Look at this web site.. www.dfoggknives.com Best of luck to you forward...

I have used all sort of bases for forges. My most used shop area has limited space so it is important for me to be able to move tools out out of the way when I'm not using them. Larger forges are put on rolling tables. For my little forges, I like to use a base I can easily move around. I love old gears (I find them at steel recycling centers)... and use them as bases for pedestals I put a forge on (usually pipe in pipe so I can adjust the height of the forge. I have made one change since I took this picture.... I use a bolt through both pipes (outer pipe has several holes) to set the height of the forge. The stand on the right is a little table I sometimes use to hold tools when I demonstrate. It holds hammers, hardy tools, tongs and whatever else I need.

Thomas.... I knew there would be some, but I didn't expect quite as much delamination as occurred. The extent of delamination was not evident as illustrated in the photos before the piece was etched in an acid bath for an extended time. Although being able to make heavy leaves (etched) with wrought iron was my end goal, my first experience making these large leaves was using 1/2 inch by 2 inch mild steel bar. The photos with this post are the results of forging the basic shape, then using a press with simple tooling made for the purpose of doing the indents (after which the leaf was shaped in a swage). After I liked the mild steel results (lots in the scrape pile), the wrought iron project was made using a section of a wheel tire 1/2 inch by 1 5/8th inch (probably about 14 inches long).

Thanks for clarifying... Impressive hammers...

The most obvious to me is "classes". Not just at a high school or university, but those given by local guilds as well as some of the traditional arts schools, like J C Campbell in North Carolina.

Two solutions to consider for die alignment... 1) Machine the sides of the dies so they match. 2) Machine the dovetail (on the bottom die) to be slightly narrower to move the die over that little bit? You would have to address any pinning issues and also make a new drift or put in a spacer (simple) on the opposite side. Two more things... Please explain the 3/8th inch relative to the safety line. Your later comment about 3 inches has me confused. How many hammers (and what type) do you have now?

I love working with wrought iron. Most of what I use is from the tires on wooden wheels. Even in it's poorest form, great things can be made... My latest efforts are candle stick holders. This blue candle is four inches in diameter...

Good luck with your recovery...

Lennox has just put up a "blade selection" application on it's website. Their blades are among the best... http://www.sawcalc.com

Nazels use leather seals...

Thomas Dean.... I suspect it was that last set of tongs he said he made (after saying making tools is not worth his time). As for me, I love making tools.... I get more satisfaction from making tools than I do from making most of the other things I have worked on.... My greatest satisfaction comes from bring home large tools that don't work (power hammers are one example), and figuring out what's wrong and how to repair them myself.

Has anyone thought of having these things sometime during the year when it is NOT 105 degrees?

Didn't blacksmiths make ALL tools. If they didn't, then who did?

How close to 100 are you now?

If you are going to try a penetrating fluid, automatic transmission fluid mixed 50-50 with acetone is supposed to be the best..... Good luck...

Automatic transmission fluid mixed 50-50 with acetone is supposed to be the best penetrating oil.

Nice work Sam..........