I just wanted to share the pics of my homemade adobe lined charcoal forge. I had a wild hair last fall, so put it together then, after becoming disgusted with the cost of propane for my regular dual burner beast. Since I was making one anyway, I could design it to handle longer pieces as I principally forge blades. This unit is handmade, including the hand cranked blower unit. Yes, I just used what was laying around... :D :ph34r:
The forge unit is made from an old electric roaster pan, and two steel tv trays which I chopped a side off and set in a 'V' shape and lined with adobe. I know the adobe will crack and flake, but it is easily patched or replaced. No biggie. The tuyere is 1" black pipe, and the air inlet is a 1 1/2" nipple. I designed it so that I can remove the end pipe cap easily for cleaning. Truthfully, if I had to I could line this sucker with ordinary dirt due to my design.
Here is my hand cranked blower. As you can see, it is 'V' belt driven with the main drive pulley being an old bicycle rim. I brazed nuts to the rim to attach a handle, and the handle is a bolt covered with loose fitting hard rubber. Believe it or not this unit is all ball bearing construction, as I sunk two bearing races into the wood support for the blower driveshaft. Sitting on the end is a quicky steel reducer cone I made as an adapter from the blower output to the tuyere inlet pipe.
I believe the fan itself came from a dryer, but don't quote me on this. I happened to have it on a shelf. The cage is made from an old large popcorn tin I cut down.
This unit actually works great, and develops quite a bit of air output for very little cranking effort.
I just thought you guys might enjoy this redneck project I threw together.