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I Forge Iron

Hexus

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Everything posted by Hexus

  1. If it a large project, the other heights assist the anvil. Sometimes you aren't striking on the steel plated bench, but perhaps a bending fork or a slight adjustment, drilling a hole or center punching. TBH I hit it wherever I can "make it happen", the benches are typically made from 4x6 (more than sturdy enough with 1" plate steel on top).
  2. I'd match up forge height, with anvil height, with bench height. There will be times when they need to be used in conjunction
  3. Hehehe, uh thx, Lucky? The fires I use professionally are more than hot enough to melt the irons I put in (been using them roughly 14 years). The "clinker" I've noted, simply demonstrates various characteristics based on the location from where it came (not on temperature of fire). This is after using about 6 tons of Elk Valley Coal, 1 ton of British Coal, 1/2 ton of Pennsylvania Coal. Now warrant that it wouldn't be specific to a country, but more likely, the mine from where it is extracted (in the case of the British and Penn coal, maybe even the seam---since the sampling wasn't large enough nor at different extraction times). The British coal I was using, was from a variety of samples from a 40' shipping container full (but even that would only account for a small fraction of a single seam). I've seen no difference between the coals using a variety of formats from coal dust (with about 5% fines) to 3/4"-1" chunks, assisted with water or not, nor using pre-coked coal or not.....the outcome of the clinker seems to have similar characteristics I'd mentioned earlier. Yes, that's what i'm finding out! I'd like to get samples of coal to test from Australia as well, just to see how its' clinker form.
  4. Ahh ok I got ya now Charles! More about the clinker gathering and blocking the port at the bottom. I hear you on that one. I have definitely found performance issues in the type of coal I use (50$/50lb bag). From the UK the coal was a good heat, and the clinker formed into very hard nodules. The coal from Pennsylvania has an awesome heat, but the clinker is really crumbly and doesn't stick together that good. About a medium price (34$/50lb bag). The coal I use locally (Elk Valley, Tech Coal, Kootenays), doesn't facilitate 50lb bags, need 1 ton min order, for 150$ (transportation gas inclyded). The heat is not as hot as the other two on average, but the clinker really likes to clump and stick together...so you can usually haul it out in one lump.
  5. I've used a brake drum for 10 years, no heartache here. The main issue is people often get drums that are too deep, causing too much fuel to be used to get your heat to build upwards through that much depth of fuel. I've also used a 500$ firepot from Centaur Forge and 400$ setup from the blacksmith depot. I like a solid bowl (not refractory, unless i'm setting up a propane forge, but ive also used kaowool for mini forges), something that is not really much fuss cause I can modify it quickly with grinder cutting disks and a simple welder with scrap on hand. I use coal extensively...sometimes propane when I do production work. I've never like a screen opening on the bottom....I want to have a clinker breaker in there to deal with crumbly bits of clinker. So it is rather easy to cut a rectangle in the bottom of the brake drum to facilitate that.
  6. Yeah the brake drums can be a bit fiddly as you have to fill in the holes and cut the clinker breaker hole (and the cast doesn't take to welding nicely). Other than that it isn't much of a bother. The idea behind them is there is less work than crafting an entire fire pot...and they're cheap. If one didn't like the bottom profile (because they have a 90deg edge at the bottom---which doesn't track shovels nicely) you could easily make a mini bowl to fit inside....at that point though you are already on your way to forging a new firepot). It is more a matter of supply cost/time/inventory on hand/acquisition of inventory.
  7. I'm actually teaching a tool building course early next month at College of the Rockies (BC Canada). In that course we will be building a forge for each student. Coal forge with electric blower, brake drum as a fire pot. You can go without refractory (especially if the alumina refractory costs more than a small sheet of 16ga....or you don't have a welder and want to stick with wood box). I've done a wooden box forge as well (with a sheet of 16g on top, so just a frame with 2 rails mounted on the top of the wood, countersunk so the sheet is level with wood deck) and it has been working for quite some time at the Heritage Park I used to work at (historical to circa 1890). The picture below just show the 2 inch piping and the clinker breaker I made from scrap.This particular setup I use for medieval shows with my bellows I crafted. All the piping is hidden in the wooden box and under the sheet metal.
  8. very nice! Dragonfly is a great touch....have you ever done a snail?
  9. sounds great will! I'd like to see them.
  10. I draw the size of box out on the shop floor in soapstone. Then do several boxes of different scrollwork. Track out the soapstone scroll with a piece of string, then measure. Build your first one and mark the size (or build the inside of the scroll-arch for each end if you are doing a jig for them). You'll always be close (not necessarily dead on), but then you can add or subtract a bit by adding a smidge into one of the scroll-ends (by hammering it slightly) or taking a smidge out (with a scroll wrench) to finesse the size to fit perfect.
  11. I teach Blacksmithing in Cranbrook BC (not far from Calgary) at the College of the Rockies. https://www.cotr.bc.ca/Coned/course-view.asp?crsID=9107 I've been professionally working as a smith for 14 years. Feel free to check my work out at Ferrebral @ FB. https://www.facebook.com/Ferrebralironworks/
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