silly goose

I finished up this viking style helmet yesterday.  My second.  Made for a friend to what he was looking for.  Some things came out well, some not so well, but learned a ton, and he seems pretty happy with it.  Complete with a leather liner.  

Cornwall coal in New Windsor?

I've been using a coal forge for about a year and a half now, that doesn't have a firepot.  It is about 24"x30" and just has a flat deck where the air comes up through the bottom.  I've used it the way it is for a while, and then used fire brick to simulate a firepot.  Am I missing anything by not having a firepot?  I'd hate to spend $350-400 and not see any real benefit to it.  Just wondering what you folks with more experience might feel about this.  Thanks.

Fyi, I'm just a hobbyist, content to make plenty of hooks, plant hangers, puzzles, strikers, chisels, punches and what not as I learn my way through. 

Thanks for the help, I may have to try to recreate this, one day.

Found this near my home. The land is old farmland/orchard we think. Any ideas what this is?

I'm just a newbie, but I really like your forge.  Enjoy.

When repurposing a file or coil spring for making flint strikers, should the steel be annealed first, or just heat it, and beat it?

Thank you for any and all replies.

I'll only be using paper to light my coal, but I get what you are saying.  I was just surprised at the draft, especially because of all the posts I've read about trouble getting  a good draft.  I'm gonna fire up the forge this morning just to check it out with a coal fire.  The chimney is only 90" tall, about 2 feet over the peak of the roof.  That attaches to an elbow, and then comes into the shop with a section and a half of a small drum.  I may very well incorporate a cap with some hardware cloth when I get the chance. 

WOW! I got my side draft chimney up today, and thought I'd try it out.  I lit a wad of newspaper and threw it in there.  It sounded like a turbine, and the lit paper got sucked up through the pipe. I hope its not that intense when I light the forge.  I ran out of the shop to see where the glowing embers might be coming down. 

Thanks, guys.  And yes, it's free.  Cant beat that!

I just had a fellow offer me a piece of 14" pipe, I hope to use as a chimney with a sidedraft.  I keep reading that 10" is good, and 12" is better... Is 14" better yet, or does it start loosing its effect after a certain size? 

I guess no one is familiar, can anyone tell me, does it mean anything that is doesn't have a pritchel hole?

Anybody familiar?  It's marked 1-3-11, so I'm figuring 207lbs.  No pritchel hole, just a hardy.  It is very cute and lives with me now.  I am developing quite the anvil fetish.

Lou, look up Cornwall Coal. They are probably the same distance from you that they are from me. 

I have access to pea size bituminous coal, $6.50/40lbs, which I thought was inexpensive, but I've never bought coal before, and I'll admit I don't know much.  I'm taking note of all advice and realizing that my thought process is probably flawed a bit.  I'm going to read the box of dirt thread next. 

I'd love to show you my anvils, but I am technically challenged and will have to wait for my wife to give me a hand with that.  I have a 94lb Trenton, and a 144lb Peter Wright.  They aren't in perfect condition, but I'm pretty happy with them just the same.  The Trenton cost me a couple hours yard work, and the Peter Wright cost me a box of donuts and a breakfast.  Yup, I got real lucky.  I was dumpster diving in a scrap metal bin today(with permission), and left with a two foot piece of RR track, and the fixins for a tuyere to go with my brake drum. 

Thank you all for your replies, I have a lot to learn. 

I am set on using coal, which seems to be in abundance around here and relatively inexpensive at that.  This is only going to be a hobby for me, and I hope to learn to make useful things around home and flint strikers for a start.  I have a couple anvils so far, and have been working on acquiring a forge.  I've gathered a couple brake drums and set them aside just in case I decide to build one.  My plan is to gather up my necessities for a while, and build a small shop in the spring if all goes well.  I am also hoping to use a hand cranked blower.  I've been able to look around and check out some old forges, but....  like I said in my original post, the owners seem to be pretty proud of what they have.  I am not in a hurry, I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with CF forges, or their hand cranked blower, as I may decide to go with their blower over paying close to the same for some of the older blowers I'm finding around here. 

I will need hammers and tongs as well, but again I have time.  I have been able to find plenty of vices in the area, they seem to be around $150.

In the meantime, I'll keep reading and looking, and scrounging stock to be repurposed later.  Thank you for taking the time to respond.

Hi, guys, I'm new here.  Just acquiring my gear.  Been looking around for a forge w/o too much luck.  What I've found so far is not that far in price from going new with CF.  Does anyone have experience with them or their hand cranked blower?