WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith

First don't build a forge to a square design. Second, go to the Forge Supplies page on my web site and study the attachments. This will show how I like to build a gas forge for a long lasting, efficient forge. Let me know if I can help you or if you have any further questions.

Frosty, haven't you studied the attachments at the Forge Supplies page on my web site? Kast-0-Lite 30 about 1/2" thick over 1" of Inswool then a pint of Metrikote IR. You will throw rocks at anything else. Light weight, insolating, flux resistant. What more do you want? I believe it is the best of all worlds. From the commercial sellers you have to buy 55#s.What if you only need 5# or 15#s? Let me know if I can help you.

It is called a Ratchet Forge because of the "ratcheting" action.. I see them from time to time.

Check out the attachments at the Forge Supplies page at www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com. This is a clam shell design like Thomas suggests. Let me know if I can help you. Wayne

Try going to the Forge Supplies page at www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith and study the two attachments there. One is titled Build A Gas Forge and may have just what you are looking for. The other attachment tells how to build a Ribbon Burner. Let me know if I can help you. Wayne

Go to the Grinders page at www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com and view the video on the 2 X 72 there then consider getting the DVD for instructions for building a good grinder. You can probably build it out of scrap or materials for a salvage yard. Can you do some basic welding and can you drill and tap some holes? If you can't weld you can probably get a friend to do it. Let me know if I can help you.

Go to the Forge Supplies page at www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com and study the two attachments there. You will see how I like to build a gas forge from a 20# Propane bottle. Let me know if I can help you. What part of Kentucky are you in? You might be close enough to me to come visit.

check out the attachments on the Forge Supplies page at www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com. There is the Build a Gas Forge for instructions on how I like to build a gas forge. If you want to build a forced air forge check out the Ribbon Burner attachment. Let me know if I can help you.

Read the attachments at the Forge Supplies page at www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com. This will tell you how I like to build a good, efficient, long lasting forge. You may decide that you are better off getting an old useless 20# Propane bottle and starting form there. Do you want to build it with what you have and then start over when you decide that was not the best way to start. Plistix or Metrikote are way cheaper than ITC-100 and do the same job. Let me know if I can help you. You can send an e-mail or PM.

That is for heating soldering irons. It wouldn't be of much use in forging. Check out the attachments at the Forge Supplies page at www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com The Build a Gas Forge attachment will show you how I like to build a good, tuff, long lasting efficient forge. Then study the Ribbon Burner attachment or search IFI for Frosty's T burner. Let me know if I can help you.

You were probably using a school machine that was run unknown hours with no maintenance. I had trouble with my dies moving out too, until I started using a torque wrench and tightening them down properly.

Frosty, again you got the old saying wrong! If life gives you lemons, make Margaritas.

I have a 155 Big Blu Max and I sure like it. Talk to Josh at Big Blu, like Glenn said, he can give you all the particulars.

You might want to study the attachment "Build A Gas Forge" at the Forge Supplies page of my site. Let me know if I can help you.

Indeed AACB (www.aacblacksmiths.org does have a conference May 20th and 21st in Murfreesboro, Tn. Being from Johnson City you should check out the Bristol Forge, a regional forge of the AACB. You can find further information about them on the AACB website. Let me know if I can help you.

You will want to get in touch with the folks at www.HABAIron.org (Houston Area Blacksmith Association). They are active and educational. If you are looking to build a gas forge check out the attachments on my website, www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com. Let me know if I can help you.

You are expecting to build way to large a forge, unless you have a specific reason to build one so large. Check out the attachment on my website, www.WaynecoeArtistBlacksmith.com on the Forge Supplies page, Build a Gas Forge and Ribbon Burner. These attachments will tell you how I like to build a forge. For your burner you may want to study the Ribbon Burner attachment or on IFI search for the Frosty's T Burner. Let me know if I can help you.

Houston has an affiliate of ABANA (www.habairon.org) I have friends in HABA and I am sure that they will be willing to help you. I will forward this thread on to my good friend there. I'm sure that he will either contact you or e-mail me back with permission to give you his personal contact info.

Ausfire, that is the European way (Czech, German, etc.) It is much more efficient, especially for far side and near side blows. It is hard to get used to but once you do you will see the advantages. I am left handed and actually work all around the anvil, depending on the application. It seems that the natural tendency is to stand facing the side of the anvil, I don't know why but I also don't know why we hit the anvil face every 3rd or 4 blow, although I have heard all the explanations, (keeping the rhythm, etc.). Watch Tech Joe some time. He stands at the end, at the side and switches from hand to hand. I have gotten to watching to see how many times he does switch.

Well, it only takes once. And it is bad news if you are the one that is there.

Be extra careful when using aluminum oxide or virgin aluminum when scaling steel. You do not want to form Thermite.! See the thread Warning! Thermite. You do not want to burn or blow up your shop or yourself!

Frosty, you must have missed this part of my comment. Actually, In my travels I see most forges set that high.

There is much valuable information coming out here. At first blush some of it does not apply in the blacksmith shop, but if you think about it a little you realize how it does, or by extension makes us think of other issues we need to be concerned with. Thanks all for your contributions.

This is another thread that I started on that other Forum. Because of the recent threads posted here recently about Poison Gases think that this one needs to be a Sticky here, along with the ones regarding the Poison Gases. Warning, Warning, Warning Explosive mixture While I was at Fred Rowe's house back in May, we were discussing grinding various materials.I commented, "NEVER, EVER GRIND STEEL AND ALUMINUM ON THE SAME MACHINE OR USE THE SAME DUST COLLECTION SYSTEM". This also applies to wood or other handle material. Steel filings and Aluminum filings are the two components of Thermite, and very powerful explosive. Google Thermite and you will come up with bunches of hits. Here we are not trying to make Thermite, we are trying NOT to make Thermite. Several years ago I saw an article in one of my Blacksmithing Newsletters where a blacksmith had been grinding steel. Later his son came in and use his grinder to grind some aluminum. The next day the blacksmith started using his grinder again and was engulfed in a ball of flame. There were pictures of him in the article. Both hands and arms as well as his chest and face received 3rd degree burns. It is surprising how little steel filings and aluminum filings it takes to make a very violent explosion or very hot fire. In April at the Batson Blade Symposium Dan Johnson of Steven Bader Company was talking about how they had advised a customer how to set up his dust collection system, which included directions about spark arresters, and distance from the grinder for the collection container and not to mix products. The customer took the cheap way and placed the container close to the grinder and mixed materials. The thermite exploded, leveled the concrete building and killed several workers. Wound up that it was not the cheaper way to do it. Not only steel and aluminum should not be mixed, wood and other products also. Hot sparks from steel and wood dust can make a very mean fire and sometimes explosions. Be careful and don't make Thermite in your shop! Warning, Warning, Warning Explosive mixture

OK here goes: the air curtain is simply a small squirrel cage blower mounted so that the blast goes up in the front of the forge. I have a 2" hole cut in the center of the angle iron cradle with a 2" floor flange bolted on. Then a short nipple threaded into the floor flange then a 2" Tee, then a short nipple with a capped end. On the side branch the blower is attached. I first just had the blower below the floor flange but any trash that fell down went into the blower and ruined it. That is when I added the Tee and extension. The extension gives a place for the trash to collect, from time to time remove the bottom nipple from the Tee to clean out the trash. If you look at the pictures on the Build a Gas Forge attachment on the Forge Supplies page at www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com you will be able to see the small blower below the front of the forge. That is the original and the way not to do it. The Air Curtain blows the Dragon's Breath up and away. Stock outside the forge, tongs, your hands and you do not get nearly as hot. You can even keep the hair on your hands.