Irondragon Forge ClayWorks

Same with my Star, a little oil goes a long way and after ten or so years of use the only thing that gets oil on it is the clutch (which I have recently cleaned) and the sliding hammer. All of the bearing holes get just a drop and the main bearing oil well's a squirt and she's good to go.

Never been dripping in oil under my watch. I have just recently learned the hammer will work better with a graphite grease than oil.

We don't have Javie's here but I imagine they would be good smoked or BBQd like our Razorback hogs and dumplings go good with anything.

Yep... log splitter would be my thought too.

The weights could also be made from window sash weights.

Hi Big Jim,

Should you even bother... definitely yes

I have seen forging kits that would fit in a good sized suitcase so yes you can start out small & mobile. When you say a trashcan gas forge, I envision a very large one something like 33 gal.

Gas forges can be built using a paint can, empty Freon tank and many other sizes depending what the intended use is. There is a thread about a guy in Europe that has his complete setup on something like a hand truck that he uses as a mobile forge setup using a solid fuel forge. I'll see if I can find it for ya.

My advice is to continue reading as much of this forum as you can and try to find a smith or Blacksmith organization close to you for mentoring.

 

Thanks for the info. I didn't really want to do anything bigger than 6" since I already have 6" pipe ran for my stove. The only down side is to tie in I would need a bend from the forge into the stove pipe. I have to go through a wood wall in order to get the pipe outside to stainless insulated pipe is required for that and get quite expensive above 6" pipe. I dont want to be too deep cost wise in this project. But then I don't want to build something that I can use either.

You might look at this thread. We used 10 inch spiral HVAC duct work for the flue and it draws like crazy with no over heating problems.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/23197-bp1048-side-draft-chimney/?tab=comments#comment-235913

Now that's the best holddown I've seen to date, good job.

That's why my title says "nearly normal".

Sometimes those that hang out at the bird feeder turn into fried with dumplings & gravy.

I love pictures of puppies too. It looks like mama will be a good one.

As to what we did in the shop. Friday we unloaded the 970 lbs of steel including the 630 lb 10X4X3/8 plate without a hitch. Used the engine hoist with a chain centered on it. Set it on 4 steel cutting horses and cut it in half then cut 8 pieces out of one half for the students to use in the class next week at ESSA.

It's hard to give any definitive answers without knowing your shop set up.

Yes propane is easier to obtain but in my experience it isn't as efficient as coal for BTU hrs produced. I can get a lot more forging in with 12 dollars worth of coal than 12 dollars worth of propane and propane here is 1.39 a gallon.

When you say gas has no smoke, that's true but it produces copious amounts of CO which will kill you and others without adequate ventilation. That is where your shop set up comes into play. I would never run our propane forge in an attached shop/garage to the house.

Yes you are more limited to the shape and size of stock you can work in a propane forge. Solid fuel forges are easy and cheap to build.

You might want to read through these threads.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/64-solid-fuel-forges/

https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/65-gas-forges/

CO poisoning is nothing to fool with. I would never run a propane forge in an attached garage without CO monitors all through the house (read every room). If at all possible have your forge on wheels and move it outside when forging.

Our forges are in an unattached garage with a well ventilated shop attached to it. The coal forge is inside the shop with a good hood and chimney through the roof. We still roll the propane forge outside the door when it's running.

 

Seems more like 131 pounds to me. Maybe I need glasses.

Still looks like an 8 to me with the bottom loop closed.

 

Just tinkering with an old horseshoe, came out as a Wyvrn Dragon bottle opener.

 

Don't know what happened to the photo. Try again.

Or Damascus billet.

1 hour ago, BamBamtheboogeyman said:

Sorry about that Frosty I try not to do that again.

The easiest way to quote something with a lot of text or pictures is to highlight the portion you want to quote and a quote this flag pops up. Click on it.

The face on your anvil is practically new no real damage. The only thing I would do to it is hammer hot metal.

Yep great find indeed. When you get to wire brushing the rust look on the foot under the horn for a serial number. Also try a rebound and ring test on the face. Here is an old thread about Trenton's with some good info. BTW it looks like she weighs 181 pounds.

8 hours ago, Brandon G Valdez said:

Any help would be so appreciated thanks Brandon 

Welcome to the forum Brandon. If you go to your profile and add your location you may be surprised how many of the gang are near you and many times answers are location dependent.

Without pictures of your anvil it's hard to give much information on it however Trenton anvils are top notch, if they haven't been abused or ruined in a fire.

Like my grandfather always said, "where there's a will, there's a way".

That's the plan, unfortunately the wife & I are the schlep monkeys who have to unload it the staff would be worthless. I'm hoping the engine hoist & chain will work to get it onto two rolling tables.

 

Then the first thing you need is a livestock guardian dog. Great Pyrenees Mountain Dogs are wonderful people dogs, giant marshmallows that are death incarnate to anything that threatens their charges.

Our big dog was named Dolittle, a Pyrenees Komondor cross. Gentle as a lamb except when he was on duty. He wouldn't let any critters two or four legged any where near the place day or night unless we told him they are OK and he never lost a fight. Sure miss him still.

He could stand flat footed and lean inside most cars open windows.

It followed my wife home, 970 pounds of steel including a 10'x4'x3/8" plate which weighs 630 pounds. Sadly we don't get to keep it because it's for a metal fabrication class at ESSA (Eureka Springs School of Art) which she is a volunteer in the heavy metals building (blacksmith shop). Now all I have to do is figure out how to get that plate out of the truck.

The best way to speed up the drying is to place a 100wt incandescent light bulb inside for as long as it takes usually a day or so.

5 hours ago, Daswulf said:

No one sells cheap kitty litter in your area? 

5 hours ago, old school blacksmith said:

thanks guys and I don't live near a place that sells clay mud exp. a hardware store and the type of forge I'm making is a proto- type one so thanks about the exp. bricks tip. I can I use regular big rocks in a creek bed for my forge hypthical (may miss-spelled that) I mean, just wondering.

Yep, unscented cheap kitty litter mixed with a little water and you have bentonite clay.

I'm with ThomasPowers, wouldn't worry about corrosion unless I plan to live to 200...

Take a look at this thread for some ideas.