Gareth Johnston

Thanks everyone for the advice.  Time to get the forge started up!!

A friend gave me a lot of  these mild steel strips there about 22 inch long and some 5mm - 10mm wide he found them in a skip has no use for them and brought them to me said do whatever you want but not sure.  It's very clean steel was covered in oil though.  Has anyone any suggestions what I could make ? , thanks Gareth. 

Thanks everyone for there replys all good information, will be able to make good use of this oil now ! . 

Hello all. I'm looking to know is it possible to quench in vegetable oil and or frying oil . Have the availability of both just don't know if any good and wouldn't use unless it was.  Thanks Gareth.  

Good advice thanks. 

Hello all sorry for the lack in replying.  Was meant to get pictures up of the forge , have some on instagram for anyone there I'm johnstongareth 

Talk soon.

sorry only getting on again now . was out yesterday on the search for a solution to my problem and was sent to a gas fitter who had what i needed which was a brass adaptor  , ( European to UK fitting )  . i can now carry on getting  everything sorted out again and hopefully some work done ! .  @ThomasPowers no decimal point in that description that i provided .  thank you to everyone who helped . Gareth 

It is a adjustable regulator for the use of propane . not sure of differences in different countries but certainly doesn't work here .  it works between 4-6 bar pressure . will take a look on amazon to see if i find a solution as its one place ive not checked out . thanks 

with my becma forge came a spare gas regulator but it is incorrect for fitment to the uk type fitment of gas tanks , does anyone know of a adaptor i can use to make it work ,  ive been unsuccessful so far finding anything to make it work . obviously a new regulator may be the answer but what to go for is then also another question if anyone may have advice id appreciate it !. 

Thank you both for the recommendation on the chart  and temp reader , all good information !.

 

I recently got a K-type thermocouple from omega.com and the reader it plugs into off amazon I think the name is signteck. total cost was about $60 us.

More experienced smiths use their eyes and the color of the metal, im using the thermometer and another product until i can more accurately read temps

what kind of forge? Also I'm planning on experimenting with Tempil sticks this weekend. its a marker (for lack of a better description) that melts at its given temperature. That post is in bladesmithing, heat treating, I will update pictures this weekend.

Thanks  jclonts82 ill check that out see what its like , looking for something to help along the way until i gain some experience . the forge i am using is a becma gfr .4 

Hello hopefully posting this in correct section was looking to know what people use to read temperatures in and outside the forge while working . have my forge and everything set up just lacking a few tools will hopefully get some pictures posted soon . thanks Gareth !  

sorry cant help as also new to blacksmithing but great to see another smith from the uk . hope you get your problems sorted ! . Gareth 

 

Paint some radiation trefoils on it to amuse your neighbors!

Interesting idea there , though I'll keep it clean as I can for the mean time especially with being in the shed :-). Thanks. 

been away for a few days but exciting times the forge has landed ! . Now time to learn how to get everything working successfully and well to become a successful blacksmith . picture below ! . thanks Gareth

On 08/09/2017 at 1:51 AM, Frosty said:

It doesn't matter how many hours, days, etc. it actually takes to arrive Gareth it'll feel like too long, WAY too long.  

Frosty The Lucky.

I get were your coming from im wishing it was here by now ! . cant wait to i get it then get everything set up and working

There has  been a update ! . ive went for a different model slightly smaller but does the exact same as the GFR.6 its the GFR.4  , just have to wait for it to arrive now all being well wont take to long will keep you updated !!.

1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said:

Did you mean forge welding billets of pattern welded damascus or just forging already welded up billets as you said?  The devil is in the details!

Just meant was it capable of working any Damascus or hard metals covering everything considering ive not worked a forge as yet  hopefully still making sense here. Frosty seems to have me on the right know how now  anyway but still wanting to hear everyone's advice . thanks again

2 hours ago, Frosty said:

Gareth: Don't over think things you can tweak that forge easily, I'd just put a thicker floor in it to reduce the volume as a start. 

If someone can't weld something it only really means THEY can't weld it. There used to be a long standing and commonly accepted myth that you can't weld in a naturally aspirated gas forge. Back before you could search the patent servers without being buried in worthless junk ads you could find patents for "improved" naturally aspirated forge burners from the turn of the last century. Those mostly used brown gas generated on the spot later Mr. Hobart patented calcium carbide water reactor supplied acetylene burners in forges, then oxy acet torches.

Anyway, blacksmiths and especially city farriers have been welding in gas forges since just after, maybe earlier than the Civil War. 

A few years ago I watched an online acquaintance and a neighbor make repeated forge welds as cool as med red heat. They got into a friendly speed weld contest and because I was a spectator I got to break them in the vise with a 5lb. single jack sledge. Try to break them actually only a couple out of probably 20 failed. IIRC they were using a can of "Sure Weld" from the early 70s maybe before. 

Welding is a matter of following the steps and like most types of welding the three canon rules are, Clean CLEAN CLEAN!

I don't think that's a bad forge, not what I'd build but I build the things from the ground up, mistakes and all. My most recent forge has a raft of mistakes but works well enough, the next one will be better. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks Frosty appreciate all this advice its great to know . just making sure im heading somewhere in the right direction i can iron out the mistakes as I go along and learn. and im definitely learning now thanks again . 

Thanks for that ill sure give you a heads up if im ever over , always great to meet other engineers and blacksmiths !.

20 hours ago, Mikey98118 said:

Probably; but you need to understand that no commercial forge is perfect, as purchased. Nothing prevents you from upgrading, as Frosty mentioned. There are a VERY FEW commercial forges that are a slam dunk for heat; their price ranges start at double what you are looking at now.

Yes I understand , basically understand pay what you get for . well I have to start somewhere and learn somewhere so at some stage can always go bigger if need be but good to know the questions and answers now.

A question i never really thought much about until now which is silly considering everything . Would you all think a forge like the Becma G F R . 6 neo be capable of forging most metals saying mild steel- Damascus and so on , only reason i ask is ive been doing research and seen people with gas forges saying they've had problems with certain metals ?.   

Another question I have i do understand how it all works but want to hear from someone else on the subject , as far as finding the right heat / temp for each metal your using if you were using different metals how do you judge it . ( hopefully ive asked that correctly) 

12 hours ago, Frosty said:

Ah yes, I did say kiln shelf. I was thinking about using it for a hard inner liner (flame face) rather than using a castable like plaster. Sorry about that, I got to thinking and confused the issue. 

Frosty The Lucky.

No worries ! , its a learning curve for me 

just been looking through some of the posts always learning ! but that looks fantastic , well done 

33 minutes ago, BIGGUNDOCTOR said:

Welcome from the desert outside of Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada

Thanks BIGGUNDOCTOR appreciate the welcome . Vegas is a wonderful place i am told on the holiday list .