Militant83

I have decided to run a separate outlet for it. Running a 30 amp breaker with 10ga wire from the box to the outlet and 10 ga wire from the motor to the plug per the advice from Leeson tech support.

I just picked up a KMG 3 speed grinder with the 2 hp motor. I have an existing 220 outlet on a 50 amp breaker that I use for my welder, is this outlet suitable to use with this grinder? Or should I wire a 30 or 40 amp outlet for it? Also what size wire do I need to use to wire a power cord and switch for the motor?

I have glanced at them I haven't gave them a full read yet.

Just some added info my initial thoughts and direction for my build. Square or rectangle shaped forge with side mounted ribbon burner. 2-3" of rigidized isowool covered in Plistix, a base floor made of Kasto-Lite 3000 2-3" thick. Probably a 5"x5" opening with sliding doors. Shell made of 1/8th" or 3/16th" steel and probably about 14" long. Any thoughts are appreciated.

I'm trying to get the details ironed out on my forge build. I'm really leaning toward a square or rectangular style forge with a ribbon burner set up... Id like to see some pics of build you guys have built in a square or rectangular shape doesn't have to be ribbon burner. Thanks in advance

I know it was working last week sometime

I found the site.. but it isnt working at the moment. I have glanced over it in the past.

Your link seems to be broken to your site. I keep getting this site isn't available.

Good to know...his prices are reasonable and still gives me a little DIY to it as it is a kit.. He was highly recommended by someone else however I have never seen any of his forges aside from the few pics of the kit pieces he has sent me. I would never have known about him if another fellow blacksmith didn't tell me to contact him.

I have been looking at gas forges and I am about to pull the trigger on a Jay Hays clamshell kit. I just wanted to see if anyone was currently running one and had some pictures of it and a what they thought about it. Thanks

I wish he showed the forge it actually went on. But I haven't found anything in his videos that had that burner actually in use. I don't think the one in the thumbnail is it as it is never shown in the video.

Has anyone made and used the style of forced air burners that Roy from Christ Centered Ironworks made? If so how efficient are they? Are they capable of reaching forge welding temps? Any info provided on these would be great. Thanks

Nice setup.. maybe one day when I get out of the city... But as of right now i'm in the city and a gasser is probably the best option for the winter months and then if I want to use coal I make a portable to pull out in the driveway for the warmer months. If I owned the house it may be a different story but we rent off of my parents and I would hate to risk them losing their homeowners insurance over my hobby.

I didn't think a coal forge would put off that much heat through the stack with it being such a small fire and drafting through such a large pipe. It is completely different that a blazing wood burning stove. Do you have any pictures of how your setup inside and out?

Yeah, it was never that I couldn't do it rather than if it was worth the time and money for me to do it vs just getting a gas forge and throwing in an extra ventilation van or something. For me to put stove pipe through any wood structure I would either need class A triple wall pipe which at 10" diameter is insanely expensive over $100/ 4' section.. If I wanted to use single wall it would need 18" clearance all the way around from any combustible material. I had even considered something like a commercial exhaust hood but those are extremely expensive as well. I could see all of this if I did this full time but not as a hobby. I think for someone like me that wont be forging every day gas probably makes the most since just out of convenience and ease of use.

I can buy the tank outright for about $140

How does the anthracite work out for you..just noticed it is only $6/ 40 lbs at tractor supply... able to reach forge welding temps and everything with it?

Tractor supply here in my town fills large propane bottles for $2.49/gal.. I may be able to get it slightly cheaper at my welding gas supplier. If I went the gas route I would purchase a 100lb tank which is rough 23-24 gal of propane roughly $60 each fill. Do forge stack need to be insulated when going through structural areas like wood walls? I know a fire place or wood stove does. But I wasn't sure if the forge put off the type of heat as a wood stove or fire place.

That looks like a nice set up however I would have to go through a brick wall to do something like that. my walls are all brick up to about 8' then wood in the gable ends and roof line. Not sure it would be worth blowing through the brick at this point.

Well having to create its own stack might just be the breaking point on the coal then. I deffinitely dont want to do anything un-safe but im also not wanting to spend the cash running a new stack especially not 10" like it should be. Might just start with gas througout the winter and build a small coal that can be rolled outside in the warmer weather. Id much rather toss in a couple ventilation fans in my gable ends to increase ventilation than run a ton of pipe for a stack. Can anyone tell me what kind of lifespan they are getting on a 100 lb tank and how frequently you are using your gas forge? Propane her will run me about 2.49/gal

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.

Not to resurrect an older post..but I didn't see the need to make a new one being it wasn't that old. When I decide to make the decision between gas or coal this is the set up I want to go with. It looks like your shop is similar conditions to mine. How has that forge worked out for you since it was built? Anything you would change now that you have had it for a while?

If I did coal I was going to do a side draft forge piped in to my wood burner chimney pipe. Honestly in the end I might end up having both.

Thanks, and yes I have lurked a little bit and found out from others mistakes that listing where you are from can be very beneficial to those replying to your post. As of right now i'm wanting a turnkey set up..If I had my new electrical ran in my garage so I could run my welder I wouldn't be opposed to building. But who knows when I will get around to that and I want to start forging. My neighbors don't complain about my wood burner so who knows if they will even notice. I would not be forging everyday either. More like a weekend warrior. I am in a detached 2 car garage with windows for ventilation and of course a garage door in the warmer months. If I was to go the solid fuel route I was thinking of piping it in to the flue of my wood burner that I already have in place.

I tried doing a search first and did not really find the answer I was looking for and the one link in the sticky threads was broken So I will ask it here. I'm looking at getting my first forge. But I am stuck on what type to get. What I have seen so far in my research is gas forges are typically cheaper to buy. However, I have been told propane can be more expensive compared to coal. And coal forges to buy are more expensive to buy new but the fuel is cheaper. I'm trying to get to forging in the least costly and most efficient way possible. What is everyone experience with the cost of buying and operating a gas forge vs a coal forge? Some factors that i'm trying to take into consideration for myself are the following; Can get propane filled locally Coal is about 2.5 hours away at $12/ 50# bag Gas forge takes up less space in the workshop Gas has no smoke Coal is more traditional Can fit larger pieces in a coal forge setup As for what I would intend to make would mostly be small ornamental stuff, cooking utensils, hammers, blades, etc.