Michael J Neel

10 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Are you using an electric blower?   Charcoal profits greatly from using a hand powered air source. If you are using an electric blower make sure it shuts off automatically whenever you remove the work piece---a foot switch requiring constant pressure to be on is a good way. (I picked up an old sewing machine foot pedal recently to use for one...)

Well we have a much better forge now with a hand blower and have acquired 80lbs of some quality coke. I'm actually having tons of fun telling people I bought 36+ kilos of coke from a retired cop. I was using a hairdryer for this one though. You are right, burns fast as xxxx. and xxx the sparks. 

26 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I have a pair almost exactly like those. Got them as part of a bunch of tools I bought and kept them hidden for a long time. Then one day I needed a pair to do what the ones I had out wouldn't so I grabbed the "fake" tongs. Darned things worked a treat, then and on other work. Now they have a permanent place on my go to tong rack. Nothing makeshift about a tool that does it's job and does it well.

Michael, please don't post several pics from your gallery in separate posts. It downloads your whole gallery in every post and uses a lot more bandwidth than necessary. Some of the Iforge membership are still on dialup connections and band width is tight. Lots live in the 3rd. world and are online believe it or not. Earth is getting cooler all the time eh?

Oh, charcoal only sucks in a too shallow bottom blast forge. If you break it up to acorn or smaller size and turn the air WAY down it'll work a lot better for you. Even a garage sale blow drier produces WAY too much air for a normal size charcoal forge fire. Check out the JABOD forge, easy to make and sideblast works much better for charcoal.

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty,

I'm not certain how that happened. I did them all in one upload, by accident in the knives gallery. I didn't mean to make them separate or anything. Sorry still trying to figure this forum thing out. Haven't used a forum in years. Mostly use Facebook for this kind of stuff

Sorry. I am still learning how to use the forum. Did not mean to post in the wrong gallery.  I don't know how to change it.

Sorry. I am still learning how to use the forum. Did not mean to post in the wrong gallery.  I don't know how to change it.

Sorry. I am still learning how to use the forum. Did not mean to post in the wrong gallery.  I don't know how to change it.

Sorry. I am still learning how to use the forum. Did not mean to post in the wrong gallery.  I don't know how to change it.