Ghent

I just got the first part of my JABOD forge done, it went well but I realized something, the screws I used were galvanized and a few of them might come into contact with a bit of heat. At the closest point, there will be about 3 in. of sand, clay, and a 22 gauge steel sheet between the fire and the screw I think. From what I saw online fumes start to produce around 1000 F, considering this I don't expect that much heat will make its way to the screws, so it should be safe. Just to be sure, however, I am interested in the opinion of others that have a bit more knowledge on the subject. I couldn't find any clues on the JABOD thread, but perhaps I missed something. Thanks in advance.

After some thought, I've decided to make the JABOD forge or at least a variation of it. Thanks for all the helpful input, ill keep the fire pit on hand, just in case I decide to make use of it later. I still have to work on a blower, I was thinking of either converting a hand crank grinding stone into a blower or using a cheap hair dryer, but that's for after the forge is built.

While the wood does look quite nice it is a laminate unfortunately, so don't be fooled. I have been considering the JABOD as another option, but I have a few questions, one being, can I just use any dirt or does it need to have a lot of clay in it? Furthermore, can the size be increased without worry or are there other factors that I would have to take into account?

I could cut the pit in half and just have a metal sheet on one side that would have a hole for the air. (see bad sketch)

Hey all, I'm fairly new to this and this is my first forge so please bear with me. I'm currently trying to decide on a design for a coal forge. I have this old fire pit (28in diameter, 7in deep) that I plan to use as my fire pot, the metal is thin so to prevent the fire from burning through I was thinking of using cement rated for 2,200 F to coat the inside. I also want to have a table that has a hole cut in the center that the pit fits into. I have two options for the table. I can either buy a 1/4in thick steel plate from craigslist for 60$ (I would also have to cut it down to size, but I don't have the tools to do that) Or I can use some 3/4in thick 95inch long and 18 wide. You probably noticed that the wood is not as wide as the pit, to remedy this I would cut the wood in half and put the two sides together making it 47.5 in long and 36 in wide. My questions are, is wood a viable option? If not is there a cheaper option than the steel plate? And is there any other comments on the design? Sorry for the horrendous formatting, also here is another photo I forgot to add

Just gave it a go with just chalk and paper and didn't get much, I'll give this other method a go, thanks.

Recently got a new anvil; however, after going over it with a drill with a brush attachment and giving it a 24-hour vinegar bath I can't find any markings. The only information I really know about it is that it is 130 pounds. I've also noticed that it seems to be a colonial style anvil, unfortunately, that is where my knowledge ends. Hopefully, you guys can help identify it. Any help is appreciated, thanks in advance.