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I Forge Iron

bliziak

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Everything posted by bliziak

  1. Did you rigidize the Kaowool? Ove read that this is a step that can conceivably be skipped... But it shouldn't! If you rigidize the kaowool then the refractory you "paint" on(I say paint on because you should thin it out a bit before applying it to the Kaowool), will apply easier to the Kaowool.
  2. I was the one who posted originally, so I keep getting notifications about the topic that I wrote, LOL. I've since abandoned the building of a gas forge, for now... in the meantime I very crudely welded together some parts and taped other parts together with heat tape to make a makeshift coal Forge which really does the job and allows me to he beat and repeat. that being said I've pretty much gone back to the drawing board. I want to learn more about how steel is going to be moving under my hammer. Needless to say I haven't fired up the forge in a while, in between acquiring new power tools and setting up my shop, I've mostly been taking clay learning it moves under my hammer. Some people have told me this isn't smart, others have said the opposite, either way I know that clay will move under my hammer in a somewhat similar way to red hot Steel. I don't have the money for classes, and there is a lack of Master smiths in my area. So this is what I choose to do to teach myself if that's what we're talkin about.
  3. Well put, sir... And I see what you mean when you say "working hot iron is different things to different people." Like I said earlier, getting as excited over a failure as I don a success is truly, as you said, a Zen experience. For it means, at least for me that is. That I learned yet another way not to do something...
  4. I truly admire the way you put some things, Frosty! And yes, I DO know what you mean. So let me speak about something that I KNOW. I know that it has been quite some time, years in fact, since something has brought me the copious amounts of joy that learning to blacksmith has brought, and continues to bring me everyday! Plus I cant remember anything where I get just as excited failing, as I do when I succeed. And isnt that what it's all really about? Happiness? Joy? A sense of fulfilment? Well, that's what it's about for me. At least for the time being, that is... I think life is too short for anything else... So unroll something changes, I intend to continue swinging a hammer, and asking questions. Thanx everyone!
  5. Big thanx to Steve Sells! Yea I did miss that. Like I said, I seem to get add after spending long amounts of time pouring over text looking for a specific answer. So much so in fact that I missed that! So again, much appreciation for the course correction. Going to head there right now and start reading! Thanx to all!
  6. See... Lime I ended my post with... "I KNOW NOTHING!" Lucky for me, I have the super bonus of hundreds of thousands of individuals that came before me, who actually know what they are doing. Now, since I am going straight to the forging process, I now understand that annealing isn't as necessary as I previously understood it to be. That being said, I am, if nothing at all, grateful for ALL the knowledge that gets bestowed upon me, mainly because I don't have money for lessons, nor an opportunity for some kind of apprenticeship, or trade of services. Therefore, anytime knowledge is shared with me... Well... You know. Yes I know my toaster oven doesn't go to a thousand degrees, I was being a bit facetious. But I appreciate the input. A big thanx to all!
  7. So ive poured over PDF files, and forum posts. Even asked questions thru social networking.... But I find the most insightful, soumd, and logical information to be here, on this forum... It is just so difficult, sometimes, to find a clear, to the point answer in all these posts... So what I am curious about is the annealing process of salvaged steel. For conversation sake, let's say a piece of 5160 leaf spring that's been cut off of an old F150. From what I can understand, I need to anneal this piece of steel, before I begin to shape it, if for any reason, to make sure it's as strong as can be... In my readings and research, I was informed that it is nearly impossible to "accurately" anneal any piece of steel at home, for heating to temp than cooling at room temp is to fast a cooling cycle. I've been using a toaster oven for tempering... Would it be too in-accurate to heat to critical, than slowly cool in my little oven? For me, in theory, the idea seems doable... However, I've proved time and time again... That I know NOTHING!
  8. Oh believe you me, I agree. I just didn't happen to go into explainging the services that I would be able to offer in a hypothetical, master/protege type situation. With that being said, I know that I am grateful to have this forum at my fingertips, I was just voicing some wishful thinking I guess... So I just want to make sure... Before I start spending money. Fumed silica, no matter what a seller might list the use for, as long as it's in powder form, will make rigidizer when mixed with water, correct?
  9. Yes. I see now. I came to the conclusion you just explained to me after about 2 hours of a combination of readings (on this forum) as well as the internet version of window shopping, sprinkled with a little bit of arithmetic. After considering that no matter which type of forge I decide to build, it will be somewhat of a non-renewable resource, until I repair, and eventually re-build. It has to be about getting to most bang for my buck. And it seems that the ceramic insulation route, though a scoach confusing, really is the best bet. But I always come back to wishing I could just apprentice, somewhere for someone. Having the ability to watch and learn, rather than this trial and error technique. I mean it can be a not tedious trying to decipher thru all the information out there. But that's what learning is all about I gather. BTW... Frosty, what do you think of taking some sheet metal and making a shell out of it. Than lining it with Kaowool, tearing it with rigidizer, and than the motar? Would that suffice? Or am I missing a couple steps...
  10. I was in my shop earlier, hypothesizing(cleaning). A friend stopped by earlier, and dropped off a bunch of sheet metal. What it be ludicrous to make a forge shell out of this? I mean if I just cut it to the size I would like.(Somewhere in between the size of a coffee can and a propane tank, lengthwise and diameter wise) Is this too far fetched? I mean as long as the she'll is steel, and it lined and treated properly, would this not work? -bliziak
  11. I just want to thank everyone for such sound information. I look forward to knowing that each step I take, from thos point forward, will be a well informed "step," granting me the confidence I need to proceed safely into this wonderful journey of learning. Now that that is out of the way, I have decided to use either the old propane tank, or going the IFB and angle iron route, as my next forge. Honestly, whichever is cheaper. The propane tank, pretty sure it's an old 30 pounder. It's covered in rust and dirt, and I don't think I would be able to fill it anywhere. So my next step will be acquiring all the items I need, starting with the right amount of ceramic insulation (Kaowool). Which I know is a brand name, it's just easier to refer to it as such. Question. Could I just cut the top off of the tank and insulate the inside of it, would it be better to insulate the top and tac it back on? Or would it be better to go the IFB/angle iron route. Or what if I chose to use the hard fire brick and insulated it with refractory mortar... I imagine there are too many variables to get a definitive answer. Guess I've got some reading. to do. Thanx all!!!
  12. Love that quote George N.M. It is NOT in fact a scuba tank. I only said as much because when I saw It in the junk yard, thats what it looked like to me. Upon further inspection I came to see that there are very few words visible on the tank, except for " non-flammable" gas. The best I can tell is that it is a carbon dioxide tank? So to tell if it is Steel or Al, I'm not sure. Does aluminum spark at all? Even in the slightest? Because if not I could try a spark test. No?
  13. its mapp gas. But it seems like no matter what yes I use, nor what size tank, I keep getting these large yellow billos of flame. Then I will say having read some of the literature on this site, as well as others. I am planning on going the, ceramic insulation + rigidizer + refractory, route. I even have an old propane tank to use. That or an old scuba tank. Not sure yet what im going to use. I am waiting on the delivery of a welder to start those projects. After what ive been told here, I imagine that I will start working on this forge a bit sooner than I had planned. I just wanted to be able to keep working/learning(keep hitting hot steel) while all this played out. I do wish I could just apprentice somewhere. Everything I've ever gotten good at, I was always able to watch someone do right in front of me. Oh well... If you could answer one more question for me. is there a less expensive alternative to buying rigidizer and refractory. I read some nonsense online about refractory mortar being thinned out and then painted on to double as a rigidizer. This cannot be true. Can it?
  14. Well now I just feel STUPID!!!!! many, many, many, MANY thanx to you, Frosty. As well as to EVERYONE ELSE who gave me warning. Thank you ALL for responding so quickly, for I might have gotten hurt, or lord forbid... Hurt someone else! So again... Thank you all... Now, I'll start with you, Frosty. I built my beam can put of plaster of Paris, and play sand. It's just shy of 3" thick all the way around. But something tells me that you are about to warn me about using this method of refractory. I was hoping to start small. Using a pencil flame torch, and a 1lb can of gas. But even when I screw the torch head to the 1lb tank, it's like Drogun out there.(the fire breathing dragon from Game of Thrones). So I, of course atopped what I was doing, because there were obviously too many variables for my sake. Here's the photos gentleman. The torch is a brass, pencil flame torch head. And the forge is plaster of Paris, that I let dry in the Nevada heat for just over 8 days before I attempted a test fire. Amd if you havent guessed, I am in Nevada. South western corner of the state (Nye County) to be more precise... Listen everyone... I can't convey how truly grateful I am for your warnings gentlemen. Thank you once again. And I look very forward to more advise, because the last thing I want to do here is give this up! It brings me so much joy! And in not even good at it! HehHeh! -bliziak
  15. I Will work on photos, but it does not matter if torch is firing in or out of forge. (It's a simple coffee can forge) the flames coming from the torch are large and yellow. So big in fact, that I'm not confident firing torch in the shop(indoors).
  16. To all you Brave talented educated Smiths out there, need a little bit of help. I recently decided to brave the oh so wonderful dangers of forging. Made myself is simple yet small coffee can forge. Tried to use a weed torch, realized that might be too strong. So I went ahead and purchased a brass blow torch tip, with an adapter that allows me to plug it to a 20 lb tank. Upon doing so, and then touch firing there is obviously either too much gas or not enough air. Because all I'm getting is Bellows and Bellows of orange flame. There is no regulator and I'm wondering if I could just maybe use a hair dryer at the back of the forge? Or should I nix the 20lb tank and use a 1lb tank like the torch top was intended. It's my understanding that it doesn't matter what size tank I use, because the gas comes out the same. But I can't seem to get a very hot(blue) flame... In need of some educated advise...
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