Red Shed Forge

Frazer, Oh yeah I saw yours the other day. Thanks, looks good! I guess I missed that in your specs list, my bad!

Dangit JHCC, that's cool! Should always spend more time in the galleries lol. But doesn't the sand in yours protect the walls? Mine would just be the table, like the one you showed on this post back in June.

Yup, I do believe I will be scrapping this forge and building a new one. It was scrap to begin with, right? I recently acquired some 1/8" structural steel tubing that I will cut up and use. Table style. From what I have seen and read on here, 1/8" SEEMS to be thick enough for the table and perimeter walls; anyone caution otherwise? I want to avoid using clay. I will double to 1/4" for the sides of the fire pot and probably to 1/2" for the bottom of the fire pot, same steel. The whole thing will probably be 3.5'x2' or 3' (I like the idea of more space for bigger projects; I have one coming up), with the fire pot around 8"x6"x3.5" deep. Tuyere is TBD but I will probably use that same mild steel tubing pictured above, with a proper ash dump, as well. Also still contemplating buying/building a hand crank blower (would be a fun & challenging build I think).

Thomas, Got it. I will inspect closely.

Perfect, thanks Irondragon & Frosty.

The tanks I am set to receive have been sitting for probably a number of years and are not empty. Think they are still safe/good to use, or should I just swap them?

So the welding and gas supply store near me seems pretty great. I called and they confirmed that I do not need to have papers or proof of certification on the tanks that I have; they will still swap them out for me, making me the owner of the tanks they give me. If their condition looks too rough, they send them off to be tested, which I pay for, but I am still given tanks then and there after payment for the oxygen and acetylene. They also do day rentals.

Gotcha gotcha! That's what I thought you meant! Good to know. We don't have many Tractor Supply stores around here, but I found one that's about a half hour from me. I will call tomorrow to see what their policy is. The Google machine shows a few other places near me that fill tanks, maybe they rent too. Thanks for the heads up. George, good point. All the more reason to get a bill of sale.

I'm sorry, I am just a little confused. Are you saying that I should be able to just swap the empty tanks like I would a 20lbs propane tank? Or just go rent a set of tanks for the time being?

BIGGUNDOCTOR, If for some reason I don't get the opportunity to braze the yoke together, I will do my best to follow your exact process. Thank you for relaying that bit of experience you have; I'm sure I'll be revisiting it here in the near and distant future if I don't get the chance to apply it on this project. I appreciate the detail you give, it makes it makes it that much easier to follow.

Perfect. All great info, thanks guys. I have found a local welding supply store so I will make sure to get new hoses and an arrestor soon after I have the tanks in my possession. I also have a close friend in an industry that often requires the use of an oxyacetylene torch. I will see if he can get me some time with someone in his shop for training. Also, I finally got a response from the owner of the bell and we are working on a time to get together to discuss the project further. Things are coming together! What an exciting and educational vocation I am pursuing. I am very grateful for this forum and all its contributors. Couldn't do it right without you guys! Red

Thank you, Thomas. Flashback arrestor, got it!

George, Great advice, thank you. I will see if a bill of sale/affidavit is necessary to get it filled here. And I will absolutely get it pressure tested and find some in-person instruction on using it. It is very exciting to have such great tool, but yes, considering its potential danger, I want to approach cautiously.

Thank you for confirming, Irondragon. Update: Those who have read some of my other posts may know that I receive invaluable aid from my father-in-law, Tim. Whether in the form of tool acquisition or simply advice, he's always looking out for me. Well today, having yet to hear (the possibility) of this project, as if he knew the tool I needed to solve the dilemma of weld vs. forge anew, this guy finds a fully-equipped oxyacetylene station. 2 tanks, torches and more; all we need is some new hoses. An old friend of the family had passed away and his wife said come take what you want. If only I still had My Old Kentucky Home! Of course, it's worth the 6.5 hours drive. We're due for a visit anyway. So this means I get to learn how to operate the tanks and torches and eventually, how to braze the cast iron yoke! He could not find the papers for it, so we are concerned that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to get them filled here in Illinois without them. I will be asking around, but if anyone on here might know, please point me in the right direction. I'm psyched, Red

All great advice, thank you very much! Exactly the issue with the owner: it's a piece of their family history and they want to keep it as original as possible. She is VERY slow to converse about this so... I am worried they might flake on me, but that's probably me just being impatient. If they choose to have me weld it, I'll do exactly as you say. Red

Ok, thank you for that. I do not have an acetylene torch, but I imagine a MAPP gas torch would allow me to achieve a black heat. When considering the weight of the bell, what are your thoughts on the integrity of a cast iron weld?

Indeed it would! Didn't think that far ahead haha.

Good point, these big ones have quite the clang. But wouldn't it be neat if you could line it directly to the kitchen? And maybe it could double as a clothes line! haha. Could get pretty creative with it.

Thomas, I like the idea of mounting it in the smithy! I have an old strainer crank, used for wire fencing on the farm, made by Dillon that dates to 1905. I have yet to free it from its very thick oxidation and spark test it, but I assume it is either cast iron or cast steel. It has raised letters and, for lack of a better description, a fuller-ed handle on either side. But I don't think I would to want ruin that for this project. Not worth a whole lot from what I have gathered, but aesthetically pleasing.

I am not 100% sure, as she has yet to send me more pictures. I have a 20 second video clip she sent me, hopefully it will post here. She shows the break quickly at one point in the video, and from that glance, to me, it looks granular. I do not have any wrought iron, unfortunately. I did not go to welding school, but thank you for the confidence. I studied English Literature & Professional Writing at Murray State University in Murray, KY. From what I have learned from watching others do it on the internet, I should weld an inch at a time at a lower amp setting (around 50 with the arc welder with a 3/32" rod; mine is older so I will practice a bit first), tapping the scale off as I go to insure a nice finish. If it's CI to CI, I should use a pure nickel rod; if CI to mild steel, I should use a ferro-nickel rod. So far, I concur with the majority vote. I will suggest to the owner and, if it is cool with them, I will forge another yoke from mild steel. From our first few conversations, however, they seem pretty intent on keeping as much of the original piece as possible. Yeah, pretty close to me! I grew up in Lombard, so a little farther west. After spending about 7 years in KY, between school and working for a few years, my wife and I decided to move back up here for work. I currently work in Burr Ridge, so even closer to Oak Lawn. But I agree... too many people here to be completely comfortable in this climate. We do intend to move back to where she is from in Graves County, KY, with the promise of some family acreage. Red Here is the video she sent me. received_313214449921200.mp4

It seems welding cast iron needs to be done with cast iron rods, go figure. They need to be Ferro-Nickel or pure nickel. Pure nickel is of course pretty expensive. Gotta spend money to make money, I guess!

George, Thank you for your thoughts. Yes, that's why I am so worried. Unfortunately I would not be able to braze as I do not have an acetylene torch, nor do I know anyone who does. I will continue my research on arc welding, otherwise, I think you're right... will have to forge a new yoke. Red

Hey Guys, I hope this is the correct page in which to post this topic, I am sure it will be moved if not. I recently caught up with an old friend from high school who had posted pictures of some old iron pieces she hand found while walking on a trail here in Joliet, IL, a suburb of Chicago. She was wondering what they were. Long story short, I did some research and quickly figured out that they were some old iron Singletree hooks used, I believe, with plow yokes and the like. Anyway, we continued talking and she goes on to show me this large farm bell she has. One of the arms of its yoke, the one on the left, has broken clean off. I have yet to see it in person, but she sent a video and it does look like a clean break. She asked if I could fix it because they want to hang it from the side of the house, not the traditional way of mounting it atop a post. I said I could weld it back on and, if she would like, I can forge a large hanger for it. She said yes! Cue over-excitement and brainstorm. So before I venture too far into this project, I want to make sure of a few things. (1) I have an arc welder and I have learned a little about welding old cast iron. It sounds like an arc welder will get the job done, but I am wondering: is there anything else I should be cautious of when welding it back on, other than the look of the finished weld? (2) I have made a plant hanger before (pictured), but it is from mild steel and much smaller than this project will require. I will soon be given a 20', 1/8" thick structural beam from a friend (pictured). I am considering cutting it into strips and using it, but am wondering if it will be thick enough to support it... forever. I will also be using the current iron arms holding it up in the picture. The idea is to make 2 hangers and connect them at the mounting brackets, or just 2 separate hangers. I can't decide which will look/be better; the bell looks to be at least 50lbs. I am still waiting on more info from her. The bell has been in her boyfriend's family for what sounds like close to 100 years, on their farm in Wisconsin. His father is 72 and has said that HIS father remembered it ringing as a teenager. Obviously, I am being trusted with a piece of family history IF they decide to hire me. All conversation points that direction. So this project carries a lot of weight, pun intended. Please, let me know your concerns or how you would go about it. Try not to burst my bubble! More pictures to come. Thanks, Alex. The beam is the very bottom part, tucked under the scroll garage door. You can see it protruding out, closest to the camera man.

Pnut, It is an inch layer of clay, the steel of the old wheelbarrow followed by another layer of sheet metal before the wood. So far no problems in that regard... I STILL need to invest in a better blower and fix that ash dump. I haven't used it much lately as I have been working to fulfill orders that are better completed with the gas forge. Hate to say it, but part of me wants to scrap it and build a smaller one that will fit in the Shed for the winter. I recently found an old abandoned rectangular gas grill as well as a drum brake that was being used as a stand base (in southern KY). Might convert to either of those. Of course, that means installing an exhaust through the roof of the Shed as well. Alex

I just want to chime in briefly and say that this post is very encouraging to me. I am one of those who started outside my apartment building with a converted version of my dad's old grill for a forge. I too dream of building my own facility (and experience) to teach others the craft I have come to love, one day. Today I teach myself in my humble Red Shed. Hopefully some tomorrow will see me building something awesome like this. Thank you for sharing. Alex