narfiddle

Thanks a lot everyone, some really nice ideas and advice here! I will make sure to take a look at all the videos as well. As for the fuel, I wasn't really sure how much I needed and kept to a lower amount, as it was just a brief test of the forge. I assume the answer varies, but how much coal would you generally use for an afternoon of smithing?

Hi all, 

I’ve made a post here a few months ago, asking for some advice regarding a JABOD forge I’ve been working on. After a while, I’ve finally gotten around to finishing it and a bit over a week ago, got it to light up on some anthracite and a bit of charcoal.

It seems to work quite well (I did manage to get a piece of metal to glow red hot), but any constructive feedback would be appreciated.

My main reason for making this post now is that I have a few questions about actually pounding the iron. One, is there a certain type of hammer that is most often used for blacksmithing? I am definitely going to get an anvil (because a brick does not seem to work very well), but I don’t know if the simple claw hammer I have is fit for proper forging. Also, what would be a good beginner project for a complete newbie, something feasible for a person with very little experience?

Thanks, I will probably stick with an electric blower then. 

I'll make sure to have a hose/bucket of water and a fire extinguisher on me (and keep an eye on the lawn if any sparks or hot, solid pieces happen to fall). It's good to hear that simply picking up the hot piece with tongs and stepping on where it landed is enough to deal with smaller pieces of fuel falling onto the ground.

As for the importance of air control,  is a manually-operated blower (like an air pump or hand-crank) better in my case? I'm not sure to what extent this would provide better control of airflow.

Thanks for all the replies and advice!

I was aiming to use something like an air pump or hairdryer to be on the cheap side (as from what I have read these seem to work quite well). Also, would watering the plants around before using the forge help?

13 hours ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said:

The beauty of the JABOD is it is so easy to modify for any particular situation. Have you scanned the different forges being discussed? Yep, basic fire safety is the key, have water handy just in case.

Thanks for bringing the location settings to my attention. I must have missed them, will edit the profile ASAP. I have looked at a variety of JABOD forge examples, but I could not find as much information on preferred dimensions (possible because, as you said, this varies).

11 hours ago, Frosty said:

Air supply and control is frankly more important than the size and shape of the forge. The spark shower described above is most typically caused by poor air control and lack of experience. It's much better to have too small a fire and build it up a little than it is to have too large a fire and try to tame it down. 

I believe, in that case, a smaller coke fire would be a better option for me. Considering I am not as experienced, I would rather be on the safer side and not risk the possibility of spark showers .

Hi, I am currently working on a project to build a DIY blacksmithing forge for the first time. I have done some research and I have settled on a JABOD (Just a box of dirt) type forge, mainly because it seemed the cheapest and most feasible. As for the fuel, I am still not fully sure but I am looking more towards coke or charcoal. 

Now, as I have never done this before, I have three main concerns/questions:

Safety. As I will be firing the forge up on a lawn with flammable objects at the least 3 metres away, any advice regarding safety measures I can take (to prevent myself or anything around catching on fire) or ways that I can make the forge safer would be highly appreciated.

Are there any particular recommended dimensions for a JABOD forge (height, width, length, as well as firepot depth) or what dimensions have proved to work well for you?

Thanks a lot in advance.