RcRacer

I currently use a 32" x 48" x 3/8" steel plate on top of a 4.1# c-channel frame with 3" x 1/4" square tubing legs. The top overhangs the frame by approx 3" for clamping. I use jigs tack welded to the table top along with magnets ( when they are not near the weld areas ). It's pretty sturdy and will take some pounding. You can find most of these materials at a scrap yard. My first welding table was an old 32" x 32" drain grate. It had a lip around it that could be clamped but the grate allowed for all kinds of setups. All you need is a sturdy flat surface and you get creative with the jigs. I know it doesn't compare to what you use at work but it works! Here's some pics - ( wow the shop was clean when I built that table! ) The table now has a bending brake and a vice mounted to it. You can't see much of the grate but you get the idea. It's sitting on metal saw horses. I've built many projects on it. I paid $20 at a scrap dealer.

I just spit coffee all over my keyboard I guess we've all learned things the hard way As far as oil finishes, I don't know about blue but I have seen a beautiful black satin finish with heated metal and boiled linseed oil. It's supposedly pretty durable but as with any chemical and heat, care should be taken to protect your skin and lungs while coating.

On the burner part of my project, as Frosty suggested, I used a larger orifice on my burner. I used my lathe to drill out a .035 MIG tip to .054" from .044". I also shortened the tip slightly and made the nose rounder. This gives me a little more adjustment in how far the tip sticks into the throat of the main tube. I also made a "pseudo flair" out of 1.5" pipe. I bored some gradual steps in it but it doesn't really taper much. The larger pipe essentially provides a pressure drop and helps retain a flame. I tested it from 4 to 10 pound and it seems to work fine. ( it's a lot easier to make than the stainless cone! ) Here's some pics of the burner running with the new MIG tip and pseudo flair. Here it is running at 4lbs of pressure: Another at 10lbs: The forge body is ready for welding. I still need to cut and fabricate the doors and the burner holder. The top was gradually bent in my home made brake: I bent 1/8" lips on the bottom to provide laps for welding because they are easier than edge joints when you haven't been practicing - Ready for cleanup and welding: In about a week or so I should have the insulating material and the main body finished. I'm still looking for scrap material to make the doors. If I can't find scrap I'll have to break down and buy some new sheet metal. That shouldn't really hold me up too much. I'll post pics when I get more done. Dom

I know this was originally posted long ago, but the knife is cool looking. If you are still with us ( the original poster ), please describe how you welded the file knife edge to the re-bar. PS. Does any one else want to take a stab at how it was done? ( No pun intended ). Thanks, Dom

I know how you feel. I had a stroke in Dec of 2008 and my right leg and arm were completely paralyzed. I had to learn to do everything with my left arm and hand. Fortunately, I am gaining back some use of my right side. ( my goal is get enough back to ride my motorcycle again ) I can write and type with both hands now ( hunt and peck , I am a software engineer ) and I can manipulate some tools. I just started to do some metal work in my garage again ( a hobby of mine for several years). As a newbie to blacksmithing, I am building a forge and have used my left arm to hammer bends in sheet metal. It's awkward but surprising how you can train your off side to do things. My advice is to learn how to use your left arm and when your right hand heals, you'll be able to do things either way. ;)

Somebody had too much to drink when they invented that unit of measure. Gauge is not only different for different materials it's different for the same material in different forms. Steel sheet is different than steel rod and wire. Good thing for the internet and cross reference charts :D

I had a gut feeling that 16ga would be OK but thanks to everybody for the reinforcement ( pun intended ). I would have rather used something heavier so it would be easier to weld but I need the practice anyway I'll post pics as I go along.

I have searched in these forums and found that some have used stove pipe for their forge shells. That usually is 22ga to 24ga metal. I was going to fabricate mine from 14ga sheet metal until I found that I only have some 16ga hot rolled sheet available. I have some 13ga galvanized sheet but we won't go there So my question is based on the assumption that 16ga will be ok for a mailbox shaped design. The concern I have is for the strength of the entry point of the burner. I plan to mount the burner almost horizontal and tangent to the curved roof of the chamber. Do you think I'll need to reinforce that area? What about warpage? Just for some additional info, the forge will be line with 2" of ceramic wool and coated with ITC 100. The floor will be 2" of ceramic wool and a coating of Mizzou castable refractory for durability and flux resistance ( if I try welding ) Any input would be appreciated. Thanks, Dom

Thanks, Frosty. I'll give that a try. ;)

The tube is 8" x 1". The hole size in a Lincoln MIG tip is .043" in a tip marked .035. A .045 MIG tip would have a hole size of about .055". Should I drill out the tip ( using my lathe ) to that size?

I just finished making the flair for my burner yesterday so I fired it up to see how it works. The design is basically the "T" Jet ( Thanks Frosty ) with a mod for the nipple holder for the MIG tip. I have attached some pics. Please excuse the shop clutter and the photographer. Here's the parts before welding and assembly: The 1/4" nipple was plugged and welded at the end and then drilled and tapped for 6 x 1.00 Metric. That's the thread size for my Lincoln MIG. The MIG tip is for .035 wire so the orifice is actually a #57 drill size. The 1/4" nipple, for part of it's length, is turned down to 1/2" OD. I made the collar 1/2" so that I could use a straight 1/2" rod as a jig to hold the collar perfectly straight down the tube when welding. The MIG tip in the "T": The finished burner: I rolled the flair from 14ga. stainless and then TIG welded the seam. I made a pattern based on a cone pattern app available on the web. I drew the pattern using my PlasmaCAM CAD and the cut it out with the plasma cutter. Rolling and welding was an adventure since I don't have full use of my right arm ( yet ) and I am right handed. The burner is ... well burning The regulator was set at 8lbs and the flair was adjusted so that it extended 1.625" from the end of the pipe. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to fine tune it today and do some final leak checks. The forge will be constructed from 14ga sheet metal, shaped like a mailbox and have an outer dimension of 10 x 10 x 10. With 2" of ceramic wool inside, the chamber will be 6 x 6 x 10. I'm planning on having hinged doors on the ends with 1" insulation and openings of approx 4 x 4. I will post the progress of the forge as construction progresses.

To everyone, Thanks for the welcome and words of encouragement. Frosty, The tube length is 8 inches. I will be testing in free air since I haven't built the forge yet. I was under the assumption that I needed a flair for that purpose. I'll let you know how it works out when my regulator arrives - it's supposedly "in the mail". I have additional pipe in case I need to change the length of the main tube. Dom

Just wanted to say hello before I actually started posting. The screen name is old and misleading. I am not really a racer and I no longer participate in RC but that's where it came from. Years ago, when my sons were younger, they didn't have drivers licenses and girlfriends so we raced 1/8th scale RC monster trucks together. I was the pit monkey and did all of the building, repairs and tuning, they did the driving / racing. That's where the metalworking started. In order to make custom parts, I bought a mini lathe, mini mill and a 4x6 bandsaw. As time went on, I acquired a MIG and TIG because I discovered that not everything screwed together. Over time my garage evolved into a metal shop and now contains all of the above along with a Plasma cutter/CNC table, tubing bender and a rebuilt 1981 Harley Ironhead I dabbled in yard art and have made the odd mechanical part for friends and relatives. In December of 2008, I suffered a stroke am now in the process of recovering the use of my right arm and leg. Riding the motorcycle is out for now but I have started to do things in the shop again. In fact this evening, I TIG welded for the first time in 5 months. It wasn't very pretty but it was solid. I've always had an interest in making knife blanks on the PlasmaCam and have been interested in building a forge for hardening and tempering. My current project is a T jet burner that is completed except for the flair. Yes, I know it's better to buy one but I need to make one first Once I build my forge, I would like to dabble in a little hand forging knives and tools. That's why I joined this forum. I'm looking forward to learning from the members here. This is great forum. When I get my pictures hosted, I'll post my burner project. Dom PS. Luckily I have real job because I don't make any money doing this :D