Nomad
-
Posts
44 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Articles
Gallery
Downloads
Events
Posts posted by Nomad
-
-
A little background on me, I’ve built a couple gassers that worked fairly well over the last few years but currently (multiple moves recently where some stuff just didn’t make it) don’t have a forge. I have a fair few tools of various qualities and a little experience in a lot of different stuff. Specific to this project I have a buzz box welder that my very limited skill set can make work.
My goal in this is to build a propane forge that will allow me to work basic techniques until…well I outgrow it. I’m a cheap/broke hobbyist so I don’t need anything commercial quality and I enjoy the building side almost as much as the using so I don’t want to buy a manufactured one. I use a fair bit of reclaimed steel so I want something large enough to get odd shaped pieces reformed to bars that I can use (think opening eyes in leaf springs). In a perfect world (and this seems reasonable) someday I will start doing some forge welding practice and this forge should allow me to start. I figure that about the time I need to reline the forge, I may consider a new design.
My intent is to use a 20# propane cylinder as the body and follow Wayne Coe’s design. I am currently planning on firing it with a pair of Frosty’s T burners run off a 100#er I have. I already have a regulator that I’ve used in the past with good results.
As I said, this post is to try to consolidate thoughts and pose a couple questions. I apologize beforehand if these have been answered elsewhere on the forums; I have literally reviewed them for hours. (I work a job where I have a lot of time on my hands to do so). Some of my questions are more… academic as I am stuck planning at the moment and am curious more than anything.
Let’s start with the burners (parts to make 2)
- 1"x 3/4" black iron plumbing T (2)
- ¾" x 6" black iron nipple (2)
- 1/8" mpt x ¼" flare fitting (2)
- 0.035" Tweco mig contact tip (2)
- 1” x 3” black iron nipple/pipe (2)- I intend to use these to mount my burners to the forge body. I have had good luck in the past thinning the outside of my nipple and reaming out the inside of these to make a tight slip fitting. I will weld these to the body and tap them to take the ¼” x 2” bolts to lock the burner in place
- ¼” x 2” Bolt (6)
Only question I have on the burner is this: I have seen references to cutting down the Tweco. Is that to ensure the tip sits 0.5XD from the end of the burner tube? I assume I’ll need to decide if that is needed during tuning, correct?
- 20# propane cylinder for the body (1)
- Hinges (4)
- Ceramic blanket (planning to buy Inswool from Wayne)- If my math is correct, the inside circumference of this cylinder is 39” and should be around 20” long if you include the ends. Figuring extra for the bottom, (5 linear feet)
- Castable refractory (Kast-o-lite 3000 or what I can get locally) (15 pounds)
- IR reflective (Plistix or what I can get locally) (1 pint)
- Fire brick for floor and end closing (have several on hand)
I hope I am not being too redundant with this line of questioning but your seasoned input is appreciated.
And I also very much want to thank the guys around here that put so much time and effort into sharing their experience and knowledge with the rest of us.
-
Hi all,
Well, I'm an amateur (which is a bit of a stretch upwards) smith/welder/caster/scrounger that has been on and off here over the last decade or so. I've gotten the bug back and so I'm back to spending hours on here. I'm a big fan of cheap and reusing old steel.
My current setup isn't; no forge at the moment but a collection of gear and plans to build one when I get home (I work away from home). Gas is more my speed than solid fuel and I've built a few but this one is going to get a new-to-me T burner as designed by Frosty. (For the record, listen to Frosty. Several years ago he strongly encouraged me to shy away from the forced air burner I decided I wanted to start with. It ended poorly though my 10 year old got some first hand training with a fire extinguisher).
Near future plans for an ABANA membership as well.
-
I picked up a $5 bench drill press at Goodwill. It's a Companion belt driven model that looks (guessing) 30+ years old.(I'm trying for picks but having issues uploading them)
Needs a little (very little) work but everything turns, including the 1 hp motor. Eventually I plan to replace the motor and the chuck but that is down the road.
I have also picked up an older tablesaw and a 'bench grinder' (1 hp motor and a set of pillow blocks) for $5 each. I am sure someone's Grandad is spinning in his grave that this stuff if being given away.
Anyone know anything about these drill presses? -
Funny you should ask as I spent about an hour staring at the Utilikilt web site yesterday. I have been to the retail store, have the belt and am trying to find a buyer for my kidney so I can pick up a Workman's.
Last big festival I went to I was in the whole 9 yards of Great Kilt though I'll whack off a couple yards before I do that again......
N -
With a title like
-
Well, a couple quick points.....
The bricks and joints don't have to hold anything but heat. As long as the insulate, they are doing their part. Build a frame (as was sugested) or put another layer of brick and real morter around the outside.
Second...slow cure is way important. You ought to cover it with plastic and leave it alone for a couple days. Then couple more with no cover. Then reallly low heat. Water expands somewhere in the neigborhood of 1600 times it's size when it becomes steam. That's why concrete explodes in a fire, it's the moisture inside.
Well, let us know how it goes....
BTW- my current furnace is made of garden clay, perilite, and sand inside a shell from a 40# propane tank. Not the best but something to play with.....
Nomad -
Work: Let me throw in my 2 penny’s worth.
First, this is coming from someone on your side of the fence (beginner that doesn’t have the $$ to spend on toy) and not from an expert.
For your forge, you have a great start. You can do a bunch with what you have. The BBQ is an ok, but not great foundation. I used the cart from one and bolted an old cast iron sink into it. That was lined with dirt, garden variety. Where I’m from doesn’t have much organic material though I did sift it through some scrap -
I just bought Item number Item# 16-1336 from Surplus Center - Hydraulic Equipment Electric Motors and am installing it now.Seems to be just what I need.
I did the blowdryer thing and though it worked ok, there are many better ideas.
Nomad -
To stay on the cheap, I use the $30 circular saw with 7" abrasive wheels. Works well for me because I need the saw to cut wood around the house as well and just change out the blades. By far no the best but not a lot of cash tied up in it.
-
If I were in your shoes, assuming you have a hacksaw, hammer, maybe a set a pliers and a way to drill a few holes, I
-
After a bit of looking, I have found a blower at surpluscenter.com that looks go but it lists as a 'Draft Induction Blower'. Having no clue what the first two words here mean, I again turn to the minds here. I think if I couple this blower to a rheostat and/or an intake cover, I'll get what I need. Plus, the housing looks like it would work really well for mounting purposes. Please tell me what you think
-
After a recent lesson in thermodynamics (hot air moves up so if you position the side draft forge with the blow dryer uphill
-
I use a $15 pawn shop circular saw with cut off wheels I can get for $5-7 at the big box stores. The saw is pretty much disposible and cutts pretty fast. Of course you need power, but I think it would be faster than tha band saw.....
Nomad -
No wonder it won't clamp anything....
Thanks guys, I'll try to get my new post drill up and running!
BW- boy that looks just like it except I think mine is a little smaller (doesn't feel like 95#s) what catalog was that in?
Nomad -
Thanks everyone.
JWB, I think those were the pictures I have seen because that is exactly what I had in mind. -
Ok all, I recently purchased the post vise below($20). It seems to be pretty complete but of course I know almost nothing about these tools. Several parts actually move as they should but the gears are all frozen. I have sprayed it down with a good penetrating spray and unscrewed all the bolts and screws without too much trouble. It appears that most the parts are cast so I
-
A while back, I stumbled on a plan to make the jaws of a set of tongs hold a RR spike but can't seem to find it again. I have found the blueprint that will grab the shank but I'd like something that holds the head.
Also, I recently I came into a couple pair of tongs that have a very loose rivet. My thought is to heat the joint and then lightly peen the rivet. Is this the right track?
Nomad
PS: Anyone in the WA/OR area take a look at my post on tailgating....:D -
I had a 100#'r follow me home while visiting family over Christmas. Yes, that was the same family living at 9000 feet in CO on the same trip we had to extend for 5 days because of snow. Brand new tank, just had to shovel a path thru 4' deep snow to get to the 8' drift. Then a few test holes and breaking it free from the ground....then the 2200 mile ride home. I love free stuff!
The other score I had a couple weeks ago came off craigslist. 55 gallon drum full of coal, free for the hauling and only 30 minutes from the house. Now, if I can ever make something that deosn't look like abstract art, I'm going to have to give those nice folk a token.....
Nomad -
Thanks all for your input.
I need to glob onto some coal still (the Farrier supply 40 miles from the house looks to be the best source at $20 for 50#) to try it out.
I will be making a couple cahnges (i.e the angle of my air supply) but I don't think it needs too much.
The air supply is variable via the two speeds on the hair dryer. If I need more I'll add a way to block the supply pipe in increments.
Thanks,
Nomad -
RR welcome, I hope you get a chance to revive your forge soon.
I'm south of you a bit in Battle Ground (WA) just outside of Vancouver (not Canada) Washington (not D.C).
Nathan -
I'd appreciate it if you, my very knowledgable friends, would look at the pictures I posted under the gallery,tools,coal forges. I have no experiance with coal (in fact I still need to buy some to try this forge out) and am looking for suggestions. I used what I had or was able to scrounge. (total cost stands at $3 for bolts and $3 for the blower)
Thanks,
Nomad -
Kallsme´n- That looks great!
Tyler- Though I wouldn't like to think of the byproducts, it can be done. I think waste fryer oil might be safer but I'm not sure. The following was posted on a metalcasting BB I visit. He used a 20# propane cylinder as the burner and it fire a crucible furnace made of a 55 gallon drum.....
http://OpenOSX.com/hotspring/propane-OIL-burner/propane-OIL-burner.html>
He also posted this diagram:
''Here is a side "doodle":
@ = propane bottle
$ = exhaust/flame
* = oil
_ = intake
.. = air
..............@@@@@X@@@@@
.............@.......................................@
$$........@........................................@_______
$$$$$$
$....................................................................
$$$$$$$$$$................................. ________
.............@ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ @
...............@**********************@
................@@@@@@@@@@
So, the bigger the pool/surface area of oil - the bigger/hotter the
exhaust..."
One thing I have found by looking around a bit is that his doodle left out a supply line that drips fuel where I added the X
Nomad -
AG, welcome to the fray.
Small world, I graduated from Arvada Senior High when they were still the Redskins.
Nomad -
The only thing constructive I can add is make good use of your auto shop time. Glob onto every spring you can as these are temperable and can be reworked down the road, even if you don't have the skills yet.
Good luck.
Nomad
Care to review my plan? (WC forge w/Frosty's T burner
in Gas Forges
Posted
Frosty,
Thanks for the info.
I 100% understand the need to base burner on chamber volume but I am kinda stuck for data. Not being where I can measure the cylinder I am going to use for the chamber has left me resorting to Google which has been tremendously unhelpful when it comes to dimensions. I can extrapolate some on a guess but so…
If the cylinder is, (rough guestimate as the only functional dimension I can find online is diameter)
Gives me about 1470 cubic inches.
Now, I am guessing I can subtract the diameter down….3 or so inches for lining, that gives me a volume of a bit over 360 cubic inches.
My number puts it at the top end of your recommendation for a single ¾” burner (300-350) and Wayne’s well above it. For the life of me I cannot find the volume you say for 1” burners but it sounds like I should scale up, especially since my intention is to use one burner only the majority of the time.
Yeah, circumference is only useful when trying to plan how much ‘wool to wrap the body in…not so much for burner sizing.
Again, thanks for the assistance and I am happy to do whatever I can from the information I have.