1DaramG

So one question that comes to mind is why the pipe. Would it be to do with the pressure from the burner pushing the flame away from the burner and therefore going out? Or is it more of a heat insulation thing? I spoke with Amal today but their guy in the know is on holiday so will talk with him next week in regards to which one I purchase. Thanks again for your input. Has been such a help and will hopefully ensure that my eyebrows stay on my forehead. Cheers Duncan

Again this is just massively helpful. So thanks you all so much for you input. I would say I have been focusing a little too much on the torch itself rather than retaining heat in the forge itself. I will be looking in to kiln wash and some fire bricks for sure. That has been a great mind set change so thanks Mikey98118 I will focus a lot more now on containing the heat. Also thanks Latticino for the heads up on the safety tip. Im sure I was told about poisonous gases from Galvanised metal before but had totaly forgotten so my thanks. I am going to be running this from a 13kg gas bottle for the exact reason you stated. I also bought an adjustable regulator that will reach 60 psi so ive no worries there. It looks as though the amal is getting the vote on the burner (tinkertim giving the third vote) so I guess ill go that way. timgunn1962 I was wondering if you could give me a bit more of a run down on the setup you have in the pictures you posted. Is that a fitting on the torch or just a bit of pipe? Does the length of the pipe matter and did you have that sealed to the furnace or was that just a tight fitting? Also you mention about the burner staying lit. Does the forge need to be at temp in order for the burner to pull the fuel? I also agree now Buzzkill. I thing I have been wrongly assuming the 1700 degree mark. Having seen a few comments form other here I now think the lower temps will work fine. Trial and error but with all the advise for far im hoping less error. Thanks again all for your input which has been such great help Duncan

Again thanks so much for your input. Ive been trying for a while to find a forum that actually helps. So in answer to your questions. Goods. I used a 1700 degree castable refractory. The minimum thickness in the forge is about 50mm. I got the idea from a you-tuber called the art of craftsmanship and after doing a bit of homework saw a lot of people doing a plaster of paris mix but also saw a lot of negative in regards to longevity. So figured spend a little more and get something that can handle the heat. Proof will be in the pudding I guess. A huge thanks to for the info in regards to file heating temps. Maybe 1700 is too much for a starter and I can get lower temp torches easier than ones that will reach 1700. Frosty. The build was simple. 50mm refractory in the bottom of the bucket, let that set then a drain pipe to create the void. A pre drilled hole for the burner which I blocked with an old broom handle to gain access and thats it really. I hope the two separate refractory stages dont create a weak point but then thats all in the learning curve I guess and also why ive not gone out and spent a lot of cash to start. Plus the experience of making my own is priceless. Simian and Swedefiddle. (Your name raises so many question). I will look into Amal burners. This is the exact reason I have been on these forums as you can offer information that I wouldnt even know to look for, so thank you for pointing me in the right direction. `Also Simian I live in Lincolnshire. Thanks again for all your input. It really helps Cheers Duncan

Firstly thanks for getting in touch. As mentioned I am an amateur knife maker so am grateful for all the help you offer. Im gonna try answer all in one hit. JHCC. I am in the UK. Im finding it hard to get a torch that will burn 1700 degree c which is what I have read online wold be the best temp I might need for the task at hand which to start with will probably only be heating old files so I can experiment with those in regards to forging. I have attached a couple of pics to help you better understand my set up. Frosty. My apologies for not being a little more specific with the measurements I gave. Those are for the hole at the base of the forge which the torch goes in to. I put the hole at an angle also as my thinking was to create a vortex of heat inside the internal of the forge. I thought maybe this would spread the heat a little better rather than blasting the heat in one area. Id love to hear your thoughts on that BTW. Mikey. I am looking to run this from a propane bottle (BBQ/Camping Bottle). MOst of what I can find here in the uk are either hand held burners which dont give me the correct connection or they have the correct connection but not a 1/4 inch male connection for the propane bottle. I was in a live chat with a you-tuber called Max Randolph who mentioned making his own burners. Dont know were I would begin with that. Any advise\links you could give me on that would be greatly appreciated. Again many thanks for your input. Duncan

I am an amateur knife maker and am looking to get in to a little bit of forging. I have made a bucket forge at home but am having trouble finding the right torch for the job. The torch is to fit in to the base of the bucket which is about 25mm wide and 50mm deep. Any advise on which torches would give me the best heat for forging wold be greatly appreciated as so far i am seeing torches that can achieve 1200 c but from what I have read I need to go as high as 1700. Many Thanks Duncan