AnimaVetus

I have a bag of tube sand I randomly move from place to place for no good reason so maybe it's finally found it's purpose.

It's a Philly thing, but I'll call it Just A Wood'N Box Of Dirt. Scrounged up some scrap wood consisting of some 2" thick planks, butcher block, 6" newel post and other wide planks to be assembled with leftover nuts and bolts from treehouse and firewood shelter builds. Gonna be bloody heavy but nice and sturdy (I tend to overbuild). I have to dig out some storm swales around the property so will dig deep to get some soil clay to fill the box. Should be around 25" x 35".

Phew! Got a Buffalo forge company blower coming in soon.

So I take it no one is using ye olde hand crank blowers anymore, eh?

Frosty, I appreciate the warm welcome! Haha

Alright, JABOD side blast trench forge it shall be then! Kinda liking the idea of just having this stove at the side to keep warm. Plus, with some pipe wrapped around, it might work for the stock tank hot tub project I also have sitting on the old garage pad.

Thanks for the advice Daswulf.

Seems that wheel forge in the link uses a tractor trailer wheel, which could be around 20" wide, or high in this case. Appears to be more than it's height off the ground so top of the forge could be around 40".

My forge site will be outside by the woods edge on a slab of concrete where the old garage used to be. Currently no shelter but I'll either build one or maybe use a cheap grill gazebo. I can't do anything too permanent or invest too much with this new hobby in discovery stage. The portability of a smaller forge such as the wheel or stove is appealing. Of course a JABOD would be easy to cover up when not in use to decrease exposure. With the wheel concept, I agree about using fireclay mixture instead of cutting brick and is what I was thinking of doing if I went that route.

I'm thinking of starting small and seeing how it goes. I'm fine with fabricating things, that's part of my enjoyment (though I don't have a welder). I'd be using charcoal for which I have plenty of wood and plan to make myself. I had originally thought of using a wheel from the truck I am restoring and found some interesting approaches for that: https://cr4.globalspec.com/blogentry/6502/DIY-Blacksmith-Forge Certainly would need to be raised. Stump and some fire brick perhaps.

Just picked up this little coal stove for cheap at a junk removal warehouse. Hoping it can be my first forge. Thinking maybe I can cast a new lid out of refractory cement with an opening in front and back. Make a new door where ash removal is to attach blower. Any other thoughts or recommendations welcome, I haven't done this before!

Thanks irondragon. Will be sure to update my profile and post in the subforum. Arkie, good question. From research I'm thinking around .49 caliber, half-stock. I am picking them up in a few days. More info to come!

Thanks jlp! Yes been considering some lessons in near future. Will look into your suggestions!

I can appreciate that. I'm all about preserving artifacts and restoration including my 1910s home. I also got an 1850s Pennsylvania rifle made in Philadelphia bundled in a deal with the anvil. I'm in Philly suburbs and currently I'm over the moon!

Its mine!!!