Clam River Coal Forge

How long should it take to reach forging temp for a 1/4" x 1 1/4"x 3" I was trying to make a pair of tongs, but it seems that I may not be hot enough?

First off I would like to thank all for the words of encouragment. I tried my home made anvil, and it sure beats kneeling on the floor and beating on that rotor. Made a hook for the bird feeder so we can hang suet. My main objective was to had a hood to my forge, and had to fire it up to check it out one can not waste fuel and a good fire. I want to be able to use inside. I will post some pictures as I progress. I share your words of wisdom with my wife. She says I found a whole new world of friends.

just finished building the other day will try it out sometime during this coming week need a day without rain.

Ok its the new kid on the block I just finished making my beginner anvil. Will it work have not tried it out if nothing more the block is nice. One thing is sure it will be better than a truck rotor laying on the floor. It has a RR for the center, horn I don't know found it at work cast steel, and the 1x3x10 steel face not sure.

I have fired it up few times, but I get such wind around my garage unless it is dead calm. Hope to build a bigger forge and place inside. Right now rigging up make shift anvil using a tee rail

Fisher Check out my Avatar photo

Thanks frosty just finished looks good

I added profile photo and used the forge with the rotor hub as the fire pot not sure if it took. I am in the process of welding together anvil from RR rail I will take some photos once I start putting together. Have done some forging using a truck rotor to beat on managed to flange a piece of pipe making bird feeder for the wife and floor flange is $10.00 11/2" size took me about an hour to make.

Well I;d say the coal is a little of everything I have gotten pretty good at judging between anthracite and bituminius especially when I try and break it in my hand with a hammer. Yep nothing like being a kid again. I keep trying on the anvil in the mean time still going to make something better than a rotor hub. George

Hello everyone I have a forge that my brother in law gave me quite sometime ago. It was in need of repair. Well it has been repaired with the help of some fine internet articles and several you tube videos. I would have posted a photo,but not sure how to do it. I also had anvil, but he wanted that back for my nephew. I plan to build a larger forge and than give this one to my nephew who has the anvil. I just start today to build an anvil. I have made offers on a peter wright, but they have not got back to me. I think they want to see what the auction will bring. They also had old post drill that was going to scrap, but I did not get that either. My coal story is unique. growing up my father worked for a local lumber yard which also sold coal. That yard is long gone and buying coal here is Michigan is almost non-exsistant. Long story short the river that run along that area was a great place for kids to throw the coal as the piles wre only 10 feet away. The city has since changed the dam and what was once high water is now low. I have retreived over a ton of coal and can not beat the price. George