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I managed to get a 55 gallon drum this week that used to have hydraulic fluid in it. I was also able to get 2 different size brake rotors. I started by overflowing it with a garden hose since I could tell there was some fluid left in there. I would rather have water on the shop floor than hydro fluid. Less chance of busting my rear from sliding around. I then cut the front open. Used my plasma cutter to Cut the bottom using a smaller brake rotor as a template. Flipped it over cut a slightly larger hole in the top using a larger rotor as the template Put the large rotor in the bottom hole. It sets perfect in the smaller hole with the flange sitting on the drum floor. Next I built a fire the boy scouts would be proud of. looks worse than what it was. That's just the hydraulic fluid and paint burning of the outside of the drum. After it settled down, I cut a V in the front so I could rest my work piece on and opened it up a bit along the top of the front opening. Since it was all cardboard and paper in there burning and dinner was ready I let it burn out and called it a night.

So I use a brake drum forge out in the open, you can see the picture attached (embedding doesn't work). I also believe I use really cheap coal, $12 for 50lb bag. I heard that cheap coal has a lot of sulfur and so can cause metal fume fever symptoms. When I begin to coke it it caused VERY dark green fumes. Well I forged for about two hours today which is more than before and sure enough I have a sore throat. I feel like I probably breathed a good amount of smoke in because it just goes wherever it wants since I have no chimney. It's not related to zinc as my forge hasn't changed in months and all I was working with today was rebar. Do you guys think this is what caused the sore throat or smoke doesn't tend to do that? If so, do you know of any good methods or tutorials for building a chimney for a brake drum forge? I'd like to get the smoke up and away from me as best as possible. Thanks guys. BIG EDIT: I have no capabilities to weld!

Hello all, I have been using a brake drum forge I made much like the ones seen on the internet. It works and can reach the temperatures I need, so much so I ended up burning off some hard work I put into some rebar :( Part of learning I guess! My problem is this, to keep coal from falling down my tuyere I believe it's called, I got some sheet metal I found at the Brimfield Faire. It was like this really thin tinny looking sheet used for decorating restaurants, sort of like corrugated steel. Anyways, I cut a circle of it and put it in the bottom of the forge and drilled holes into the center. It worked for a little while but now I have air coming up out and around the plate rather than just through the holes. I think it's because it has warped so much from the heat it was never meant to experience. I couldn't get a clear picture since its filled with coal. I am now burning basically an entire brake drum of coal constantly, I don't really have a center of heat, its all going. This is really wasteful I feel. I was wondering if you guys knew of any good material or piece to put in the bottom of a brake drum forge (or any forge) that will work much better? I do have some old BBQ grill....grill. The bars seem too far apart though. Whatever you guys could recommend would be great, thanks! EDIT: I was perusing more, I have no way of actually welding something, I don't mean forge welding. So it would be next to impossible for me to weld some bars into the pipe.

Brake Drum Forge I am relatively new to the Black Smithing community and have been looking for ways to build a simple, cheap (economically) Forge. The design I have decided to use is a Solid Fuel Charcoal Forge. I recently acquired a brake drum and am planning to either sit it or weld it into a sheet of steel, around 3/16 thick. That is what I plan to do and I would like to know what you guys think and if you have any suggestions please don't hold back, just don't be rude. Thanks! Jakob I. Here is a picture of the drum and 2 RR spikes I found.

Hi all, My next project I want to work on is building a horrizontal forge out of a 55gal metal drum. Let me try to describe: Horrizontal with the 'lids' taken off, metal wall welded halfway to decrease size of forge, half forge/half charcoal maker and evaporator. Able to work on long pieces through 'door' cut into metal wall. Vent pipe on top with blower pipe coming into bottom. Do you think this would work/ any suggestions? What should I line the barrel with to protect it as well as insulate? I've read several threads about linings but I think I'm more confused now after reading them. Trying to remain as low cost as possible