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New Forge under construction


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Hello again! I am currently building a new forge (with my brothers' help) and I thought I'd share some pictures.

It is a little dirty right now (having just been built up to the point it is at).

It is a side draft chimney, and has a wood table section in the front (will soon be made to hold the firepot).


Picture 1: The back of the chimney (Yes, we forgot to put a hole in for the air-pipe:o, I am just going to put it around to the side instead:rolleyes:).

Picture 2: Side view (with the camera at a strange angle).

Picture 3: View of where the firepot will go (where the wood crosses).

Picture 4: A better, elongated view of the wood at the front.

Picture 5: A look up the chimney (with a tarp over the hole in the ceiling to stop rain while the mortar set).

Picture 6: A look at the back wall in the chimney-with extra mortar that fell down:rolleyes:.

Picture 7: A view of where the bricks close (My favourite part!).

Any comments? Advise?

Thanks for looking! (I think, so far; so good!):D

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Edited by Black Maple Forge
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That looks like a great forge!!!! Are you going up with it or put a pipe on top?

This is not a major thing, but I would have made the opening of the chimney 14 to 15 " wide in front next to the firepot and tapered the bricks back to about a 10" wide opening maybe 6" back from the firepot. This would give more room to put a pile of coal on the chimney side of the firepot, while still having a small (10") opening which draws best. If you are going to work from the front (facing the forge) that shouldn't make any diference. Working facing the chimney opening you should be able to have a pile of coal on both sides of the firepot, but you will be limited to how long the iron can be in the forge. I like a coal forge fire to have coal piled on both sides of the firepot and a trench down the middle (where the coke is) for the iron being heated. That is just my opinion, but I don't think everyone does it that way. It was Peter Ross's way, though, and he's a pretty good blacksmith.

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Looking good. If you make the table some 4 feet long and work from the sides you can stack some coal at or near the end along with some tongs, firepoker,shovel and what not. If you make your firepot 4 inch deep and not much more youl be able to lay long pieces across the table and heat the middle of it. Stacking coal each side of the firepot is a good idea so your table should be a good 3 feet wide or more so nothing falls over.
I think your opening should work great,When that chimny heats up itl start pulling up everything including the coal in the firepot LOL, kidding.

What foundation did you do for the chimney? Remember all that brick will be heavy and any shortcuts here can make it crumble.

Are you making sure the chimney is going strait up? Use a level or plumb bob, or something else?

Eric

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Looking good. If you make the table some 4 feet long and work from the sides you can stack some coal at or near the end along with some tongs, firepoker,shovel and what not. If you make your firepot 4 inch deep and not much more youl be able to lay long pieces across the table and heat the middle of it. Stacking coal each side of the firepot is a good idea so your table should be a good 3 feet wide or more so nothing falls over.
I think your opening should work great,When that chimny heats up itl start pulling up everything including the coal in the firepot LOL, kidding.

What foundation did you do for the chimney? Remember all that brick will be heavy and any shortcuts here can make it crumble.

Are you making sure the chimney is going strait up? Use a level or plumb bob, or something else?

Eric


For a foundation I have clay, then large bricks (mortared together) on top. I have a level that I was using, I just moved it for the pictures:D!

So far, the chimney is going straight up (I decided to reduce the size by the slightest amount close to the ceiling-- in the picture of the chimney, this would be the top layer).

Thanks!:cool:
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I feared you had clay under there. How deep is it? If you live on dry land then it shouldt be to much trouble, But if its saturated with water for some time during the year it may settle unevenly or evenly if your lucky. Anyhow thats my 2 cents.

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Nice looking forge.

You can stabilize your foundation somewhat by driving "piles". Long "T" posts will work and are made to be driven and stay put. Drive them till there's only a bit extending up into your masonry, then weld a little rebar on laterally and tie it into your masonry with mortar or better still, pour concrete then lay masonry over and around it.

Frosty

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Reminds me of the one I built last fall. Of course, I did not extend the brick work all the way up. Rather, I made a "cap" of sheet metal and then extended the chimney through the roof with 9 inch pipe (largest I could find locally). The table is framed in with 3 inch angle iron I had left from a previous project. The area nearest the flue is pieced together from 14 guage diamond plate, also left over from a previous project, topped with brick. The far end of the table is 3/4 inch plywood topped with brick. The firepot is a cast iron pot from Centaur and the blower is a Champion 400. While I was doing my research before building, it seems everyone said it would not draw without a smoke shelf. So I built a brick ledge inside to hang a sheet metal smoke shelf from. In reality it draws better without it. As stated by one of the other posters, once the brick is warmed up it will suck the buttons off my shirt (OK, I'm exagerating, but it does draw really well). All in all, I am really happy with it.

Your's looks really great so farr...please keep us updated.

bart

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/13978/ppuser/5367
http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/13980/ppuser/5367

Edited by wolfshieldrx
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Attached are 2 pictures of my forge showing how the opening bricks taper back from 15" wide, next to the Centaur Forge Vulcan (rectangular) fire pot, to about 10 1/2" wide about 6" back from the fire pot. Again it allows coal to be piled on what I call both sides of the fire pot. Actually, coal can be piled on 3 or 4 sides of the fire pot. With a small opening it is not as handy to pile coal there. In the picture the coal is piled about 7" high, but it is not easy to tell by the picture.

The bottom 2 bricks on each side of the opening are soft firebricks as that part of the opening is most likely to deteriorate. Firebricks are not necessary, though.

The piece I am forging is resting on the face of the chimney for support. If I were to build another brick forge, I would make some of the front bricks stick out a little so it would be easy to rest a forging on without having it fall down, which I have to watch out for. I guess I could drill some holes and put a dowel in the hole to help hold the forging.

I do not water the coal on the table, but do water it in the bucket. Some of the coal you see was just put on the table and is still wet and shiny.

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Blksmth, That looks like a very good design.

I will be working from the side of my forge, though (being that the side facing the chimney has little to no walking room).

Yours has a good look (plus the round arch):D. Mine is just a basic square.:rolleyes:




Does yours have a smoke shelf? Mine does not, but it's not too late if anyone thinks it should have one...

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Blk Maple Forge, you will get along fine with yours. I put up my pic's because this is a recurring thread and I finally got around to the pictures. I had a brick mason build mine, but in a couple of years I am going to try to build one myself and I'm not a mason. I am impressed to see that someone else is building one. I hope mine looks as good as yours.

I did put a smoke shelf in mine, but I wouldn't do it again, as I don't think they are necessary for a forge unless the room it is in is air tight. Most blacksmiths shops have a window open or are not air tight.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wooo!:D

In the whole week, we finally had a day of (not rainy) good weather!

That meant, I got to mostly finish the chimney, put the shop back together, and get everything organized. Except, I only had enough bricks to get the chimney up to 3feet and 3inches above the roof...

Will 3'3" above the roof work well for ventilation, or should it be higher?:confused:

I am thinking of just adding a rain cap, but I need some ideas on if it should be taller or not...

I will post some pictures soon!:D

Thanks!

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BMF, if you chimney is at least 2 feet above anything within 10 feet of the top of the chimney, you should be OK. If not, I'd find some more bricks.

You could just try it as it is and see how it does. If OK with the wind blowing from all directions it probably is tall enough.

The rain cap should not restrict the air blowing over the top of the chimney. If the opening in the chimney is 12 inches square, then put the bottom of the rain cap at least 12 inches above the chimney.

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BMF, if you chimney is at least 2 feet above anything within 10 feet of the top of the chimney, you should be OK. If not, I'd find some more bricks.

You could just try it as it is and see how it does. If OK with the wind blowing from all directions it probably is tall enough.

The rain cap should not restrict the air blowing over the top of the chimney. If the opening in the chimney is 12 inches square, then put the bottom of the rain cap at least 12 inches above the chimney.


Well, after trying it out (two days ago) I learned that it draws wonderfully! There was NO smoke at all!:o I made a make-shift rain cap 12 inches above and it also worked very well.

I am very happy with this chimney now!:D

(When it stops raining, I will try to get some pictures of it completed, and sucking up smoke/flame)
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Finally!

Only 3, but they say it all!

Picture 1: The chimney (from inside)

Picture 2: The chimney's draw of smoke and flame (I practically threw a fire together for the picture!). I am proud that this chimney ACTUALLY draws in smoke! I also added a small hood the help catch smoke that is far away from the chimney's entrance.

Picture 3: The top of the chimney {and my make-shift 12" opening rain cap!}. It slowly widens to the top- I thought it might help with the draw (and it was partially accidental!:rolleyes:). The picture makes it look worse than it is.:mad:


There we go! I am proud to have this forge.:D

Thanks for looking!:cool:

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