My homemade forge ( upgrade from my 12 brick forge )

[rrnsss]

Dear Forumites,

After reading some of the information available here about forge design, I decided to upgrade, to my home made earthen forge. I don't know if it will work , but I have designed it based on what I read.

I took clay, coal ash and rice husk in the ratio of 4:1:1 and mixed it all up with water and let it sit for a few hours. Next I took a fired clay pot (20'' dia ) with fairly thick side walls (3/4 inch) and made a hole at the bottom. Then I wrapped a bit of paper around the steel tube and pushed it through the hole so that the mouth goes to the center of the bottom. Next I took a few days worth of news paper and put it perpendicular to the tube and covering the mouth and started filling my clay mix in. As I came up to the top I filled up more and the sides and made a bowl like depression at the center 3'' deep.

I have attached some pictures so that you can advise me . You can click on the thumbnails to see bigger versions of the picture. My SPGM gallery

I hope to remove the pipe after it dries up. I use common charcoal and I do not have access to coal or lignite.

[james gonzalez]

This looks like it would work as a firepot just fine. I would suggest trying to keep the walls very smooth so impurities do not get stuck to them in use.
Where are you writing from?

[rrnsss]

Sir,

I am writing from Madras, India . It is called Chennai now, but the old British name is madras. I fired up the forge and put in a strip of blade from an old bench planer. Got to red hot and tested it with a magnet (it did not stick ) and I hammered it, but alas it cracked. I think I am not able to bring my metal up to the desired heat no matter how long I stick it in the fire.

Edited June 23, 2009 by mod07

[pete46]

Please explain lignite?

[Charlotte]

Please explain lignite?

Lignite is an "under mature" form of coal, aka "brown coal" it is less dense and has a lower fuel value than regular coal. It resemble peat as much as it resembles coal. In the North west I think it is called rosebud coal.

One thing that may up it fuel value is to let it get quite dry and broken into smaller pieces. I don't know if running it through a charcoal like process would help or hurt.

[Charlotte]

I seem to have missed it some where. What are you using blow your fire?

Edited June 23, 2009 by mod07

[Rob Browne]

If you are going to work that blade try getting it up to orange and give it a bash. Working tool steel too cold will crack it. BTW don't go over orange or it could burn, it has quite a narrow working range.

Your forge looks like it should work well, just let the fire settle down before trying to use it, you need a deep dense bed of coals.

[Finnr]

You may find that you will need a deeper fire using charcoal as it is very light . Charcoal has around the same heat per pound as coal but it takes a whole lot more of it to make a pound.
Finnr

[rrnsss]

Happy to report that I did better this morning. I did the following

1) Made the hole that drops down vertically a bit larger
2) Used smaller charcoal pieces
3) used wet rice husk to smother the coal bed
4) Used a sledge hammer

I managed to deform the same HCHCS that I could not even dent 2 days back.


Actions 1 and 2 were from western wisdom and 3 and 4 were from a guy who is a hand made tile layer. He saw me for the past 3 days struggling and decided to help me out.

The bad news is that after about 1 hour of use the ash blocks the air way and I can't generate any meaningful heat.

I need to drill a hole from the bottom and keep it on 5 bricks so that the ash can fall off if I just move the center brick, the other 4 being in the corners.


Anyway, here is the video. I am holding the stock and the tile layer is striking the iron. You can see the handmade tiles at Aathangudi Chettinad tiles if you like artsy things.


YouTube - MVI 24311