Gentlemen,

This should be settled with a duel.

At dawn, each of you will be given

• a piece of steel,
• anvil,
• hammer
• forge of choice.
  

The first to make a sword may then approach the other...

Doug

PS: I call dibs on the survivor's forge.

Sorry folks...
I prefer to stay out of these discussions, but when my products are the topic, then I have a responsibility to clear the air. There are a lot of great forges on the market, and they all will make your iron orange, but I've worked hard the last several years to develop some pretty darn good forges.
It irks me a bit when someone takes issue about what I have to say concerning the decline of western civilization here in the good 'ole USA, and turns it an excuse to offer opinions of my and my competitors products. It would be better if these opinions at least had the experience behind them to back up the "conclusions" drawn, but considering the admission that he received his forge only a few days ago, he has maybe a few hours experience with ONE forge to base his opinions on...
He still believes I'm troubled by lost sales, I have explained before that money is not, nor has it ever been, my motivation. What troubles me is LOST FREEDOMS and an out of control Socialist Government. I appreciate accurate information much more. Take a look at EVERYTHING before you buy, including prices, and make an informed decision. Here's a taste of what is out there...
Forgemaster
NC Tool
Chileforge
 Cliff Carroll
MIghty Forge
Swan Forge, from Ozark school of blacksmithingT
Johnsonforge

BTW, in spite of the exhaustive 1 1/2 months of research, this must have been overlooked. This will easily heat the center of pieces larger that 15! So the claim that NO ONE makes a forge that will do that, is incorrect... In fact, these are offered on ebay used for well under $1000 on a regular basis!

I have nothing to hide. My products speak for themselves, as will the others offered if you take the time to look. They ALL have their advantages and disadvantages.

EDIT I left out  Larry Zoeller. If you want to construct your own forge, Larry has EVERYTHING you will need!

That looks like the forge set up in one of the Anvil Fire How to's on armor forging.

For annealing helmets and aromor sections I'm sure it works great. I forget who is the smith in that How TO ?

I knew I lifted it from somewhere. You can right away see the benefits of such a design. I'm going to use a burner from my cayenne to fuel this. They are just plug fit so I can move the burners back and forth as need be. Excellent for armour but i'd guess I can rig it to be hot enough to heat very hard to reach places on large projects. I can use the cayenne burner/regulator on this when necessary, so if anything the Chili Forge is more then versatile for anything I want to do with it. Now that you've steered me to where I got it from i'll have to post on AA to find the smith who came up with it and pick his brain for some more design notes. :cool:

Save it for the playground kids...

BTW thanks for the list of forges, it will make my newb brain strain less in making a choice.

my 2 cents I have a mankel three burner I have added valves and I can run 1,2 or all three burners. the advantage is it has a blower. I have heated 2' long pieces if steel to yellow in 15 min not 1 but 8 some times it can be to big. but I love its proformance.

Diamondback.

Moosetrot

sounds like a diesel forum Ford vs Cummins. The Chili would have to be the Cummins. But the Ford would get you there too. There all good just some are better than others. I like throwing my 0.02 cents in on a 2009 conversation. It’s free concert from here on. 

Welcome aboard John5.9... Have you read this yet? READ THIS FIRST  It will help you get the best out of the forum. If you throw in your 2 cents and I give you a penny for your thoughts, do I get to keep the extra penny?

I fail to understand attempts to buy or build a "perfect" gas forge: they are neither so expensive or space wasting that two or three gas forges in a small shop or garage should amount to a problem?

On 6/25/2009 at 10:17 PM, John Martin said:

I swear by my diamondbackironworks forge. It's a two burner knifemaker. Forge at around 4psi, and weld at 6-7psi. It should be your last forge that you will ever need. However, I have never used a chileforge, so I have nothing good or bad to say about them other than that a lot of people who have one like it.

Are you using the 2 Burner Knifemaker/Welding Forge? The website says it uses Ceramic Hardboard, does that mean it has the stuff to keep loose fibers from messing up all the hard work stopping smoking? The reason I ask is I have never understood the deltas between ceramic hardboard or ceramic wool. 

We are comparing apples to oranges here, or maybe a dragster to the family car. You want to rock and roll? Are you mister lightning hammer? Then, choose a Chile forge, and crank out the work.

You an average Joe, and want long dependable service, for a reasonable price? Go Diamondback.

Chile forge uses my burner design, and I like the owner. Nevertheless, how much forge can you use? There is quite a price difference...

Much as I don't like it, common sense matters

 

On 2/16/2020 at 12:06 PM, eseemann said:

The website says it uses Ceramic Hardboard, does that mean it has the stuff to keep loose fibers from messing up all the hard work stopping smoking?

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this question but better safe than sorry. There's no need to rigidize fiberboard is there? I plan on using an IR Re emission coating which should seal it anyway. Am I correct in this thinking? 

Pnut

Pnut, you and I are of one mind here. I also keep in mind how P.O'd my wife would be if I gave my self cancer when I could have avoided it.

This is 0nly one of the many reason for painting on ceramic surface coatings.

Thanks, I just wanted to make sure. I planned on using plistix for its intended purpose since a box forge isn't the most efficient design. I thought it would kill two birds with one stone. Increasing the efficiency and sealing the fiberboard. Well three birds actually. I'm hoping it also increases the durability of the fiberboard somewhat. Since I've never used either product my assumptions are only based on what I've read and I didn't recall reading anything about sealing fiberboard. 

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have time to get the order in for the forge. Fingers crossed. 

Pnut

 

It will serve all three goals.

I thought so. Thanks. I pulled the trigger and ordered the series III two burner blacksmith forge this morning. I'm stoked to not have to put together a brick and cat litter jabod and then take it back apart every time I want to start a fire. 

Pnut

I have used a Diamondback 2 burner blacksmith and think you will be pleased with it.

I agree. There is nothing wrong with Diamondback forges; comparing them with Chile forges is just a ridiculous as comparing apples to oranges.

I only posted in this thread because I had posted some questions in it earlier. I wasn't concerned with comparing them. I didn't want to start a new thread that would be repeating info that had been touched on here previously. 

 A diamondback forge was at about the limit of my budget and I try to get the most out of my money whenever possible. I wish I could have bought a two hundred dollar forge of the same quality but wish in one hand and you know the rest. 

Pnut

For two hundred bucks and a whole lot of sweat equity, you can build a nice forge. Most people would be better off buying, if they just want the most bang for their money.

I considered building one. It seemed more practical to just buy it. I figured I'd end up with a better end product and a lot less frustration. I'm also a world champion procrastinator. 

Pnut

I got my first 2 propane forges, (blown and NA) by attending forge building workshops put on by an ABANA affiliate.  Cheaper than buying and with skilled people for consultation.  In facet we set up an assembly line and built a bunch of forges and then drew numbers out of a hat on which forge went to which person with a few left over to help pay for the facilities/consumables.  (The drawing for the forges; kept everybody focused on their jobs; as you didn't know which one would end up being *yours*.)

That is a good way to go. It's the learning curve that trips most people up about forge building.

Or about forge purchasing.

I'm pretty tool poor at the moment and I don't like making do with something inferior when trying to build something. Nothing is more frustrating to me than knowing I'm not using the right tools and then messing up materials. My local affiliate is not having meetings for the foreseeable future unfortunately. 

I will at some point build my own forge but until then I think for me a purchase was the right path. It should be here Sunday by the end of the day. 

Pnut