dennis_hl Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 While uploading various pix from the digital camera to my laptop the other day I discovered that I had taken a picture of my newer forge (my newest one is at work, I built one for my blacksmith shop at an old copper mine in the Keweenaw, the shop and the mine is open for tours). The newest forge is similar to this one, I'll post pix of it when I take some of the shop. This is a sideblast forge designed specifically with charcoal fuel in mind. I made this forge from recycled two by fours and scrap ends of 1x6 pine. On the inside it is 18 inches square. The bottom of the forge is lined with one inch of clay with the remainder being filled in with wood ash from the wood stove. I capped the wood ash with 4.5 by 9 inch wood stove fire brick, which created a 9by9 inch fire pot in the center of the forge--being lined with wood ash I can reduce the size of the fire pot to what ever I need, and for the type of work that I do at home I rarely need anything larger than 9 inches. The blast pipe is 3/4" black pipe off of a burn pile that I frequently pick through. The forge is portable and breaks down to fit in the back seat of my car, I lay the shelf over the top of the fire pot to protect it while in transport. I have used both coal and coke in the forge, but the slag soaks into the lining which then has to be redone every couple of days or so (slag builds up and eventually clogs the blast pipe). Relining isn't that big of a deal, but during the summer months I'm not burning wood so my lining material some what precious during the summer. I built this forge in less than three hours (you can use clay but it will be much heavier and the fire pot will not be adjustable). Any questions or comments? Dennis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Very nice Dennis Woody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Groves Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Other charcoal burners like myself would *love* more pictures and videos. Looks like a great forge. Does that side blast help with the "fleas" like they say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one_rod Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 That is very interesting. I don't think I have ever seen a forge made from wood before. In this country industrial and college forges are usually cast iron. Smaller, home made or portable ones are made from sheet steel. It's a good, sturdy looking job anyway. Nicely done. one_rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Peters Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 I second the motion for more pictures and details! I burn charcoal and was thinking about building a side blast forge in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennis_hl Posted July 24, 2006 Author Share Posted July 24, 2006 Other charcoal burners like myself would *love* more pictures and videos. Looks like a great forge. Does that side blast help with the "fleas" like they say? Compared to the updraft forge, heck yeah, but you still get sparks. I think the sparks come from the commercial charcoal due to their quenching the burns with water. I do not get much in the way of sparks from charcoal that I've made myself--I've been using tag alder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Groves Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 pics pics pics. We're on to you now. Get a friend to take a small movie on his digital camera. Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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