Iron Bear Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Has anyone ever tried crafting a forge from a safe? (I am a new poster btw, check out my greeting in introductions.) But anyways, I have just acquired a decent safe as scrap from my workplace, a lockshop. We got it off a job where we installed a newer, bigger safe in place of the one that was at the jobsite, and I decided to take it home. It is approximately 14"x18"x18" outside dimensions, and it is made from 1/4" steel plate. It has a small drop box located above the main door with a drop slot and an inside access door. I was thinking - this would be a vast improvement over anything else I could make from scrap due to the thickness of the walls and the enclosed shape. I was thinking of lining it with firebrick and just cutting 2" holes in top and bottom for the chimney, ash dump, and tuyere. Has anyone else ever tried this or have any bright ideas on turning this hunk of steel into a workable coal or coke forge for small to medium size work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Welcome to the forum. I have two possible concerns: 1 - depth of the firebox is a bit extreme. Ideally the workpiece goes horizontally into the neutral area of the coal fire. With a box that deep, it is likely that you will be above the neutral area and cooking your iron in the carbondizing area. 2 - be careful of materials that may be between the walls of the inner and outer walls of the safe. Will those materials give off any gases when heated? And don't forget:..Clicking on "User CP" at the top of the page and editing your profile to show your location will go a long way towards helping folk close to you find you. IFI is represented by members from more than 50 countries and a lot of info is location specific......Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 How much money can you get for the safe? Might be a better course to sell it and buy more suitable materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip in china Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 I would use the safe as a safe and make a firepot out of something else I must admit. BTW where are you? If you are anywhere near Chengdu I know a guy who wants to buy a safe about that size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Bear Posted November 8, 2009 Author Share Posted November 8, 2009 The walls of the safe don't have any fireproof material - they are simply 1/4" thickness steel on each side. I was wanting to cut a hole in the bottom of the safe and drop the cutout down about 4", then drill a 2" hole for the tuyere in the bottom of that. I would most likely remove the drop box above the door as it would just get in the way unless I could convert that into a chimney of some sort. As far as repairing the safe and selling it - it would cost more for the missing parts I would need to replace, namely the lock etc. - then I could get for it online or otherwise. The only reason I thought of making it into a forge is because of its relative weight and size. With a firepot recessed into the bottom, the rest of the walls would enclose the hearth area possibly containing the heat better? I've seen designs for steel frame forges, and of course they are much more refined than this, but I think I would have a hard time coming across another material for a forge that's already partly constructed the way this one is. I've considered using things like a brake rotor for the firepot and using firebrick for a hearth, but firebrick might get expensive. idk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Bear Posted November 8, 2009 Author Share Posted November 8, 2009 I live near a small university town in southern Illinois, U.S., btw. We're about to move to an even smaller town about 30 min. from where we are now - long way from Chengdu! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Bear Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 I tried to take a picture of the safe and upload it so everyone could get an idea of what I was talking about but I had some trouble getting the pic to upload correctly off the camera, so oh well. I was re-reading the posts and I realized that people were getting the impression I would tip the safe on its side with the door (which normally swings horizontally like a regular door) on top. That was not what I really had in mind, which is maybe why I was confused why everyone didn't think it was a good idea. I was picturing more of an enclosed hearth sort of setup, with the safe upright and the door opening on the front side. With a firepot cut out and then recessed into the bottom and a chimney cut out in the top I was thinking I could get pretty good airflow as well as pretty good insulation. If the firepot was recessed 4" deep that would put the reducing environment right in the middle of the floor of the safe, making it easy to lay larger, wide pieces in there and get the heat more evenly distributed than if it was an open hearth, right? Some of this thinking is pure supposition, obviously, but I can't help thinking I'm on to something here. I should really draw out some plans and scan them and link them so you all can sort of see my visualization > <. As it is, I'm not going to try anything with the safe or any larger setup than the one I already have until we're completely finished moving into the new place. I'm really hoping I can get some more input on this because I'd like to know for sure whether I really am crazy. I'm sure my wife would like to know if I am hehe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 I think you are confusing solid fuel forges with propane forges. Solid fuel forges are *open*. Propane forges are contained. Note that propane forges do NOT need heavy walls; I've seen a professional smith just wire a length of kaowool into a cylinder and shove a burner into that when he needed a large forge for a single job. Solid fuel forges are open so you can build the fire up and place large items on them for heating. Think of how you would heat the center of a 3' long 1" dia bar in your proposed forge---or a piece of a gate you need to tweak. Just because it's free doesn't mean it won't cost you more to try to convert it for use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 The safe would probably make a better bosh (Quenching tank) than a solid fuel forge, put it on its back and you have a lid to keep out any unwanted visitors, found a drowned rabbit in one of our water bosh's the other day, don't know how it got there, but wasn't pleasant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Bear Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 good point. I wasn't really thinking about long projects just yet, but I could see how that really wouldn't work for that. I would have to seal it if I was to make a tank out of it, but that's an idea. What about a kiln? Would I be able to line the inside of that and somehow make a kiln for smelting? Or are those open fires too? All I know is you need a ceramic crucible to contain the ingredients - I know nothing at all about any other elements of that. But anyways, I'll stick with my little portable forge for right now and worry about a bigger one, possibly a gasser if that's better for winter work, after we move. TY for all the advice, everyone. Sorry I'm such a dunce lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Leppo Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Might make a better GAS forge. If you don't want to build a gas forge right now, you can save it, or sell/trade it to someone who does. Also might work as a tempering oven, but I imagine this would cost more $ to build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I've been smelting for over 15 years now and have never used a crucible. We use a short stack Scandinavian bloomery made from clay, sand and straw. Do you mean melting rather than smelting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Bear Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 yes I did. Smelting is the process of separating metal ore from surrounding minerals, melting is the process of forming cakes from ore and other ingredients. Slip o' the keys lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Bear Posted November 16, 2009 Author Share Posted November 16, 2009 Thomas: Did some more research. Bloomeries specifically are for smelting iron from its oxides. This is to what you were referring to. What I was referring to was crucible steel, which is a way of making steel by slowly heating and cooling iron and carbon in some form, as well as a flux to remove impurities. It is generally not used anymore as the Bessemer process for making steel is cheaper and about the same quality, but crucible steel can be made in a small shop for one, and it can also make more precise and specific steels with specific ingredients in mind. It is not obsolete, but rather niche, and it would be pertinent in a situation where a special steel not readily available was called for. Anyways, you were right - smelting more generally refers to the smelting of iron; but I was not far off in thinking that the making of crucible steel did utilize a process that at least in theory is sort of similar to smelting, although it is more of a melting thing. You'll have to forgive me - I do usually try to do my research before I dive into something, but blacksmithing in general has sort of taken me by storm, and I'm still getting the hang of a lot of the deeper terminologies and idioms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGropp Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Take the safe , put it someplace handy. Everyday, put spare change in it . Before long you'll have enough money to buy the material and parts to make a real forge from a proven design. Light the fire and go to work. Enjoy ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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