BlackSmithKazuma Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 OK I have a few questions about my forge and general blacksmithing, the first one is that I just finished building my forge and I don't know much about what kind of solid fuel I want to use, or how to get it. I know you can make coke or coal but with what materials. All I have is ceder and oak peices of wood. Did I build my forge right for the fuel I want to use, I seen alot of forges out there made of steel and welded together. I didn't have the resources to do such a thing so I started collecting bricks and basically made a "Box" out of them. I have a 1/2 Inch pipe laying under the dirt with a square hole on one side, about an inch wide ( I know that isn't effective but it was the only piece that I could get a hold of) with one end sealed by the ground it's self. The other end has a peice of cardboard with a small hole cut into it to allow my ten dollar foot bellow hose made for blowing up air beds to fit into and that is covered over by more dirt to seal it in. Now if anyone sees anything, if not everything wrong with this please tell me, I wont mind. The forge it's self is about 2 to 3 feet long and maybe a foot and a half wide, if that. I never measured. Below are some pictures of the forge it's self Not much detail, but tomorrow I am going to clean the ash out of it and take some better pictures of the air flow tube and the whole setup. Second question, I have an anvil and tools, well a hammer and some tongs... thats enough for now I guess. Also a few peices of scrap steel and a tire rod. What sould start out with considering I want to get into bladesmithing. Also I have tried heating some metal up, a piece of a steel rod or some sort and all I can heat it up to is maybe a light orange, now I can feel the metal becoming somewhat soft when I was hitting on it, but I have no idea on how hot to get the metal up to to make it work right. I also would like to know if putting a peice of plate steel over tyhe top of my forge would work better to keep heat in or more effiecent... OK so there ya go if anyone can help me get on the right track with this I would be ever so greatfull and if anyone need some computer issues resolved contact me, I work on computers for a living so I would be glad to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 That is a start - do you have a firepot? - Look at the pictures in this link : http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/3836-show-me-your-forge-solid-fuel/ you may have to do a little more research on building a forge,( I do not know how much you know about it) you will need a bit more than what you have. Most brick forges have a table of some sort that holds the firepot. Again look at the pics in the above link to get a better idea of what you will need. Also - do some searches on "building a coal forge" - JK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake pogrebinsky Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 In principle(stripped of all the technological niceties),you have almost all that you'll need. The air supply can use being larger volume,maybe 1"+ or so.(In keeping with the bare basics)you can build a plywood box,vertical or horizontal,and use a corresponding plunger to pump air.Or just get a hair-dryer.The pipe delivering the air can be iron,clay,mud wood,or little flat rocks covering a ditch in the ground,whatever. The admission of air can be right through the side of your forge,a bit above the bottom.Just pile the fuel up to and around it. For fuel,you can wonder some distance till you come upon a goodly pile of dry branches.With a shovel,dig a pit two-two and a half foot sq.Build a fire inside the pit,and keep stacking cut branches on top of it but making sure that it burns bright-don't smother it.The speed of you cutting branches with a sweed(bow)saw just about makes for a right rate.When the hole is full,cover it back up with the sod that you carefully removed,and chink with some dirt.(Repeat later,after you remove the ready charcoal,the neighbors will never know!). Voila!In a day or so you'll have enough fuel for a few hours of forging.Then the difference between you and very many production smiths(blade and otherwise),in Asia,will be very small.Just an odd apprentice-helper or two Oh,and a few decades of experience,but that just simply equals the coal that you've burned. So,go forth and work on your guerilla coal-obtaining skills! The best of luck,Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Jake has told you how to get your fuel really well. If timber is easy to get then charcoal is the way to go for you. As for the forge try scraping out a narrow hole in the ground and lay your pipe under it with the end in the centre. Cover the pipe with a good layer of mud with the end just exposed so air can get out. Hook up your bellows to the other end and start your charcoal fire then forge away. This would be a simple earth forge and is commonly used in many parts of the world. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Well let me start with the bricks the ones with the holes will not hold up. Second you are going to half to bend over and or squat a whole bunch Judging by the height of your anvil. Find your local blacksmith group and see other set ups. I myself built my first forge in an old bbq grill with a piece of pipe and concret Still have it sitting outside my shop. When you are done working I just closed the lid. The height was right for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSmithKazuma Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 For fuel,you can wonder some distance till you come upon a goodly pile of dry branches.With a shovel,dig a pit two-two and a half foot sq.Build a fire inside the pit,and keep stacking cut branches on top of it but making sure that it burns bright-don't smother it.The speed of you cutting branches with a sweed(bow)saw just about makes for a right rate.When the hole is full,cover it back up with the sod that you carefully removed,and chink with some dirt.(Repeat later,after you remove the ready charcoal,the neighbors will never know!). Thanks for the great advice one question, when I start with the branches for making the coal, I'm at a loss. I get diggin the hole and brurning the wood till it becomes coals and such but after I get it filled do I cover it back up with the dirt to cool it off and keep it from turning to ash or do I just move it over to my forge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Cover it and leave till the fire is out and its cool. Give it a rinse to get rid of the really fine stuff and ash. Allow to dry then break up and use in your forge. Don't know if that is the "correct" way but its the way I have used when making charcoal. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Coals: you can smother them, wet them down (and let them dry) or if you are forging move them directly to the forge and add them in. Nice to sift out the ash first to keep down on the junk in the forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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