You can see my "Flying Turtle" Forge from design to meat-space.
Also, some cast bronze artwork created from that green flower foam.


How to Build a Forge/Foundry from an old Vacuum Cleaner


I would be happy to hear everyones thoughts for improvement in design, etc... I am intrigued about going blowerless, perhaps in the future.

Thanks!

q#1: How many hours can you get out of a "BBQ Grill" tank of propane ?

q#2: It is pictured with a sand mold and crucible - this isn't capable of iron casting temps (2400 deg F) is it ?

I should have read closer - bronze casting. Sorry to brain short on you.

Really cool! Small and easy to travel with! Thanks for sharing!

Peyton

Hi Tubal-cain !

a#1: I usually only run it for about an 1hr to 45 min. per pour event (running the gas @ 21-25 psi.); I can fit a 3 pound crucible in the furnace without having to set the thing (furace) on its butt. I'm no math wiz so i'd answer the barbie propane tank lasts me a long time.

a#2: I've never really tried to cast Iron, though i have burned steel with it... does that count?

Thanks -

I have to go coal-free in my shop (landlord is worried about fires). Maybe this is my answer. Very similar to the iforgeiron blueprint - primarily it seems this has a simpler gas nozzle.

I apprreciate you sharing this - your website is very cool as well.

Nacho,

Great website. Love your humor!

Looks like a functional forge. I'm trying to go the coal route, but I might end up with propane, not sure yet. Will depend on the neighbors and/or regulations in my area I guess...

I do have a 20 gal propane tank I use on a small heater I have in my home office (detached from the house) which I could use. Seems having a small propane forge couldn't hurt, and they don't look that difficult to make...so why don't I get off my @$$ and make one?:mad:

I am planning to make one, just not sure how involved I will get with it, and that will depend on where I go with the coal forge.

Why do forges tend to have the gas enter from the top or side as opposed to the bottom?

Because all the crud falls to the bottom of the forge and will mess up the burner, flux, scale and for foundrys molten metal from crucible failures or OOPS moments.

Thomas

"I am intrigued about going blowerless, perhaps in the future."
Check out these burners Welcome to Hybridburners.com , I just made one of the 3/4" kind (tho i dont advise making your own) and its awesome.
Here are some bad photographs of the burner and my new forge made from a freon tank.

-andrei

Oooooh, my goodness!
Now THIS is interesting.

Bravo! that's a neat setup sir!

On the first run of this new forge I didn't have a small blower handy so I hooked up an old shop vac. Put out WAY too much air so I had the gate valve closed down to a crack. I've since replaced the shop vac with a small Dayton blower and that provides a more reasonable air flow. Any fan providing at least 25 cfm will work. The challenge comes in building a mount to hook it to your burner.

My gas forge is a two-burner forge, and set at 18# it uses a 20 lb tank of gas in about 3 hours!! 18# is the pressure that I use for welding up damascus/Selden

I live in Pasadena Texas... Does anyone know where I can purchase the insulating blanket needed to line a gas forge with?.. I appreciate any suggestions...

The Houston Area Blacksmiths Assoc. is bound to have some guys who know where to get it locally. www.habairon.org.

Ol'Dawg, the best place to buy insulating wool, firebrick, kiln shelf, etc. locally would be a pottery supply warehouse or school in any large town. They will sell by the foot instead of by the roll, which gets pricy. Check the Yellow pages or ask a local potter where they go.

It seems there are lots more folks throwing ceramic do-dads in a home-made propane fired kiln at home (without upsetting the neighbors) than there are blacksmiths.

Of course, networking with your local smiths would be helpful too, but some folks just ain't joiners.