David M. Schulz Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I am brand new to this site. I would appreciate any help you can offer. Today, I bought a forge. I've always wanted one. Now I got it. I've done some Google searches that resulted in some images similar to mine but not exact. I'm mostly sure that this forge was used to make horse shoes. I'm curious to know what kind it is. On the blower case it says, "Keep filled with oil." How do I get it started? Where do I get coal? Thank you for your time. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clam River Coal Forge Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Welcome to IFR looks like the forge is home made using a portion of a automotive rim. Not sure on the blower does it have any other writing on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Its a Canedy Otto/ western cheif that has no stand, and was midifyed to be portable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David M. Schulz Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Its a Canedy Otto/ western cheif that has no stand, and was midifyed to be portable Right on! Good call! Thank you. Now if I can just figure out how to work the thing. We have some chunks of coal around the place, here, where somebody before us used to do some forge work. I also need to figure out how full of oil I should keep the machine as I am using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke March Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 There should be an opening/valve around 4:00 or 5:00 which is how much you fill it with oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 There should be an opening/valve around 4:00 or 5:00 which is how much you fill it with oil. if it has not been used in a while i would run some cerocien through it first so that you can get any old oil out then fill to valve with new motor oil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David M. Schulz Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Right on! Good call! Thank you. Now if I can just figure out how to work the thing. We have some chunks of coal around the place, here, where somebody before us used to do some forge work. I also need to figure out how full of oil I should keep the machine as I am using it. Very good. There is a set screw type thing, four sides easy to grab with a crescent wrench, at about 4:00 or 5:00 just like you said. It started to come out real easy, shiny threads and all. I stopped from unscrewing it all the way because it felt like there might be oil in it already. There is an identical set screw at 12:00 that came out just as easy. I'm guessing this is the fill hole. Thank you for the information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 "...We have some chunks of coal around the place, here, where somebody before us used to do some forge work. I also need to figure out how full of oil I should keep the machine as I am using it." As Joshua M mentioned use some kerosene or diesel to loosen up anything that was used before, drain, then use the lights weight oil you have or buy some. Most likely if you fill it past any shaft it will just run out at that point. Nice set up, and I agree that the forge pan is home made. Enjoy. BTW, Howdy from East TEXAS and welcome to IFI. If you give us you location we can help you better with some of your questions--such as where to get co al. Also with the ABANA in your area as well as other smiths you could hook up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Hall Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I dont know about where you live, but the best source of coal around me is either the co-op, or a heating store a few towns over, its not per-say blacksmithing coal, and I have to break it up a bit, but its all that is available with out ordering from the web, I just searched the yellow pages for HVAC places till I found one that sold wood stoves and they happened to carry coal as well, before I found those places I was actually using Hard Wood Charcoal I was buying at walmart, they had it in a red bag and I think it was labeled Lump Charcoal or something like that, but whatever the name it was actuall pieces of real hard wood charcoal.......... by the way coal is tons better in regards to heat and how long it last. I could be way off on this, but I actually still use charcoal to start my forge with as well, I have one of those chimney starters and light a bit in it to begin my fire, then add coal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Hall Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Also if you live near any Amish you may ask them, after I finally located stores near me that carried it, I was speaking to an Amish neighbor of mine and he had a truck load in his back yard, turns out many of them heat with it, and he was buying in bulk from a co-op............. guess I should have started with the neighbors first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David M. Schulz Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Hello to East TEXAS. Thank you for the information. I will clean up the machine with kerosene or diesel as you described. My location is Modoc County in the top northeastern corner of California, way off the beaten track. Howdy to you from my corner of the world, and thank you for the welcome. I will appreciate any information about coal or other smiths in my area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Check out this group,www.calsmith.org, it's the ABANA bunch from CA. Also there is the ABANA group in Washington/Oregon. I'm sure they could help you with your coal problem. It would be a good thing to join one or both of these groups as your learning curve will be greatly shortened! I have met several from both groups and they are great folks as well as fantastic smiths. Good luck. P.S. here is the web site for a list of ABANA's affiliates http://www.abana-chapter.com/ You may find someone closer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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