Diamondback Ironworks

[quick60]

I was thinking of purchasing one of Diamondback Ironworks two burner blacksmith forges. Anyone have any experience with these? Quality, performance, etc.

Link here http://www.diamondbackironworks.com/2_burner_blacksmith.html

Thanks

[John McPherson]

I use one of the older models weekly as a common forge for the metal arts club. It has held up well for 4 years of student abuse, just needs to be relined 'coz the little darlings keep poking holes in the insulation. The floor bricks have some cracks in them directly under the burners. Other than that, it has been a no maintenance unit, plug and play. (Or in this case, gas line and play.)

I highly suggest intake baffles to tune the fuel/air mix to prevent scaling.

[pike3e]

I have there economy model and really like it. I accidently left the steel in too long and too hot and burned up a thick piece of tool steel. First time that has happened to me in a gasser.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

I own the two burner blacksmiths model and couldn't be happier with it. It does everything I need it to and more.

[wshelley]

I've got one and don't have a thing to complain about. Take it out of the box, bolt on the burners, connect to a propane tank, and Bob's your uncle.

Ward

[tzonoqua]

I've got a two burner metal artist one. Love it. Was the best price by far even with shipping to UK and import duties, as I can't be bothered to build one myself. Only complaint is that the ceramic fibreboard is very easy to damage, as I work with a lot of odd and usually flame cut shapes, it has taken a beating. Yes it can be relined, would love the fibreboard to be hardened but I guess this is not possible to retain it's refractory properties. Anyway, would recommend and would buy another.

[Naz]

I also use the 2 burner model and am very pleased with it. Can't compare as I've never used another one.
Denis (the owner) was a great guy to do buisness with before,during, and after the sale.

Naz

[Golden_eagle]

I've ran a single burner Diamond back for as long as I've been forging steel. my uncle, the man who got me started- uses a three burner NC tool whisper daddy and he's jealous of how fast my litter single gets to heat.

[Zuk33]

What would be the advantage. disadvantage between the blacksmith and metalsmith forges? Im looking for something new and I dont feel like redesigning the wheel and building another one of my own as the last one I built aggravates me to no end some days.

[ToolSteel]

I agree with everything everyone's said. I bought the economy two burner a few months ago. First time I turned it on, I put a 1/4" thick piece of flat bar beneath the flames, stepped inside to get some tongs, came right back out and the steel was pumpkin-orange. Very impressed with the Diamondback's simple elegant design.
ToolSteel

[injens]

I agree with everything everyone's said. I bought the economy two burner a few months ago. First time I turned it on, I put a 1/4" thick piece of flat bar beneath the flames, stepped inside to get some tongs, came right back out and the steel was pumpkin-orange. Very impressed with the Diamondback's simple elegant design.
ToolSteel

all the above are positive comments regarding Diamond Back. Are there any others worth considering?

[Opiy]

Anyone know how long a typical BBQ bottle lasts on one of these forges? I am tempted to get one of the 2 burner blacksmith models but I am curious of the longevity of the gas to get an idea of that cost.

Thanks
Larry

[K. Bryan Morgan]

I own a 30 tank and get about 4 days out of it with the forge running about 7-8 psi for 4-5 hours a day. So, just based on that I would guestimate you could get about 14-15 hours out of a 20 pound tank with the two burner blacksmiths model. YMMV.

[postleg]

I have a 3 burner balcksmiths model. Works great. I did have problems when I first got it using a 20lb propane bottle. The bottles kept freezing up, got a hold of Dennis and he told me to get a larger tank. I got a 100lb bottle and haven,t had a problem since. Using the larger bottle the gas is cheeper then using the 20 lb bottles. Cost $78 to fill the 100 lb and $ 18 to swap out the smaller ones. It's like getting the fifth small bottle free. I don;t know if the two burner models have the same problem.

[Opiy]

Thanks. I was curious if a larger tank would be better than running a small tank or not. Thanks for the replies. I hope to get me a forge soon but finding a good anvil near by at a reasonable price might be an epic search.

[Dave Parker]

Opiy, keep looking. I went from a small RR anvil to three nice antiques in less than a year. Buy low and trade up. Most people do not realize that you can use sites like craigslook to search a wider area then Craigslist. I found this in seconds. Be prepared to drive a bit to get a good anvil, we still have plenty in Florida. The key to success is determination. It might also help to post what you are looking for and how much you are willing to pay. Plenty of us have equipment and pass through Bama often.

Good luck,
Dave

Fisher Anvil


Location: Alabama, Montgomery
Posted on: Sunday - December 11, 2011 08:15
Expires: Saturday - December 31, 2011 08:15
Price: $200
$200.00 CASH
Danny 256-375-0690

[Mikey98118]

tzonoqua writes "Yes it can be relined, would love the fiberboard to be hardened but I guess this is not possible to retain it's refractory properties."

Actually there are tougher ceramic board products available, which may or may not prove worth their prices. On the other hand there is at least one source of 1/4" thick high alumina refractory tiles available somewhere, which could be used to armor plate the ceramic fiberboard with very minor impact on forge performance; just a thought.

[Frosty]

I just looked at the Duraboard and apparently it's an alumina silicate refractory so it should be reasonably durable as is. Getting a water setting hard refractory to bond to it should be as easy as scuffing the surface before applying the castable.

I'm going to give Distribution International a call tomorrow and see if it's available here, I like playing with blocks even if I have to cut them myself. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Mikey98118]

If you can get it, 1/4" high alumina tile will act as armor against physical abuse of the ceramic fiberboard, and will protect it from direct impact from the flame, and help even out temperature shrinkage in the board; the fuel use it takes over straight board, will be minimal. Or, you can go with a tough heat resistant coating, which will protect from everything but physical impact. Remember that such a coating doesn't prevent you from adding the tile later on.

[Mikey98118]

On 5/4/2011 at 7:41 PM, John McPherson said:

I use one of the older models weekly as a common forge for the metal arts club. It has held up well for 4 years of student abuse, just needs to be relined 'coz the little darlings keep poking holes in the insulation. The floor bricks have some cracks in them directly under the burners. Other than that, it has been a no maintenance unit, plug and play. (Or in this case, gas line and play.)

I highly suggest intake baffles to tune the fuel/air mix to prevent scaling.

Intake baffles; would that be to divert the flame path, to keep it from impinging directly on the work?

Thin high alumina tiles can be used as armor for the fiberboard, and a heat relection coating will offset the drop in efficiency.

You wouldn't be the first person to replace the floor brick with high alumina kiln shelf.

[timgunn1962]

"Intake baffles to tune the fuel/air mix to prevent scaling" sounds like adjustable chokes to me.

[Mikey98118]

I would agree with your assessment for some burners, but every photo I've seen so far, shows the flames in their forges as slightly reducing already, so chocking them wouldn't lead to anywhere good. Any flame--even reducing--contains free super heated oxygen in it. When super heated oxygen touches super heated steel or iron, super fact scaling is the inevitable result. Keeping the flame from impinging on the work is the only solution I can think of; either the flame needs to be diverted, or the flame most be shortened. The latter solution would require a better burner. So an internal baffle is the most logical answer I can think of. Your thoughts?

[ThomasPowers]

Muffle furnace.

[Frosty]

15 hours ago, timgunn1962 said:

"Intake baffles to tune the fuel/air mix to prevent scaling" sounds like adjustable chokes to me.

Oh you guys on THAT side of the pond! We call that a choke, it controls the amount of intake air into the burner. Yes?

Here baffles are to control the flow path of gasses or liquids as found in the muffler on a vehicle. The shock waves from the engine's exhaust are deflected from a direct path out the tail pipe. Another term is Coffer as in coffer dam as seen in front of bunkers.

Frosty The Lucky.

[timgunn1962]

The baffle reference was from post#2, made by John McPherson, so it doesn't seem to be a case of British and American English terms being different.

It seemed like a perfectly adequate functional description of an adjustable choke so, when the discussion seemed to be going off in a different direction, it seemed reasonable to offer the accepted term (which is the same over here). It was intended to make it easier for the OP to follow John's advice: Diamondback offer chokes as an option.

I tend to be quite impressed by the guys who have the brains to work out first-hand what is actually going on, and the decency to pass on that knowledge, without necessarily knowing the accepted terminology. Full marks to John.

I guess I've spent far too much of my working life around the sort of lower-management pillocks who use jargon unnecessarily, solely in order to feel superior to those who don't.