TyeBledsoe Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I have a medieval style forge it’s very similar to Mr. Habermann’s forge in this video (below) . I have used fire brick for the last several years, but the brick around the tuyere or the whole where my air comes out always breaks or cracks after a few weeks. I have great fire control but still it burns out, I decided to use a fire clay mixture, is this a good idea? or is there something better out there that I have been missing? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKLSSnm-inA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen56 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 gday mate ,i use ordinary dirt ,i guess not a huge amount of sand but dirt works well for me ,i find that long things push in and through and short no probs have had this for a good long time and the steel forge is like new ,glen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 You could retrofit a cast iron pot, but I don't think you want to do that by how you ask the question. The clay mixture that has been recommended for rivet forges is an option, but it does move, so you need to allow for expansion space between the firepot area and the rest of the forge. The mix is 3 part sand, 1 part Portland, optional 1/2 part clay. It appears to have vitrified in my brake drum forge. If you put a spacer around the firepot area, like a layer or two of corrugated carton (yes it will burn away) you should get a solid area that can expand and contract separately from the rest of the brickwork, yet be close-fitting enough that tools and debris will not catch, and after a little ash builds up you may not even see the gap. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Phil medieval forges were not bottom blown but were side blown---no firepot but just a tue iron at most protruding from one of the sides, many of them just had a gap in the masonry for the air to come out of or for very early medieval perhaps a bellows stone. You are correct that it is most likely a problem with expansion and contraction though, especially if there is a metal-brick interface. I might leave a gap near the front of the joint to be filled in with ash over time and mortar the back end of the joint to keep it air tight but where the temperature swings are not as great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dušan Komenda Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Habermann was the best Czech smith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dušan Komenda Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 1,kidneys2, fire bowl we use the iron kidneys, and can not speak highly of them. bottom fan blows air, whichputs into operation an electric. this is what we use in our country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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