October 7, 201114 yr Hello, I am just getting interested in forging and need to build a forge. I have a lot of cinder blocks laying around in various sizes and was wondering if it was possible to make a forge out of blocks. I do not have a lot of money to spend on getting started but i have access to all the wood i can use and a good collection of scrap metal. This forge is only to get me started in the craft i plan on upgrading it as i get better. Thanks in advance for all the advice.
October 7, 201114 yr you can build a forge out of almost anything just remember your goal is to channel air into the fire. i used a brake drum and for about 20 bucks i got some BLACK IRON pipes to channel my air coming from an old hair drier. it is just what you said, a starter kit, but it close to free so you cant beat that. DO NOT USE GALVANIZED METAL FOR OR IN YOUR FORGE AS IT COULD KILL YOU. i have seen forges built with fire brick and even dug right into the ground. anything is possible and with some creativity you can make it work. maybe look at some blueprints in that section of the forum there are some good ones, i watched a bunch of videos on youtube and stole my idea from someone else. my advise would be just to study study study find something in your range of possibilities study some more and then practice
October 7, 201114 yr Author looking over these forge ideas has made me think of another question. I live in an area that is very open and can get pretty windy a lot of the time. Should i have higher sides on my forge to help block the wind off of the forge?
October 7, 201114 yr looking over these forge ideas has made me think of another question. I live in an area that is very open and can get pretty windy a lot of the time. Should i have higher sides on my forge to help block the wind off of the forge? i would say build your forge put a couple fires in it and see if it poses a problem. make sure you keep something around to put out any unwanted fires and tackle it from there, you can always modify a forge or build a new one pretty cheap or free, but your own personal experience will determine how you like to work and what equipment you like to work with. for a starter i dont know if id bother, i actually didnt, this is my forge http://www.facebook....853ea37b&type=1. i just got started myself and am still collecting tools and planning to build a nook in my back yard to keep the rain off. i might then upgrade my forge somehow i.e. a better stand, or a steel plate to mount the brakedrum into giving me more of a table surface to work on. the point being keep it simple for now and adjust as per your preference.
October 8, 201114 yr Author so far what i have gathered up for materials to make my forge is: half a 55 gallon drum, some sections of pipe, and an old roll bar that im going to convert into a stand to place my forge on. For my air flow i have several options. i can make a box with several PC fans in it. i have a shop vac and i also have an old air compressor. I was leaning towards the PC fans cause i can run them off a battery when i dont have electric available but i was not sure if they would provide enough air flow. Has anyone tried this method? will post some pictures as soon as i figure out how to get them on here from my phone.
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