I've been using a Lively washtub forge since I started out a couple of months ago. Its served me well but I needed something a little more user friendly, so stopped off at my father's house built one yesterday.

I used 1/4" plate for the tabletop, and 2 1/2" drill stem for the legs and 1" for the braces. The firepot is a brake drum off of a '78 dodge pickup, with a piece of 1/4" plate with holes lining the bottom:





Fabbed up a stand for my blower too:

I thought about that. I did weld on some 1/2" angle around the firepot, though I probably should have gone higher. I didn't have anything bigger laying around. I split the table with the angle iron down the middle so I could use the other half for welding etc.

nice job

it looks good, but as sam said, that upwards lip on it will be very useful. but otherwise, nicely created

like sam said.. you can use wood... or brick..even stone to hold your coal in... looks good!

I'd suggest bolting angle iron on, that way you can change it out for deeper pieces or ones with a gap for long stock or even remove a piece when it helps what you are trying to do.

Thats a good idea.

I had a minor disaster with the forge today. I wasn't thinking when I welded the firepot in and I flush welded it under the table. Sure enough when the firepot was full up with nice hot coke it expanded, all of the welds broke, and the firepot fell off sending coke everywhere. I just filled my slack tub when it fell, so I was able to extinguish everything.

I'm in the process of enlarging the hole so I can just drop in the brake drum.

Another lesson learned.

luke 978 I built a table along similar lines and I am going to have to add the sides. The kids are spending a lot of time picking up the bits of coal. We dropped the brake drum in so it sat on the lip and sticks up about 1/2 to 3/4". This did create some problems scraping coal into the pot. If I did it over I would flush mount under and build a brace under it.
Good luck.

Can't you just use 3 or more cranked lugs to support the drum from beneath, these could be bolted, rivetted or welded on to the hearth plate, expansion of the drum won't be a problem then, and if it needs to be replaced at any time they can be easily removed.

Listen to John B. The tabs allow for expansion and keep the surface level. A win win situation and sooooo simple.

true, angle iron bolted on would be easier and work better. but i wouldnt suggest stone or brick, unless you want to shell out the cash for fire brick and fire mortar. which is very very expensive (like 2.5 bucks a brick here in s missouri) i would stick with the angle iron idea to be truthful. dont use brick or stone. both, when heated enough will go POP! POP!POP! and it will probably hurt to get the stone or clay pulled outta you.

Nice job!! I like how you attached the vice on the end, but I would weld some 2" angle all around the edge to keep the coal in. I didn't do that on one of my forges one time and it was a pain in the rear the whole time I had it.

if dropping the brake drum in is what you want to do, you can always use clay to make everything level

I dropped it in. I beveled the edge of the brake drum to make a smooth transition.

I'm gonna pick up some angle iron next week to finish it off.

Thanks alot for all of the input!