Private Entrance Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 This is where I'm at on rebuilding my forge, which my 11 year old son calls the 'Ghetto Forge.' The original is basically a brake drum forge set into the cooking chamber of a microwave oven that died on me. Sat about 14" high, using a hair dryer as a blower, and a box I fabbed out of more microwave scrap metal to store a coal/coke reserve in. This is what it looked like: Honestly worked pretty well, all things considered. Hot enough to forge weld, even though I haven't tried my hand at forge welding yet. I also learned what 'too many irons in the fire' really means. I put one too many pieces in the fire to heat and forgot a rr spike. I found what was left of it in the bottom of the firepot at the end of the day. I thought it was a couple of clinkers until I fished the pieces out and recognized the remains of a spike head on one of the chunks. The spike had melted in half and puddled quite a bit. Also answered the 'why is the fire sparking like that' question. :) Here is v2.0 in progress. It will sit about 2' high, which will mean less stooping. I mounted the bottom draft more securely, and fit the cover over the hole in the drum flush with the main drum base. In the old one, I had problems with keeping the fire under control. Air would leak around the poorly fitted old cover and feed the fire in places I didn't really want it to burn yet. Hopefully this will fix that problem. Frame is from some angle iron a friend gave me, cut with a sabre saw and bolted together. I need to add some cross braces, figure out how to fit a table to it (the single biggest thing I've wanted to add) that I will make from a washing machine cabinet, and tool rack for tongs. Hope to have it done by the w/e of the 25th - my first free day to forge for about 3 weeks. If anyone sees any blatant errors or potential problems, or suggestions for attaching the table, I'd love to hear them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeddly Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I would'nt say ghetto, more like post apocalyptic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 It looks fine to me, remember the hearth is just somewhere to hold the fire. Once your metal is up to heat it is what you do with it then that is important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks, Wayne and Jeddly. At least I know I'll be able to make something happen when the zombies come. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musk-rat Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Is that a soup can I see on the end of the hair dryer? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Don't know how you have tt oriented in use, but I would suggest your air feed come in from the side or rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 John - For the old one, I had the air was coming in from the side towards me - you're looking at it from where I would be standing when I was using it. It was easier to turn on and off given the height of the forge with it in front. I will move the orientation to the side on the new model. The fire pot isn't anchored, so everything is changeable right now. Depends on how I end up doing the table, methinks. Musk-rat - That IS a soup can 'twixt the dryer and the pipe (I am rather proud of that little modification :) ). It was an easier solution than making a real fitting, and I didn't want to duct tape the dryer to the pipe. I usually take the dryer off when I'm letting the forge cool down after use, and taping would be more of a pain that it was worth, imho. As an added bonus, you could adjust the airflow some by moving the can tighter or looser against the dryer. More air blowing out past the dryer = less air in the forge, and vice versa. Not as good as a valve, but it helps. I will probably attempt to make a better fitting and put a valve of some kind in line with the air flow. I'm hoping I can find one of those valves you can completely open or close in about 1/4 turn in the right size. That would make life much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elemental Metal Creations Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 It looks good, If you can get some more angle iron bolt a frame to the one you have to hold the table above the lip of the drum, as close to the top edge of the drum as you can get it. It will make it easier to rake fuel into the firepot. Old bed frames can be found pretty cheap at junk/antuqe stores Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Your coming along just fine there. Some sort of table or shelf around the brake drum would come in handy for laying down tools and hot work to cool slowly. I made 3 different forge bases for my first brake drum forge over the years, till a cast iron forge table and firepot fell my way. Never enough space around a brake drum forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 I scored a couple of bed frames from Craig's list this afternoon - about 32 linear feet of lightweight angle iron - perfect for the table support, cross braces for the legs, and some kind of tool rack. Suggested dimensions for the table? I was thinking 20-24" x 30-36" ish, with the fire pot more towards one end of the table rather than right in the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 They look great. As with all new home built forges, the improvements just keep on coming. If we don't improve, we stagnate. So many times I have made changes only to make more changes. It is a never ending process and part of the craft/trade. We all are looking towards the next upgrade or new tool. As you said, when the zombie apocalypse comes, you will be ready. Guns run out of bullets and chainsaws run out of gas. You never have to reload a machette. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backwoods Blacksmith Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Well it sure beats a hole in the ground with deer skin bellows. Nicely done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Thanks, Mark & BB. I am going to start work on the table tonight (I hope). Soccer tournament all w/e with the kids and too tired out to do much by the time I got home. Hope to have more pics up in the next couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willis Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 "Imagination is more important than knowledge" Einstein. Like the forge. I used a 'Tim Lively" type forge for two years before I got my first real forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Just a quick mini-update. I'm working on the actual table top, and I remembered (again) how much I hate sheet metal. I'm going to try and jury-rig a make-shift press brake tomorrow to get the folds done. Tried it with a hammer and the edge of the anvil, and it wasn't pleasant. Hopefully I can come up with something that will make some relatively clean folds, or a good start on the folds that I can finish with the hammer. I'm thinking a long piece of angle iron, a flat table, and some c-clamps ought to do the trick. We'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I've heard about using the door from a dryer or washing machine (junked of course) as a forge table. Decent metal thickness, raised lip etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willis Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 The angle iron and c-clamp thing is a 'shop trick' that I have seen in one of my metal working books. I've used it and am quite happy with he results I get from this simple trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Thanks, Willis. Good to hear my bright idea actually has precedence for being successful. Michael, I have a washing machine lid that I considered using as my forge table. Then I saw the metal from the cabinet from the same machine, looked at the angle iron from the bed frames I scored, and figured I might as well skip a step and go straight to the next size. It looks like it's going to be about 28" x 22"-ish wide, with a tong/tool rack on the near side. At least that's the current plan. We'll see if it survives 1st contact with the enemy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Here's where I'm at on the forge rebuild. The frame for the forge and table have been mostly finished, and the table top itself is done. There is still some work left - braces for the legs on the forge and table legs, and fitting the top to its frame. Should be done this week. I'm going to keep it in two pieces - table and forge. I have to move it in and out of the garage when I want to use it, and the two pieces make it manageable for one person. Considering the mostly jury-rigged tools I had at my disposable, I'm pretty xxxx proud of the result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elemental Metal Creations Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Lookin good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldeScouter Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Table fab looks good. There will be plenty of room for fresh fuel, tools, and things in the fire, without you getting poked with the handles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Thanks to both of you. The extra frame space on the near side will eventually be a tool rack, but that is a project for another time. I really want to get it done enough to fire it up first. Been nearly 3 weeks since I've had iron in the fire, and I'm starting to go into withdrawals. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 Got it done enough to fire up. Here's the first fire. My arm is sore from not swinging a hammer for 3 weeks. Also, managing the fire in v2.0 is a bit harder than on the old one - I feel like I'm starting over from square one in some ways. Nearly finished my second set of tongs, and started a present for the wife. Not a bad day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragnfyr Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 what did you use for the cover in the bottom of the drum?? just curious... as a possible idea for folks, I have seen the same concept before, but theu used the base of a mower turned upside down to fit the drum in... not as elegant as your table, but... Drag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel.85 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Looks like your keeping on a good track, upgrading as you go. Nice job making tongs too, always nice to make what you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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