Dillon Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 I just met this older gentleman, with him knowing that I blacksmith, He offered to sell me his forge. It is a coal forge, it stands about 3.5 feet high. The inside of it has concrete in it and it tapers down to the center where the coal goes. It looks like it was possiable a homemade job, but it is very old. He has a electric blower on it, I didn't see any writing or a name on it. Then also he has a Champion Model 40 Lancaster hand crank blower that can be attached. It seemed to work fairly well, it made a loud scratching type noise when I turned it, but it hasn't been oiled in years. So what I want to find out is, How much is something like this worth. He said he didn't want to sell it to me until I could figure out a price. I know that it is hard to say without having pictures, but a ball park figure would be greatly appreciated. Quote
Dillon Posted February 23, 2012 Author Posted February 23, 2012 I don't have exact measurments but it is approx 2 feet wide and about 2.5 feet in length, its the shape of a wheel barrow. It reminded me of like a small childs play wheelbarrow, but not as deep. The fire pot is about a 8in circle. I was thinking of offering him $250 or $300 for it, then do some work for him on the side. Quote
Dillon Posted February 23, 2012 Author Posted February 23, 2012 Ya thats what I have seen, The prices for those Champions start getting high. But I think I will offer him that and I'll let yall know how it turned out and I'll post some pics if I get it. Quote
ThomasPowers Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 Since forges are easily and cheaply built; their "worth" to a using smith is fairly low in my opinion. I'd rather sink the money into a good blower, anvil or postvise. Check the Blower to see if any of the vanes have been bent, also open it up and check the gears. If the gears look good you can probably get it working well Quote
Dillon Posted February 23, 2012 Author Posted February 23, 2012 ThomasPowers, I agree with you on the fact that a lot of them are homemade and like you said I would rather buy a "newer" blower. But im in college and I don't have a lot of money, so I think I might buy this anyways and plus it is a huge upgrade from my brake drum forge. It is so hard to work with this forge, I rarely use it, I usually use my propane forge. Quote
ThomasPowers Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 Don't say a newer blower say *better* blower; some of the last blowers made---for bomb shelters---were not very well made... That blower may be fine after a through clean out, adjustment and lubrication. I think I owned a half dozen forges before the total costs went above $200. As someone who is notoriously cheap I would focus on getting the blower and letting an antiquer take the forge Quote
SReynolds Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 Around these parts you can score a nice Champion forge w/proper blower for a hundred and half. The e-bay prices folks are subject to will factor in the fact that bidders get adrenalin pumping throught the veins along w/the pride factor; nobody will beat me! Then the fact that you'll have college kids bidding up antiques and cars etc. just for fun. Thus, e-bay price have nothing to do with the actual real world value of an item. Get a used forge at a blacksmith shop and you'll pay real world cost. Craigs list also has had pretty believeable prices, but you have to act fast; first come/first sold. Quote
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