Neil Blythin Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 I recently got myself a small coal forge off of kijiji. It's round, has 3 legs, and a small blower underneath that's operated by a wooden hand lever. I just sparked it up for the first time today (it had needed a new belt for the blower). It works nicely, but is quite wobbly when pumping the lever ... I've tightened all of the bolts on it, but it didn't help. Can anyone familiar with this type of forge offer any ideas for how to stiffen it up? I have a few photos of it (if that'll help) - but am viewing the forum from my iPhone, and can see how to post a photo from the mobile version ... Will have to wait till I'm near a computer. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Cheers, Neil Edit: Here's a photo... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Have you oiled the blower and linkage joints? Does the forge have to be portable or could you build some cement footers to hold the feet in place? Very nice piece of kit. I've been looking for one of those for awhile... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewed Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 More weight will help hold it down. You could "clay" the fire pot, or just hang sand bags on the cross peices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 It might be that the hole in the wooden handle is "wallowed" out, and may need to replace it. Looks like you got a good forge there!!!! just my 2 cents worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Blythin Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 Thanks for your suggestions. Everything is well oiled, and operates quite smoothly ... And the forge does need to remain portable for the time being. I'll take a closer look at that handle and see if that's an issue. Does anyone know of the banding / bracing around the lower part of the legs is original to these forges? It looks like its an add-on (although it could just be a replacement). Wasn't sure if that was perhaps pulling things out of alignment, or is something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 My rivet forge has a similar bracing set-up to yours, although mine is in much worse shape. I'd guess that the pivot in the wood is worn, and allowing some additional movement. But I'd also guess that it isn't a precision-fit part, and will always wiggle. Remember that "better" is the enemy of "good." Get used to how it works, and start a fire! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 If the pivot is wallowed out then a piece of brass pipe might be the answer. You can also epoxy the hole then drill it again. I have seen pictures of a couple of that style of forge, and tripod blowers, where some 2x4 were rabbited together to match the legs and the feet fastened to the 2x4s. I have been meaning to get "'round tuit" on my blower with the 2x4's. I think that forge is meant to be clayed, or at least have a layer of sand or dirt or ash left in the bottom to protect the pan. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Pan needs to be clayed. The holes in the side are for a wind shield, just about any kind of light sheet metal will work, and should go only a couple inches past the outside holes. (a piece of drum barrel metal is great) Careful on the bolts holding the legs to the bottom of the pan, over tighten them and you can break the casting. I have repaired several that were broken like that. (broken before my time!) Some of the wobble can be eliminated by putting new bolts in the braces at the bottom and tighten good or you can get everything lined up real good and weld the braces to the legs. (I have one that some one did this to many yrs ago) As for a new wooden lever, they are easy to make or you can use a handle from a post hole digger or an ax handle, seen both and both work real well. I will loosen the belt on mine when not in use, just a habit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck in Ms Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Nice forge, I have a similar one although its elongated. The leg brace is the same as yours but at the top it has square headed set screws where yours looks like through bolts. Check the fit there, if the legs are smaller than the casting no amount of tightening will help, and as mentioned above it could crack. Mine is very stable even though the handle is very worn. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 If you're going to epoxy and re-drill the hole in the handle, I suggest using a slower drying epoxy (like 24 hr, definitely not 5 minute) and mixing some steel wool into the epoxy and jamming the whole mess into the hole. Let it dry overnight/until it hardens, file/sand the overage smooth, then drill. The steel wool will give the hole some extra strength. If need be, you can accelerate the cure of a slow drying epoxy by warming it up with a hair dryer. If you can keep the temp at about 130* F for about an hour (depending on the epoxy) it should be hard enough to drill in about an hour or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Blythin Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thanks guys! I took the handle off today, and the hole is indeed 'wallowed out'. I've got some bronze bushings kicking around the shop, so may drill the hole out a bit larger to fit one of those in, and see how that works. So those holes are for a wind shield, eh? Excellent. I'd been wondering about those. What type of clay is used to line the pan, and how thick of a layer? Cheers, Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Check with your local brick & block supplier and ask for fire clay, that's what I was going to use on my masonry forge before I decided to replace it with a steel fire pot. Glad to hear my idea on the handle worked for ya. Trip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Here's a recipe that I was given on here 1 part Portland 3 parts sand (optional) 1/2 part clay Mix together then add just enough water so it will pack, but will break instead of squishing when a ball is pinched. For lining the forge there are many different techniques. Here's one. Form a bowl over the tue that is about 8 inches diameter, 4 inches deep, with sloping sides that will be easy to clean out with your fire rake. From the rim of this extend smooth and level to the sides. You do not want to fill up the entire pan, but have a rim to help keep your fuel contained. Let this mix cure overnight, then light it up. Start with a small kindling fire and slowly build a regular fire. (yes, I was given vague instructions here too, but didn't have problems) Make sure you get clinker out hot when you are done, it tends to stick to this clay rather solidly and doesn't come off when cold. (my personal experience) If you get broken bags from the local big box you probably can do this for less than $5. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son_of_bluegrass Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 That looks very similar to my rivet forge. Mine only gets wobbly if I pump too hard. I don't need to pump very hard to get enough heat to weld with, if I'm struggling to get heat then I really need to clean my fire. ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maillemaker Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Use some flat stock and bolt it up as a diagonal cross-brace on the side closest to the handle. Did it with my great-grandfather's rivet forge, solid as a rock now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcard Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 My virgin post here but I have the four legged version of this and made a couple of changes to it to smooth out the running a bit. If you don't mind making a few minor not so original changes... The shaft for the blower (assuming it's a Buffco) is 3/8" and the ends just ride drilled cylinders on either side of the casing. This caused a lot of wear, chatter and binding. However, there is enough metal to the cast casing to drill it out for 3/8" bronze flanged bushings. When I did this to mine I drilled from the interior just deep enough to seat the bushings then drilled through the end plugs at a smaller diameter to tap and mount zirc fittings for convenience. This made a huge difference in how smoothly it pumped and ran. Additionaly, I drilled out and pressed in a bronze bushing in the handle as was mentioned earlier to keep it from roundingt out the hole. Except for the zirc fittings none of this changed the appearance significantly, maintaining most of the original character IMHO. Now I can push rather than jerk the handle down and there is less of a tendency to move it around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Blythin Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 Update: So, I put a bronze bushing into the handle (had a few laying around the shop), and the wobble improved greatly... Until today. I was spending a quiet holiday afternoon having a bit of a forging session, when my forge broke. A large chunk of the socket that one of the legs goes into just broke and fell off (actually 2 broken pieces). I'm guessing that the wobble was partly due to this having a pre-existing crack that's finally given way. It was getting a bit dark out, so I wasn't able to get a photo of the damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Because the pan is cast iron brazing with a torch and brass or bronze filler is probably the easiest fix. You may be able to pop a hose clamp over it to join the pieces together and just leave it alone too. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Honcho Gregory Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I also have 1 just like that. I used a pipe bender and made new legs for mine. The threads were all rusted thin causing it to wobble. Mine screw in. I looked on eBay all the time to learn the name of the tools and equipment Blacksmiths use. I saw 1 there for $2300 ( all painted pretty) and still going. I forgot about it for a few days, by the time I got back it was gone and I didn't see the price it went for. I was told not to burn in it till I put in some heat cenment. I hope to this weekend. I stopped at the hardware store and picked up a cast iron drain cover for the sewer vent for $6 and change. Think I'll trim the 4 legs off the cast iron to lower it to the floor of the pot and install the cenment the way Phil said. Thanks Phil..I gotta get the new phone to post the event Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 You can weld Cast iron or steel, with a stick welder, just need the right kind of rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Too bad the cast iron broke like that, but it's really hard to see faults in old rusty metal! Cementing the pan will go a long way towards stabilizing it and preventing further cracking due to differential heating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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