Show me your Forge

[CurlyGeorge]

The first one is the forge that I use when doing living history demos at Lincoln Log Cabin Historic Site (Abe's Father's last home site), Lerna, ILL. It is built on the order of an old artillary cart forge, with a 4 foot long 2 stage bellows. It's a lot of fun to work with.
Lincoln_Log_Cabin_8-4_5-_07_014 - Blacksmith Photo Gallery

The second is my shop forge, at home. Nothin' fancy, but it works for me. The hood is just barely visible at the top of the picture.. It goes out a 12in X12in roof vent.
My meager shop - Blacksmith Photo Gallery

[civilwarblacksmith]

Hey Mark,

How close to period correct is your forge cart? Just wondering.

[civilwarblacksmith]

This is the Colonial style brick forge I use at the Homestead.


This one dates from 1880 to 1910. Belt driven crank blower.


This one date a little earlier than the crank forge. It is a belt driven rachet/pump forge.

I have another but it has not been put together yet. It is a 2 1/2' x 4' cast bowl type with either a coal resevoir on the front or it is for water. No blower as of yet but heavy as the dickens.

[CurlyGeorge]

Hey Reb. I am not positive on the exact time period for the cart. It's owned by the state Historical society. They built it from plans that they got from, I think the said, S Carolina. I think that it was revolutionary war time period. At the site, we portray the year 1845.

Edited July 4, 2008 by CurlyGeorge
Adding a date.

[civilwarblacksmith]

Thanks Curly,

I knew the Rev War style was a cart mounted forge, but I have never seen one. That could work for the 1840 impression at the Martin Log Cabin circa 1820.

[CurlyGeorge]

We're going to the site Tommorrow and Sunday. I'll try to find out more info and maybe see if I can get the plans. If I can, I'll let you know and make arrangements to get them to you.

[civilwarblacksmith]

Hey!! That would be great.

Thanks

[geofthesmith]

done some modifications since this pic but its pretty much the same.

[Lefty]

Here are a few shots of my forge. Picked it up at a flea market about 9 years ago.

Lefty

[strube1369]

Yeah, that's a pretty fancy yellow vacuum cleaner (in reverse mode...) I use as a sorta bellows!

[Ted T]

This was my 4th solid fuel (Coal/Coke) forge.
Finished my new Coal / Coke Forge - Blacksmith Photo Gallery
Under-belly of my new Coal / Coke Forge - Blacksmith Photo Gallery
I have had a total of seven (7) solid fuel forges in my time.
Ted Throckmorton

[John B]

Nice job Ted, How do you control the air flow?

[Frosty]

That's a beauty Ted. How's it work?

Frosty

[Ted T]

Thanks John!
I installed levers that are located on each side of the forge so that I can control an "air flow gate" from either side of the forge.
Plus I installed a

[irnsrgn]

nice job Teddy

[John B]

Thanks Ted, a little thought can make life so much easier, mine are also very similar, except I put the rheostat on a seperate extension as I can then use it on other tools if I need to, and the side supports are a seperate item on the portable forges.

[Sam Falzone]

Here are my forges ...
On the left is my forge space in my classroom (technically not mine but it is while I'm at that school). Natural gas forge.
In the middle is my charcoal forge for demos.
On the right is a coal rivet forge I picked up at auction.

Sam

[John Martin]

Here's mine. 100% Homemade.

Edited October 12, 2008 by m_brothers

[KenC]

My apologies if this doesn't work right. I usually have trouble attaching pictures to posts.

These are two forges actually. The ground forge is a one-time use forge to help me cut up a very hard grading blade. the other is a converted gas BBQ lined with a mix of morter mix, ash, and basic sifted dirt/clay. This works fine for charcoal but I think I need to modify it before I start burning straignt coke. A good, inexpensive tool to learn on.

[DClaville]

here is my coal forge mostly use coal but when I am doing some thing special i use charcoal in it also..

it is all new just fired once in the pic 2years old or so..
it is home build from 3mm mild steel plate and 40x40 pipe for the legs hood is also 3mm plate the fire pot is +100years old cast iron the blower is from a oil heater burner for houses

DC

[ripleycopa]

Our community forge was built three years ago. It is a dual forge side draft masonry structure with a 12 inch diameter flue stack. A Vulcan Firepot is installed on each side of the central flue. This is just after construction before our first heat. It has had a lot of use since then. Three BAM members share it with more recruits hopefully on the way. It draws better when both firepots are being used.

[HWooldridge]

Our community forge was built three years ago. It is a dual forge side draft masonry structure with a 12 inch diameter flue stack. A Vulcan Firepot is installed on each side of the central flue. This is just after construction before our first heat. It has had a lot of use since then. Three BAM members share it with more recruits hopefully on the way. It draws better when both firepots are being used.

On dual forge setups, I've seen folks set a piece of sheet metal on the cold side so there is a back to the chimney. Helps the one working firepot draw better...just a thought.

[ripleycopa]

The masons who built our community dual forge also thought it would need a steel plate between the two firepots. They had never built a forge before but they knew fireplaces quite well and knew it needed a smoke ledge to draw properly. The attached pic is of the steel plate they installed.

[blksmth]

Their are a lot of great forges shown. I particularly like M. Brothers forge as it is simple and I'm sure it works well. Simply a large diameter pipe with a cut out in the bottom. Doesn't get much simpler than that.

[Fe-Wood]

I have to say, I REALY enjoy all the pictures of peoples shops, forges and hammers. Thanks for posting!!!