Building a forge UK

[chilipenguin]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forums and am just starting to organise building a brake drum forge but I'm having a bit of trouble locating the pipe work needed for the air flow. Some of the guides I have seen suggest a 2 inch steel flange, t-pipe and nipples (snigger) but the major hardware places here in the UK only seem to carry plastic or copper. Any suggestions as to where this stuff can be located or are there alternatives?

Cheers!

[pkrankow]

Check out the 55forge.
http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/20370-the-55-forge-blueprints/

Call up a muffler shop and ask about getting a couple feet of exhaust pipe cutoffs.

Can you weld, or is this a "no weld" build? If you have to you can roll a cutoff from the drum into a pipe, and either crease or weld. I would not choose to do this because I have never tried to do this kind of cold forming.

Phil

[Chris Jones]

I'm in a similar boat, I've found a few online suppliers:

http://www.easupplies.com/Black-Pipe-Fittings-s/3306.htm
http://www.esska-tech.co.uk/esska_eng_s/malleable_iron_pipe_fittings.html

Watch out what you buy - I believe that Galvanised is BAD near heat as it gives off some fumes..but not sure on that.

If you find a different supply give me a shout as I'll be looking for some over the winter.

Chris

[mick maxen]

Try here for all manner of pipe fittings in iron, brass or copper, http://www.bes.co.uk/

I have just run a new air supply to my forge and found that if you buy the 50mm rain water plastic pipe from Wickes and get the elbows for the 40mm waste pipe, the type that you glue up. You can gently warm the 50mm pipe with a blow torch and the 40mm fittings will push in and make an air tight seal.

Mick.

[Frosty]

Are you making a solid fuel forge? If so forget the copper, brass, plastic(!?) or such, just go with black plumbing pipe and fittings or if you weld exhaust pipe is fine. Avoid galvy but don't sweat a little so long as you don't get it in the fire. If you use galvy avoid the bluish white smoke looking stuff especially if you see pretty bluish greenish flames. (Cyan is the actual color) Don't freak out if you get the galvy burning just get out of the smoke and let it cool down.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Vad man]

If you are looking for black pipe fittings, this UK supplier seems to have plenty of options:

https://www.raptorsupplies.com/c/2013

[timgunn1962]

You need a pipeline supplier.

BSS are national and have a place in Loanhead. They also have some brochures available online (possibly needing some faffing about to register) and a sort-of price list thing which is accessible online without registering, but is priced in industrial quantities.

RS Components have a section of "malleable iron pipe fittings" that is worth a look online if you are completely new to pipe fittings and need to suss things out a bit before approaching a supplier. 

It is worth noting that pipe and fittings are sized on Nominal Bore and the sizes can a bit of a shock to those used to nut and bolt threads. If it is all new to you, look up BSP threads online. The BS pipe ODs are the same as for the US system, but the threadform is 55-degree Whitworth, rather than the 60-degree threadform used in the US.

For a solid fuel system or blown gas burner, you can reasonably assume a US design will translate directly to UK pipe sizes and fittings. However, if you ever go on to build a Naturally Aspirated gas forge, the small differences can be enough to dramatically affect performance.