Stand or base for gas forge?

[HandsomeRyan]

I used the search function and did some browsing here but I couldn't find a specific thread that dealt with pictures and thoughts relating to where and how to mount a gas forge to a base or stand. If this has already been discussed and I missed the thread I apologize for the repost.

I have started collecting parts to build two burners but before I can decide the exact specifications of the forge they will attach to I feel like I need to have a plan for what/how the forge will be mounted.

In my research on what others are doing, I've come across everything from people who just set their forges on the ground to some very nice steel framed stands that included tool racks, bottle mounts and wheels for easier transportation. I have a welder and adequate fabrication skills to build something I just don't know exactly what I want or will need.

Here are links to a few examples of mounting methods I've come across. This is by no means a comprehensive list of everything I looked at:

Homemade wooden rolling stand: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tacoma-cartoonist/181855745/

Workbench mounted: http://www.bohlfamily.com/Metal_Shop.html

Short legs on forge, sitting on the ground: http://www.fergusonsculpture.com/tools.html

Another member here's post mounted mini forge: http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/32838-mini-gas-forge/

A fairly basic welded steel stand (and some very sketchy propane hose routing!): http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQ0POB_euvI/TWQLL2cfyHI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/0ZuAS-Dfbzk/s1600/gas+forge+distance.JPG

Folding stand for farriers: http://www.centaurforge.com/NC-Folding-Forge-Stand/productinfo/0215/

A nicely built compact welded steel stand on wheels: http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=2554

Another steel stand with a grinder mounted as well: http://ronreil.abana.org/stand.jpg

Very clean and simple homemade steel cart: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bentwright/4898141545/

Commercially made farriers forge cart: http://www.somersongforge.com/forge_carts.html


• What do you have your forge mounted on? Pics are most helpful but descriptions are good too.

• Are you happy with your mount and if not, what would you do differently if you were starting from scratch?

FWIW: My forge will be a two burner unit probably using an LP tank as a shell or at least comparable in size/shape to that. I want it to be portable in the sense that I can use it on the driveway or inside the workshop. Other than that I'm not sure what factors play into how I should mount my forge?

[ThomasPowers]

Me; my gasser is mounted on a junked propane grill stand. I removed the grill and bolted a piece of 1/8" steel sheet across the gap where the grill sat and then have a couple of bolts with wing nuts to hold the forge on the sheet. It already came equipped with wheels and a handle and a place to put the bottle. I even use the shelves to the sides to hold cool tools and the metal sheet to hold hot ones. Total cost to me was about a dollar.

[quint]

Right now mine is on a cheesy homemade wooden stand with a couple of wheels that are too small for it but it works. My original plan is kind of what Thomaspowers uses. If I run across a free or near free grill that looks like it will work I am canabalizing the thing.

[ThomasPowers]

Fall is prime gas grill scrounging time; some upscale neighborhoods they will even junk the bottle rather than storing it till the next year.

I see them pretty often at the trash transfer station (I'm in a rural area) back in OH I used to see them in the alleyways on heavy trash pick up days. Lastly I see them at the scrapyard on a regular basis.

[postleg]

I mounted mine on a steel tube table I made and then put an inlayed fire brick top. It has wheels so I can move it around or roll it out side in hot weather.

[tzonoqua]

Mine's on a simple stand built from some reclaimed fencing angle iron that the farmer gave to me. She also very conveniently found a quarter sheet of 2mm that I used for the top! I have added some tubing on each side into which I have slotted some round stock that is in a U shape, which acts as an adjustable rest for longer pieces. The top is laid with firebricks. I also added a chain to which the bottle of propane is attached to the stand, I use 47kg bottles so they stand beside the forge and one leg is anchored to the floor with a bolt. I welded in some struts to add stability and also act as a tong rack for the tongs currently in use, I have a bigger tong rack for the rest. At the moment I've got a plastic crate at the bottom which holds all my scroll formers, I keep reminding myself to replace that crate with a shelf or two for them made of metal, ie. not something flammable!!

[Tom W]

I welded a stand with 2 wheels so it could be rolled around with a tong and hammer rack.

[Dave Hammer]

I have used all sort of bases for forges. My most used shop area has limited space so it is important for me to be able to move tools out out of the way when I'm not using them. Larger forges are put on rolling tables. For my little forges, I like to use a base I can easily move around. I love old gears (I find them at steel recycling centers)... and use them as bases for pedestals I put a forge on (usually pipe in pipe so I can adjust the height of the forge.

I have made one change since I took this picture.... I use a bolt through both pipes (outer pipe has several holes) to set the height of the forge.

The stand on the right is a little table I sometimes use to hold tools when I demonstrate. It holds hammers, hardy tools, tongs and whatever else I need.

[Tom W]

Let me try again to post a picture of my forge cart

[Jeff Seelye]

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[Frosty]

This incarnation is a steel stand that's part of the forge itself. The split brick table of the forge is the top of the stand, off to one side is a guide for the lid lift and a bracket for the scissor jack that lifts the lid. Below the table is a shelf to stiffen the legs and be handy. There are two helpers that slide in or our from under the table, part of the helper is level with the table deck and the telescoping long tubes are handy for holding tongs.

This pic is an earlier model I have NO idea what or why the small lengths of sq tubing are doing on top of the lid frame, they're not on the current incarnation. The helper rack is reversable, the section with the tongs is level with the table if it's flipped over.

Frosty The Lucky.

[pkrankow]

I use the frame from an old trash compactor as a hot table, and a forge stand when I am using my gas forge. Free, sorta.

Phil

[JamesBBrauer]

I use a wire rack cart for my round gas forge. They haven't got hot enough to melt, but my wire racks use plastic tapers to hold the shelves to the legs. As a backup to the plastic tapers, I put stainless hose clamps under the shelves. Then there is a shelf a couple inches below the top of the cart where I keep tongs; it is handy being able to see through the shelf material.

- James B

[HandsomeRyan]

Thanks for all the pictures and insight. I haven't forgotten this thread but I've been on away on a trip and just got back. I'm getting some great ideas and I'll certainly get some pictures and post them once I get something knocked together. This forum is so helpful and friendly so thanks all.

[WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith]

I have a horazontal forge. I welded up a "craddle" for it to sit in with length front and back for room for fire brick doors. Then welded 3 3/4" nipples (two front corners and one center back) angled out to give a broader base where the legs hit the floor. Three legs are always stable, like a milking stool. I then screw 3/4" pipe into the nipples for legs (about chin high). That way you can look into the forge without squatting down or straining up on tip toes. The blower in front is an air curtain to blow the "dragon's breath" up and away.

[rthibeau]

I Beam and angle iron stand, The gasser has a square tube frame which slides onto smaller square tube welded to the top of the IBeam. Colors are optional.

[Dodge]

I forge out on my driveway but store forges in my garage, so it has to roll. This is a use specific stand I originally made for my first gasser. It has evolved as needed for my second and third forge, (force air on the left; naturally aspirated on the right).The junk collection underneath, however, remains the same B)

[woodsmith]

basic angle iron stand for a stack of bricks style forge, I made a set of casters with rollerblade wheels so it wheels around very easily, I really hate bad casters, I like to use implement enamel paint for durability on steel that dosent get hot and high temp black for steel that does. This was not designed to be be super portable but I have taken it to guild meetings you can shed the weight of the bricks and throw it on the truck. For a lighter kaowool forge I would probably just build a pedistal stand for better portability.

[Charles McDonald]

Here is the stand I made from some left over lumber I had laying around. My issue with it is that it gets a little hot and so I placed some scraps of Duraboard underneath the forge. It’s pretty stable and it's worked well for me so far!

[rlonstein]

You might be over-thinking this. You want something that is [A] stable and at a convenient work height. Try it and see.

I brazed two pieces of scrap bed-frame angle-iron to mine (a single burner, freon canister shell) to the shell with the vee pointed down and brazed two pieces of flat scrap 2" wider on each end than the width of the shell body across the points of the vees to make feet. It raises the forge about 2" off my workbench. Good enough.

[Frosty]

Yeah, the ONE important thing this thread showcases is just how little something fancy is necessary. Don't over think it, it's just something to hold up whatever you're working on. Sure, if you plan on doing some forging on a destroyer propeller shaft or anchor it'll need to be stout. Otherwise all it needs to hold is some fire and a couple lbs of iron/steel. A little cement backer board is just fine for protecting a wood table top. A couple wheels is really handy to tip it up and move it where ever.

Simple simple simple is the key. Yeah, I spell KISSS with three S's. Well, today I do. <grin>

Frosty the Lucky.

[HandsomeRyan]

Thanks for keeping the pics and suggestions flowing. I have the gas manifold all assembled and I'm working on the burners. I guess I need to start sourcing some fire brick soon.

I'll be sure and post pictures of whatever I come up with.

[gaball28]

this is my gasser mounted on a cheap hand truck, compact and easy to move.

[HandsomeRyan]

this is my gasser mounted on a cheap hand truck, compact and easy to move.

Awesome. So simple while maintaining functionality. Thanks for sharing!

[01tundra]

Well it looks like it's my turn to come up with some sort of mounting solution since I just placed an order for a Chile Tabsco forge today. I already have two 100 lb. propane tanks, plan on only using one at a time though and have the other as a full spare. I have a 250-gallon below grade propane tank serving my house, it's only hooked to our gas grill on the deck currently, but I'm not too keen on plumbing 10(ish) psig gas through the garage/shop, so figured I'd just use my spare 100 # tanks.

I think I would like to be able to move it around like I can with my coal forge. I'm not sure how realistic and/or safe it would be, but I was kind of leaning toward making a low base plate mounted on four locking caster, setting the tank on one end with bottle support chains (plus whatever else is need to make the bottle really secure) and the putting a plate steel shelf at whatever height I decide on for the forge to sit on.

Anyone know of a reason that it may not be advisable to mount a 100 lb. tank and forge on the same cart? It would only be moved within my shop on the concrete floor, not out to the driveway like my coal burner. I don't really forsee needing to move it much (if any), so I could put it in it's planned spot on a stationary stand with the bottle next to it, but thought it may be nice to be able to move it around. I do have a spare hand truck that I could strap the bottle to as well.

Just trying to weigh out the pros/cons of making this one portable. I've got about three weeks to think and build, but figured I better get busy now since most of my project turn out bigger and more complex than I originally plan...........

I found a guys that's selling a bunch of carts that were used at a Sam's store, he says they are heavy duty (weigh about 100 lbs) and he's asking $100 each for them. This may be a good base to build off.