Hi guys, this is my first post, even tough I was here for a couple days meeting a couple people on the chatroom and by message.
I finnaly got some charcoal for my forge today, it's briquets, but I have heard that they still bring metal red, but a little less than coal.
I started it up with a little gas and some oil on the charcoal and once all corners we're gray I turned on my fan.
I stayed my steel in the coal for 10-15 minutes and it did not get near turning red, any ideas?

It's like the drum is not deep enough so there is not much charcoal that can get on top, and when the fan is on all the charcoal is pushed out from the hole in the middle, so it does not get enough air on the charcoal.

Thanks a ton guys!

Here is my prototype : Keep in mind that the fan is not connected in the pictures.





The fan I have is a small radial fan like this. http://www.ventilati...es/cat/89_b.jpg

Processed charcoal briquettes Contain a lot of unessisary filler. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briquette This explains some of the additives used. Try a bag of natural charcoal, the lump stuff, and then let me know if it is still not getting hot enough.

Note that you need to get the steel into the hot spot---if it's below the rim you may have trouble.

I had a forge like that where I place a piece of sheet metal bent in a C (hot rolled NOT GALVANIZED) so it fir right inside the side walls and allowed me to pile the fuel up over the rim. The opening in the C allowed me to insert the workpiece into the hot spot and I cut a "mousehole"just over the rim of the brake drum opposite the open slot to stick long pieces through.

This was my primary billet welder for several years, (blown using an ancient handy vac, Al body ran me US$3 at the fleamarket cause it was missing the bag and only had a pipe blowing air...)

Even using briquettes if you have them stacked high enough it should be getting heat. If you are blowing fuel out of the forge TURN DOWN THE AIR! Did you have the drum full to the top and higher of briquettes?

Ditch the briquettes and get some Cowboy, Royal Oak, etc., real lump charcoal.

Set up to get a 6 - 8" deep fire.

Keep a steady, gentle air blast.

You iron should be centered in the fire, i.e. there should be as much burning fuel above your piece as there is above your piece.

Well I live in Canada, and I'm going to the states tomorrow. In New England Mass to be exact.
Coal is rare and EXPENSIVE around here. I would like to know if this Coal is good, because I might stock a bunch of bags if yes.

http://hand-tools.ha...oal-101755.aspx

thanks guys!

Natural chunk charcoal was used for about the first 2000 years of the ironworking period---all the viking swords were forge welded using charcoal as are japanese swords till this day!

I believe that wood is available even in Canada; if you can't get other than briquettes (in which charcoal is a *minor* component) make your own from scrap wood, sift wood ashes from a wood stove or even build a wood fire and transfer hot coals into the forge as needed

That coal looks good but is kinda expensive.

I bought two 50 lb bags of smithing charcoal near Boston, and I tried it tonight, it gets really hot, but I have to re-make a forge, I think I will make the 55 gallon drum one.
Here is some pictures.

the 55 gallon drum isnt a good idea. you want your heat contained and insulated and the metal used is too thin. meaning you need to have a smaller diamiter forge. about the size of a large dinner plate would be adequate. too much larger and you will burn more fuel than you use. also, dont use briquettes and dont pay so much for coal. stick with lump charcoal or with plain old wood. when using wood for forging, you want the heavy hardwood in the center. and yet another alternitave to solid fuel is propane forges. i dont know how much propane costs there, but it would be worth your while if none of the solid fuel ones suit your fancy.

the 55 gallon drum isnt a good idea. you want your heat contained and insulated and the metal used is too thin. meaning you need to have a smaller diamiter forge. about the size of a large dinner plate would be adequate. too much larger and you will burn more fuel than you use. also, dont use briquettes and dont pay so much for coal. stick with lump charcoal or with plain old wood. when using wood for forging, you want the heavy hardwood in the center. and yet another alternitave to solid fuel is propane forges. i dont know how much propane costs there, but it would be worth your while if none of the solid fuel ones suit your fancy.

You may wish to look at the BP for the 55 forge before you post any more silliness about this, because saying it does not work is not correct, where do you get these ideas?

I tried my Forge with some leftover coal today with my friend, and I put a piece of rebar that the tip was flattened for a couple minutes and like 2 inches of the rebar just melted off.
But I will start building a 55 gallon forge tomorrow, so I may start a new build thread Cheers!

You may wish to look at the BP for the 55 forge before you post any more silliness about this, because saying it does not work is not correct, where do you get these ideas?

i didnt realise there was a bp for a 55forge. haha. well steve, i was thinking on basic physics. it takes more heat to heat up a larger area thus you burn more coal (or other fuel) than you would for a smaller forge. ill make sure to check it out. thanks for the advice steve.