This is made of old fence post with 2 30 degree bevels cut. Fence picket for walls, and scrap and cedar for the floor.



The pipe is nice and thick with a 2" inner diameter.

Cross bracing at the center is also picket. The inner sides also had to have cross bracing. The air holes in the pipe are far from perfect or even. If I have too little, I can drill more. If I have too much, I can make ceramic plugs.

I used an old weathered welding blanket to line the frame, burlap was what I used ages ago, but I had the blanket and it's not good for much else. Then I used Pearlite to force shape at the bottom and insulate.

The goop I used on top of the pearlite is simple,
You take builders lime, the cheap stuff you use to add lime to soil or whatever. Fill a plastic trashcan with it. Fill it with water. Let it sit forever. The older the better, no joke here. This stuff is not good against lots of weather, but this morter makes great stucco and is repairable and long term. I knead it into a dough with lots of pearlite. I did this bare handed but am fairly resistant to lime. When I start using furnace cement I will wear gloves, that stuff eats skin despite resistances.
The classic form of this forge would use about 6 inches of clay. The local clay has Boron, which is good, but it also has sulphur which is not good to have slowly seeping into your steel.

Anyway here is the forge with High heat furnace goop added:



The goop on the pipe is an attempt to get some enamel sort of coating on the pipe. From past experience, the pipe expands at a different rate and cracks the coating a bit, but the coating does tend to lengthen the life of the pipe.

Here it is after the first good burn.


The edge is about an inch and a half higher than the heart of the flame, so I will have to alter it a bit.

I have a small wet/dry vacuum blowing into the pipe at one end. At the other end I can adjust the air pressure by sliding a gate across the end of the pipe. The extra air blows on me.

Since I am a clueless fellow, please let me know how I should modify the thing or what I should have done different.


Bob

What fuel you burning in your forge?
What do you plan on making?

I am using coal, and I am still trying to make a pair of tongs that I wouldn't be to embarrassed for anyone to see.
Mostly I make woodworking tools, and am trying to expand my range a bit.

Here is the sort of stuff I currently do:




Bob

nice tools. I'm wanting to get into woodworking tool making also.
try lining the forge with a fire clay including the pipe. Maybe and inch or two or three above the pipe. At least 3" would be best, I think, and leave hole that tapers to the holes in the pipe that is maybe 6 or 8 inches in diameter at the top and tapers to the same size as the area in the pipe with holes. It could also be oval shaped instead of round, say 4"x8" and taper down. This would allow for long narrow peices, like steel bars and rods, it would help to shape the fire.

Fred

I will cut notches in the sides for long work, and try to shape the area a bit with some fire brick later today, thanks for the wisdom,

Bob