FieryFurnace Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 I am selling my big shop forge. The reason is I did a trade for an electric blower and I wanted to build a new forge from the ground up that fit the blower. (Instead of trying to modify the current forge to fit the blower.) This new one is 26-inches x 37 inches, with a 3-inch deep, 10-inch x 12-inch firepot. It's got all the normal stuff! Clinker breaker, weighted ashe dump, forge plate, braces around the firepot, braces for the legs including triangulation and a 2-inch lip around the edge. Some modifications to the standard forged designes is that I used 1-inch square pipe around the firepot to raise the firepot level up to the level of the lip. This allows me to put steel in flat across the firepot from any angle around the forge. The pipe also serves to insulate the firepot heat from the steel forge plate, decreasing the chance of warpage and slowing the spread of heat to the edge of the forge. This was Brian Brazeal's idea and it works quite well. I traded for a Champion Forge Blower number 4. (There is also the number "2" cast into the blower housing.) I got a 1/2 HP motor in a trade. I built an airgate into the air/ash-dump system. I still need to do some touch-up work with the grinder and put some rubber pads between the motor and the motor mount. It will get painted in the spring when it warms/dries up! It will get moved in position and fired up later today. Will post pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gaddis Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Dave this looks good. Consider installing a power switch on the front as you change the wire for a bit more heat resistant type. While making the change route the wire for a clear-air design...cause sooner or later there is gonna be something that falls under the forge that is hot or heavy that would wipe out you power to the blower. At the Ms Forge Council we have rheostats to the fans but they are pretty well useless. The air gate is paramount, but still some air flow may be induced...so a reasonable located power switch makes an absolute turn off to air, while offering economics, and safety. Carry on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Hi Dave, Looking at your pics, I have doubts about your air slide control, it would seem at an angle with a lockbolt arrangement sited on the square tube, if it has no locking arrangement you may find the slide to become self closing with vibration, and the lockbolt looks awkward to get at easily. I would recommend bringing the control arm out horizontal and with some sort of positive location/ratchet type mechanism similar to this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Mr. Gaddis, My blower routing takes the wire clear from any falling steel! I don't think I'll have any trouble there. The blower is plugged into a switch-controlled receptical that I wired specifically for this purpose. However, the air gate that I built is 100% air proof! When the handle is shut, it's shut. Mr. John, The air control handle is at an angle. I did this so that the control handle would be at a convenient height. There is a pipe guide that guides the pull handle so that the gate does not jam. There is a tension bolt that controls the amount of stiffness in the handle. Right now, the air gate and it's housing are stiff enough to keep it from vibrating shut. As time goes on, it will wear and become more loose, so I installed the tension bolt so that more tension can be applied as needed. It is easily accessable just to the left of the handle. (On the back of the forge.) Here is the clinker breaker handle. Don't ask about the zig-zag. I just kind of went with the flow, and that's what I got! LOL Weighted ash dump handle and the ash dump. Here is a bad picture of the air gate handle and tension bolt. This is the air gate! And here is a picture of the first fire as well as a picture of a piece of the damper for the stove, that I made in the forge. (See "hinges for the wood stove" thread in "Member's Projects.") There is plenty of air and the firepot is nice. It'll take a couple of weeks to find all of the downsides, but I am pleased with it overal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 One suggestion is add at least 2 wheels to one side. You can then move the forge like a wheel borrow and sweep the area where it is used. A couple of pieced of pipe say 1-1/2 inch welded under the non-chimney end and 1-1/4 inch pipe with a stop that can be drawn out for handles should do the trick. I think those are the sizes that fit one into another. I like the idea of a water bucket under the ash dump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 The hood rests on the chimney so it takes two people to move it. Once it's out from under the chimney, a set of handtrucks grabs the lower angle-iron leg brace and acts like that set of wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95silverstallion Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 What gauge metal is the hearth? Also what gauge is the firepot? Im thinking of building something real similar but am unsure of the thickness I really need? Would 3/16" be good for both the hearth and the firepot or does the firepot need to be heavier like 1/4"? Thanks, Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pug}{maN Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 That is way cool! Would love to take it for a spin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted February 2, 2013 Author Share Posted February 2, 2013 What gauge metal is the hearth? Also what gauge is the firepot? Im thinking of building something real similar but am unsure of the thickness I really need? Would 3/16" be good for both the hearth and the firepot or does the firepot need to be heavier like 1/4"? Thanks, Brian My old fire pot was 3/8-inch plate. I used it for two years and although it shows use, it's got a long life still left. 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch is better. Mine here is 5/8-inch. The forge plate is 1/8-inch sheet metal. This works fine but the area around the fire pot needs to be supported by 1/4-inch x 1-inch x 1-inch angle or larger, because the heat from the fire pot will warp the sheet metal if it is not supported. Swing on by sometime Pugman! Will fire-er-up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pug}{maN Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Let me get back from Brian's, Then we might see about something this fall? I would seriously love to come work with you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Nice forge Dave, I'm glad I got to use it when we made the hammers. I really like how you did the air gate, and clinker breaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin' Coke Forge Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Very nice forge Dave! Mine is nearly exactly the same, except for the klinker breaker. I had drilled 16, 1/4 inch holes through the square plate before I welded it onto the handle, thinking that I'd get better airflow. Because of that, I'm not sure if I'm getting too much air now. Please let us know how you like the solid square one. I may have to change mine over to solid. The other forge I use is an orignal open hearth stone forge from 1730 (see my profile pic). It has a solid klinker breaker as well and still works like a dream. Maybe I overthought the design when i made mine? Thanks, - Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 The solid breakers are nice. I used a small triangular one in my last forge. Triangle or square works fine. You need about 1/4-inch gap all the way around it for air flow. Pugman! Email me when you get some time and want to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danguite Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Do you have or could you throw something together quick, to show how that gate, breaker, etc all work? I've been wracking my brain for awhile and I can't come up with any good way to keep that breaker centered and still attached to the handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 Do you have or could you throw something together quick, to show how that gate, breaker, etc all work? I've been wracking my brain for awhile and I can't come up with any good way to keep that breaker centered and still attached to the handle. It may take me a couple of days. I'll put it in a new thread, in this section of the forum, entitled something like "fabricated clinker breaker, ash dump, and air gate." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadstone Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I looked at this post a few weeks ago, and have since started taking a stick welding class. I just started scrolling through the pictures today, and suddenly I feel compelled to stop and check out your beads. Learning to weld has changed my life forever... Really nice forge! I can't wait to make a forge myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95silverstallion Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Do you think it would help to dissipate heat if you drilled holes in the lip of the table where the 1" tubing supports meet the lip on the outside? To let heat escape from inside the 1" tubing? Im getting my steel tomorrow and am going to build a really similar table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 Do you think it would help to dissipate heat if you drilled holes in the lip of the table where the 1" tubing supports meet the lip on the outside? To let heat escape from inside the 1" tubing? Im getting my steel tomorrow and am going to build a really similar table. I doubt it would make a noticeable difference really. Plus, you wouldn't want additional heat getting to your slide-out support rack, if you choose to nest one inside of your pipe supports. I just got all the pics for the air gate/clinker breaker tutorial, so I hope to get that up soon. No promises, as I'm very busy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aljeter Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Looks pretty good! I built one pretty close to that a little over a year ago. If you want to see it just search for Aljeter and it should come up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 I like the Build on the forge and agree with Glenn, as heavy as this unit is wheels would make thing easier to move around the shop. IMHO Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Nice rig Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 I just used a Roger Lorrance pot but home growed is fine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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