So, this is my small, portable forge in an upside down lawnmower. Laugh all you want, it was meant to be funny and its worked for the last two years. However I'm tired of breathing smoke and sneezing black, and since I work outside a lot, I'd like some shade to tell the color of the metal by when it's sunny.

 

I'm thinking of a hood as a possible project this weekend. Since it's outside and moved about from time to time, it'll probably have to set on the refractory surface. Any ideas? Suggestions?

 

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36989-cam00121/

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36990-cam00122/

 

My suggestion for a hood would be something similar to the one at the address below with a 10" or 12" galvanized duct stuck on top. You can get these sizes of round duct x 5' long relatively easily at Lowes or Home depot. That may get the smoke up high enough to be out of your face. If you roll the forge under a cover for storage you might want to make it either removable or short enough to fit in the storage space.

 

I have a similar set-up to yours and roll it out whenever I do work and try to keep on the opposite side of the smoke.

Might have to rivet instead of weld, but I could probably do this. Not sure about shade though.

http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/23197-bp1048-side-draft-chimney/

Here is another similar build from this site.

 

Rivets or sheet metal screws would all work.

 

I picked up a used electric stick welder a little over a year ago and have used it to weld together all sorts of things. Forging tools, a coal forge, etc. But I had gone 20 years without a welder.

If keeping to the dirt cheap theme, you could use the sheet steel skin from an old washer or dryer as the sides of a windscreen, which will help give some shade to see the heated metal better.  Maybe an old kitchen stove vent hood could be attached to that with it's electric fan to help draw the smoke out.  It wouldn't be pretty and not as efficient as the other ideas shown, but it would be an improvement with very little cost.

I have a old wheel barrel in my junk pile i have been eyeballing to use as a hood for mine. Might work alright with some work. I see themat yard sales and such pretty regular.

I like the square one, and probably could cobble something out of duct work. Might be a bit thin, but would be cheap. On the other hand, washers/dryers/wheelbarrows goes with the home tools/appliance theme. :)

I like the idea of an inverted wheelbarrow body.  A few straps and rivets to hold it to the lawnmower deck..... cut a hole for a bit of stove pipe to get the smoke up above your head.  Now you have a shade to better see the color of the steel, and a bit of overhang to cover the entire forge table.   It would certainly look incredible!