My new (first) HIBACHI forge.

[SierraBladeAndTool]

Okay so I'm a newbie... so don't flame me too hard.  But this is my first go at making a fire pot... and I contemplated different designs... but as it will be primarily for blades and tools under 14" in total length... figured opting to go small best suit me.

This was roughly inspired by the Whitlox mini forge I saw when looking at designs... as I have limited supplies or access to things... but scrap wood is plentiful. So this will be a wood cooker.



We had a neglected Hibachi... and I worked out how to build it and save the case if I ever wanted it again... so it was a simple pick.



I experimented with making a clay liner substance... and it failed... so I changed the formula a bit... and will be using it in a non critical area... behind the firebrick against the metal case.  Fire brick and fire side seals are with the Furnace Cement.  



("Clay" mix was triple screened: sand/wood ash/cat litter, mixed dry at 20%-30%-50%, roughly, and kneaded together with slow addition of water)



The air rail extends out and has a hair drier forced air fitting.



The Hib. was pasted first with the clay mix, then pipe and bricks were pressed in... filling the rear gaps as best as possible with more clay mix.  Brick edges were mortared together with the furnace cement, and pipe to brick as well was pasted with the F cement.   I will let this air cure a few days and if any cracks appear, I'll fill them in with the F cement like a pottery slip paste.   Then a week out... I'll stoke a small fire to cure/glaze the F cement (as per instructions).





This is not "final"... I will fill the open end gaps with more clay mix (as soon as I mix more)... and then *final* will have an F cement smoothed coating, and the Hib. will be painted IHC Red!

 

 

 

So this is first round of pics... stay tuned... share, comment as you like.
(Oh... all work will be native made... as I am located near NOTHING... and just had a horrid car crash... so driving 75 miles RT to the nearest store... isn't happening!)

:-)   -Steve

 

[jmccustomknives]

Not too bad.  Your air source is a little spread out so you'll burn through a lot of fuel rather than keep a small softball sized heart.  I'm assuming your going to run charcoal?

You'll start tweeking your design once you get that bad boy fired up. 

My first forge was set in a wheel barrow.  :rolleyes:

[swedefiddle]

Good Morning,

 

At your T-fitting, you are restricted with the input diameter. The volume of air able to go through the holes in your discharge is restricted by the volume of air restricted in the small diameter pipe. Use a different T-fitting and not the reducer. Weld the reducer part to the T and grind out the inside for more flow if this is all you have available. The only way you can make your design work, is if you use a compressor and compressed air.

 

I have two forges with a similar concept. 18-24" long, 3" diameter pipe with a thread on one end for a clean out cap, other end of the pipe will fit dryer vent flex-hose from a hand crank blower. 3" pipe lays horizontal with 5 - 3/4" pipe nipples welded in, 3/4" high, 3/4" between them. I took VW Van ball joints and machined 4 so they can be used as a plug inside the pipe nipples. The choice is how long you want the fire. The pipe is laying in a box similar like yours with clinker, ash and broken fire-brick pieces as filler. I use the fire-brick like yours to control the cross-wind. The clinker in this style forge does not restrict the air-flow, it lays around the nipples and you can pick it out in one piece once a day.

 

Yours is not a mistake, just a lesson. :) :)

 

Neil

[knots]

My first forge was made from a Hibachi as well.  That was back in the mid 70's.  I also lined mine with fire brick.  Rather than use a maniford for the air supply, I welded up an ash dump/ air tube from ( If I remember correctly) 2 1/2" pipe.  Rather than having a clinker breaker I just jammed a wad or chicken wire in the discharge end of the air tube.  Worked OK but had to disturb the fire occasionally to clear the wire.    I used charcoal as fuel and it worked pretty well.

 

You may have a problem keeping the air holes un-clogging.   Every thing is a learning experience.  What works is good.   What does not work can be fixed.  Forge on Bravely.

[Francis Trez Cole]

my first was a bbq grill did not have to remake the legs

[SierraBladeAndTool]

I guess I can open the main T drill hole to 3/8 or so and maybe pepper a few smaller holes near it... and clay the end pipe holes to centralize it...

I am just going to be sure I am cured before I fire it. This morning the F cement is hard... but the clay mix has micro lines forming... and is pressable deeper. So I'll keep waiting and pressing tighter for a few days.

Not too bad. Your air source is a little spread out so you'll burn through a lot of fuel rather than keep a small softball sized heart. I'm assuming your going to run charcoal?
You'll start tweeking your design once you get that bad boy fired up.
My first forge was set in a wheel barrow. :rolleyes:

Thanks Neil. I prefit the hair drier to the airpipe before I set it in... seems to pump just fine... maybe I got lucky. Anyway... it is set in place for now... so no hardware design changes happening at this point. My Lincoln welder was destroyed in my car crash and roll... otherwise were I able to weld... it would not have been THIS. But... (waiting) time and (settlement) money... this will change later.

-Steve

[SierraBladeAndTool]

Did my first newpaper and kindling fire today to warm it up... it did not grenade!   So... a few more days of drying and some slip filling... and I'll give it a good burn!   The hairdryer stoked it all up fast!  Sidenote... blowing ashes are messy... do away from main house!