Hi all this is my first question of many as i'm a newbie. I have designed (in my head) a forge made from a 15kg gas cylinder, I plan to cut out around the base about 4 inches up about 2/3 the circumference and do the same on the top shoulder of the cylinder, then cut vertically down both sides of the remaining 1/3rd then remove the cut out piece. For the bowl I plan to use a cast iron griddle pan with the handle removed, I will set this into the base of the cylinder using fire cement or similar refractory, I plan to have a side draft tue iron also encased in clay. I'm not sure what to make the iron out of yet or even the size of hole so any advice there would be gratefully received.

For the blower I will be using the interior fan from a car with a homemade casing with the 4 speed setting knob to control the draft.

So that's my idea, what do we all think?

 

Before anyone says anything about cutting the gas bottle safely I have cut many before in the past with no problems as I fill them with co2 first.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Dan

bouncy castle blower, that is what I reccommend to people who want a cheap one to go with the forges I make.

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which area are you in Dan

 

you need to do a bit more than just fill a bottle with CO2, I have come accross bottles in the past with broken valve spindles, they turn freely with nothing coming out but the bottle is still full so I test for that first, also there is often a flammable gel in fuel gas bottles to give the gas its smell, mostly only a tiny ammount, and once I got a CO2 bottle with petrol in it.

test and be safe

Hi I'm in Cornwall. I usually take the valve out and fill the bottle with water before the co2 (forgot to add that bit). Can you control the speed on a bc blower? I assume you'd need an air valve or similar if not?

Where is Cornwall?

cornwall is the southwest tip of england Jim

 

my forges use a ball valve to control the flow, you can get a 2" to 12" diameter fire on mine with the depth of fuel and airflow

Oh, Ok.
I was going to say I had a bounce house blower, but that's a bit far for shipping! :)

Oh, Ok.
I was going to say I had a bounce house blower, but that's a bit far for shipping! :)

Thankyou, that would've been great.

I have run my forge idea past my blacksmith friend and he sees no reason why it won't work. If I cant find a heater fan from a car then I have a back up plan, I'm not sure if it will produce enough air but an 12v air bed inflator controlled with a model railway transformer/control could be used until I can find a proper blower.

Oh, Ok.
I was going to say I had a bounce house blower, but that's a bit far for shipping! :)

 

Bouncy house blower....never would have thought it.now i'm going to have to look into it

I managed to purchase an old gas bottle today on ebay for only 99p, I removed the valve earlier and turned it upside down for a couple of hours to get he gas out. I have filled it with water to purge the gas out and marked it up ready to be cut tomorrow.

I think i'm going to go for a 3/4" black iron air pipe with a sacrificial 1"-3/4" reducing bush on the fire end. I will post some pics of my progress as I go.

I cut the gas bottle up today, I had no problems and only used one cutting disk. I will use around 8" of the cut out piece and attach some hook and eye hinges to act as a windbreak, my forge will be outside when lit so it will be needed.

I'm still a bit hazy on the height of the tue iron from the base of the forge (i'm thinking around 2.5-3" and have about the same in fuel on top) will that be enough? The dia of the  bottle is a little over 12", also should I angle the tue down at all?

 

Looks nice.

You may want to cut a mousehole in the rear of the forge to allow long stock to pass through. (If you cut it right, you can attache the cut off piece with a rivet so it would swing away when needed)

Looks nice.

You may want to cut a mousehole in the rear of the forge to allow long stock to pass through. (If you cut it right, you can attache the cut off piece with a rivet so it would swing away when needed)

I had thought about doing that, I will see how it goes first.