Ridgewayforge Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 I am preparing to construct a second forge- This one, for burning raw wood. I have a good supply of hardwood drops from a flooring company nearby, as well as some cordwood that I can use. I plan to use it in conjunction with a Champion 400 blower. My question is, how do I construct the forge bed to A) Contain the wood B) Convert the raw wood most rapidly to embers and C) Keep radiant heat from the flames down? I was thinking of have a deep firepot, perhaps a foot deep, by a foot circular, and having an opening about 2/3 of the way down for the metal. So, it would be like a chiminy pipe with the air being bottom blast and the metal stuck 2/3 of the way down. I am planning on making it out of soil. I know there is a better way, please critique my idea before I begin, and tell me where I might improve! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 Look at the 55 Forge design. Quick, easy to build, and it works. It can also be easily modified from bottom blast to side blast. If you do not need the 24 inch diameter, then modify it to the size you need. Clay is a wonderful material for doing the modification. The 55 Forge with the Super Charger is quick, easy to build, and it works. It has the advantage of blocking some of the radiant heat, and can be easily modified. The fire using raw wood needs to be much deeper than using charcoal alone. The depth of the charcoal fire depends on your project and the size of the material being forged. Then there is the additional depth of the raw wood being transformed into charcoal. This raw wood depth is adjusted by throwing another piece or two of wood on to the fire with each heat, until you get the fire maintenance under control. Then it is just throw on raw wood as needed to maintain the charcoal depth. The best size for the raw wood is 2 x 4 x 4 inches. Anything smaller burns fast, anything larger needs resized. You will learn what works as you get the fire maintenance under control. Just takes practice. This from the fellow that put an whole 14 inch diameter tree into the forge during testing. NO, not all at one time. It took a couple of weeks of forging to consume the entire tree. Pallets are good fuel material also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 You need a heat shield the wood is going to put out heat, lots of it. All wood fires make a bed of coals and you take your heats in the coals. I've forged in a wood fire many times and there just isn't a good way to keep the heat off you. The best I ever came up with was a double heat shield made from salvaged drums a 55gl and a 15gl. grease barrel. It was still HOT. Like Glenn says the fire management is a matter of trial and error but it's more fiddling than hard. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 If you got the wood free.... the best kind there is! Stick it in a retort ,make charcoal and away you go!I've seem a number of Wood fired forges and some work really well, while slowly cooking the operator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewayforge Posted June 1, 2014 Author Share Posted June 1, 2014 I am figuring on it being hot..my start was in a campfire, and it fueled my passion for this art. Basically, what I am suggesting is the same as what Glenn is saying, I think, only instead of finding a 55 gallon drum, building it out of timber from my woods. I am thinking of trying basically a whole in the ground forge, but build into a table so that the fire is at my height. Would a side-blast or a bottom blast work better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewayforge Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 I would like to seek some more advice. I'm almost finished my forge, and am going with a side blast style. Its not going to be fancy, just a pipe leading into the heart of the fire. My Champion 400 blower is more than enough for a wood fired forge, and I am curious as to whether a one inch pipe will reduce the air flow enough. The blower has a two inch outlet, and I could only find a one inch black pipe. Given the material, will a one inch tuyere be enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Worked for my forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Over here we make a fire on the ground and shovel the coals out of the fire, into a standard forge with a long handled square point shovel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 If you can't find 2" back pipe check out muffler shops for 2" exhaust tubing in their drops. It won't last long being thin but it's cheap from the scrap bin. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.