Rockeye6 Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I just built my first forge and I'm trying to get started, but I'm having trouble heating my metal up. Any advice on how to get coals hot enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 (edited) What kind of coals? Charcoal you simply light it and let it heat up. Coal is similar from what I understand but I don't know the specifics since I've never used it.once burning you add a little air and that's when the magic happens. Edited March 19, 2015 by M Cochran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockeye6 Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 I'm using charcoal I got from the store. It usually gets consumed before its hot enough to heat my metal sufficiently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I have used store bought charcoal for a while now and never had any real trouble with it. Just to be clear you are using lump charcoal and not charcoal briquettes right? Briquettes will burn way too fast when you add air and will cover you in a shower of sparks. What kind of forge setup are you using? Do you have any pictures of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockeye6 Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 I'm using briquettes because that's what I had. I didn't know they burn faster. I built my forge out of an old brake drum with pipe coming out the bottom and to the side for the air supply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 My first forge was a very similar design but I used an old freon bottle cut off instead of a break drum. And I'll admit I tried the briquettes because I saw a lot of talk about using charcoal. I'm not sure where you live but if you are near a walmart or similar store check by the grills and you should be able to find lump charcoal, either a red bag marked 'royal oak' or a brown bag marked 'cowboy brand'. They both work well enough for general forging but I have to caution you about using it on exotic steels and carbon steels for tool and knife making. I've seen where a lot of people have had issues when used for those purposes, something I have not experienced myself. Another suggestion would be to research how to make your own charcoal using pine and other softwoods (construction debris for example). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockeye6 Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 How do I know when the coals are hot enough to put my work in? From that point how long would it take for the metal to heat up enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 If the coals are glowing bright red they will be able to heat your workpiece. The time it takes for the metal to get to temp can vary widely depending on a number of factors. Obviously the bigger the piece the longer it'll take. 1/4 inch steel will heat in very little time but if your using 1/2 or 5/8 it'll take considerably longer. Proper fire management will also make a difference. It's one of those things that you'll learn as you go. It just takes time and patience to figure out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockeye6 Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Wow, I get done with some chores and check to find a perfect example of a new guy trying to be helpful but not really knowing enough to actually be a lot of help.Charcoal briquettes aren't terribly good forge fuel, lots of guys will tell you they're worthless. However they CAN be made to work, even weld but they're more hassle than they're really worth. If possible use "lump" charcoal this can be bought in the grocery store and is light little chunks. I can't recall a brand name at the moment, maybe before I finish.What makes heat in a fire isn't the fuel, it's the air. To get good forging heat, you can indeed use the coals in a camp fire, that'll be in the 1600f range +/-. If however, you're working genuine wrought iron you need to get it into the 2,300f+ range or mid yellow heat.For that the fire needs an air blast and some form of containment to prevent the fire from just spreading all over the place or being blown out of the hearth. The forge is just that a fire place or hearth, it can be simply a hole or trench in mineral soil, organic soils can burn so be very careful it's mineral soil. Or, you can use an old hibachi or bbq. A cast iron hibachi is a better bet being cast iron they have a much longer life than a sheet metal bbq. An old BBQ on the other hand has a lot more room so lining it with a little rammed clay and maintenance it'll last till you're tired of using it.Something to hold the coals themselves is a good thing, I favor fire brick arranged around an air grate though fire brick arranged in front of a side blast works a treat too. Do some reading in the solid fuel forge section of Iforgeiron and you'll see everything from antique rivet forges using a "duck's nest" arrangement to "proper" fire pots to fire pots made from brake drums and disk rotors. A fire pot or brick over a duck's nest is to contain and control the heart of the fire.You air source can be anything from a paper bag bellows and a little pipe up to an expensive brand spanking new electric or crank blower, let's not forget all manner of bellows old, new, commercial home made. Probably one of the best entry level air sources is a garage sale blow drier and a little 2" pipe to get it away from the fire, say 18"-24" is more than far enough away. Exhaust pipe works a treat and is light weight. however twisting together some black iron plumbing pipe works a treat and you don't have to weld anything. For a bottom blast collect a 6" long x 2" dia. nipple(that's the last time I say that, it's ALL 2" dia.) a floor flange, a 2"x2"x2" T another 6" nipple and a longer nipple, say 8" or maybe 12" nipple. The long nipple is the horizontal and forms the base or leg of a "T" the short nippes screw into the "arms" of the T fitting. got it so far? Now, screw the floor flange to one "arm", this will bolt or screw to the bottom of your fire pot. The other "arm" is aimed straight down and this is your ash dump. An exhaust stack flap cap makes a darned near perfect dump door. The long leg of the "T" is sticking out horizontally almost to the edge of your forge table, duct tape or wire a couple pieces of rod, sticks or coat hanger to it so the blow drier can lay aimed at the end of the pipe. Tape or wire the blow drier to your mount and plug it in turn it on and you're making a fire you can melt iron in if you're not paying attention.Easy peasy.Now, pull up a comfy chair, pack a lunch and something to drink and start reading through the sections on the IFI home page. You too Mr. Cochran, it's a good thing to want to help but if you don't know what's up, CAN you actually be helping? Hmmmmm? Think about it. <wink>Frosty The lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockeye6 Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 The forge you described is almost exactly what I built. Thanks for the advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I'm not sure where I messed up but Im rereading my answers and going back to my backseat and being quiet now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) First brickets are a mix off coal, sawdust and clay, sometimes a binder like four past, second two much air can actually make charcoal cooler, if not blow it out of the pot.The only place I see you went wrong Mr Cochran is you just don't have enough experience to ask the right questions to get to the meat of the problem. But your paying it forward, so I tip my hat.the first two oictures show a double action bed pump with a 1/2" tweer. This set up gives you a 4-6" heat. About max for charcoal unles you use multiple tweers or a slotted or multy holed pipe, as the second aetup uses, as you can see from the 1 1/2" gap between the pipe and hairdryer it produces to much air. The first forge is very easy on fuel , the second not so mich remembe that the Vikings forged axes and swords in forges not any bigger than the first one i show. A small bowl, say 3" deap and 6"" across with a 3/4" pipe stuck down to just off the botom, a little wall to pile more fuel against. Trying to build to big of a fire, and not keeping it compact enugh will flustrate you. You realy cant work much more than that 6" any way. Bottom blasts and charcol can be agrivating, to much air, not enugh air, to deap, not deap enugh. To big o fire bowl, not big enugh.... Dont try to keep extra charcoal around the fire ball like you do charcoal.the first forge is an experiment to use the air suply, i started out at 5 1/2 inches deap and 6" acrose. It is now 3 1/2" and 6" aross. The second is 8" across and 4" deap, the center of the fire isabout 3 1/2" high on both Edited March 20, 2015 by Charles R. Stevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I'm not sure where I messed up but Im rereading my answers and going back to my backseat and being quiet now.Sorry I probably came on too strongly . . . again. I only wanted to point out that in your eagerness to help someone you were only slightly more knowledgeable yourself. Don't sweat it and don't let me stop you from helping people however you can. I know I've opened my mouth when I should've kept quiet too many times to count. I post so much because I LIKE helping where I can but have made the mistake of offering advice when I wasn't that much advanced over the person asking.I've stopped offering any non-forge welding advice since discovering things have change more than I thought since I practiced the craft regularly. I find myself starting to type and realize I may not know what I'm talking about anymore.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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