Making my first solid fuel forge

[Michael.Bell]

So I was initially making a soup can forge, but due to a severe lack of financial resources, and a pre-existing abundance of fire bricks (a collapsed chimney that my landlord sealed off rather than repair) I decided to put the gas forge on the back burner for the time being and pursue this avenue. I am just wondering if it is feasible or not, and if 3" of 1" pipe is big enough for air supply to my relatively small heating zone. Included is a picture of the base of my forge. I have left it where it is so far to consult here before I continue so I can find out if it will become a forge or a chiminea/coal oven.

Thanks in advance,

Michael

[Charles R. Stevens]

Early ironage and viking age forges used a 1" tuyre so 1" is suffecent, charcoal will give you a fire ball about 6-7" across. 

Place the tuyre about an inch off the bottom of the forge, build up the bowl 3-4" above the tuyre and mound 2-3" of fuel above it

Edited July 17, 2015 by Charles R. Stevens

[Frosty]

That'll work fine, just a little low for my old knees. Charles has the right of making a side blast work properly. That's a natural born side blast forge and a good size judging by the bricks in the pic.

If it's possible to raise it then put the forge table even with the anvil face. It's a comfortable working height and you can use the anvil as a helper for long stock. I tend to make my forges too high like everything but my main anvil which is a bit too low. I should just use a tape measure.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Charles R. Stevens]

The up on side draft forges are they are easy and cheep to build and take coal and charcoal almost enterchangibley, but you have to be able to choke down the air for charcoal and ramp it up for coal. As frosty sugjests 30-34" depending on your hight is a good hight for your foge and anvil.

[Michael.Bell]

So I am getting a friend to help me raise it up on some large stone slabs to add height. I am taking a break on the building process as of today. I was chipping some of the chimney lining down to fit in the cap stone hole better and a shard sliced my thumb pretty good.. 3 stitches in all so I have to take a week off while it heals then back at it, maybe with some Kevlar gloves this time..

[Michael.Bell]

Also, on a more relevant note, what is the best way to create the tuyere in the pipe? Drill holes? Cut some slits in the pipe with a hacksaw?

[Charles R. Stevens]

Just use the open end of the pipe. Unless your heat treating a long knife you dont need to heat more than 6" of steel at a time

there is another thread about "another portable forge" nice side blast, any way Alen included a nice illistration 

 

 

Edited July 20, 2015 by Charles R. Stevens

[Frosty]

Michael: Welcome to the club everybody here who's been at the craft any length of time has given blood, I usually leak a little about every third or fourth time at it.

Don't feel you have to use that or anything just because you have it. That's another thing we all do, accumulate things that we CAN do something with, usually piles of such . . . things. Really, I have four coal forges and I don't burn coal. I generally use propane and am in the process of fine tuning the burners on my fourth sort of mostly "permanent" one. I've built a LOT of fast off the cuff propane forges to show students how little you really need.

Same with a solid fuel forge, I have some 12v blowers, Coleman Inflate Alls I pick up when I see them at garage, yard, etc. sales for cheap. A 2' piece of pipe and some wood and I can do most anything.

Don't over complicate things, it's just holds a fire.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Michael.Bell]

So I got fed up and realized I have this amazing fire pit in my yard and used that to heat some metal so I could forge a helper/plant hook for myself so here is a picture! It was nice to get something made really... Now to invest in a proper anvil and make some S hooks for my wife to use around the house :)

[Ridgewayforge]

I began using a firepit, wood and a 5 gallon bucket lid for the air supply. Using a shop vac or a hairdryer will be a breeze

 

[Michael.Bell]

Didn't need to add air much really so my normal breath was enough though I am making a small bellows so I can avoid lightheaded-ness

[Frosty]

There are a LOT of really easy ways to move air, charcoal doesn't want a lot. An upside down bucket in a larger tub of water, a couple easy peasy flap valves, duck tape works marvelously well, and a little hosing and you're home free. One flap valve lets air into the bucket when you lift it and the other keeps the action from drawing hotness back from the fire. Then you let go of the bucket and it sinks. Right? As it sinks the intake valve closes and the air in the bucket escapes through the hose to the blast pipe. A 5gl. bucket, a little duct tape old piece of garden hose, a foot or two of pipe and maybe a brick if you want a harder blast. Oh yeah, wash tub, wading pool, duck pond, creak, etc. just enough water to float the bucket.

If you have falling water you can make an induction blower or pipe it into a drum. One hose or pipe with the water head, one flapper valve at the top for the blast hose and a large gate valve at the bottom. As the water flows in it displaces air, the air blasts your fire. When the drum is full, open the drain valve at the bottom and maybe close the control valve to the fire if you have one.

This is all pretty easy stuff if you have some resources and read about how it was done industrially in the WAY back times.

Frosty The Lucky.