zach124816 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 im not sure if this really fits here, but im going to try. i broke my foot about a month ago and am going to be on crutches for a couple more months. i cant play around in the shop anymore. im looking for a small forge design i could sit next to or cold worked projects i might be able to do still. i was making jewelry before my injury and would like to keep working on stuff like that. and ideas would be great, im getting painfully bored lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I've done a lot of working sitting down in my basement with a "one firebrick forge" and others with a "soup can" forge. Forged a lot of fine silver in that forge---Ohio, like Michigan can incline one to thoughts of working in the basement and not outside during the depths of winter. The small propane torch based forges don't cause exhaust issues in a 100 year old drafty basement like mine was too.Pure copper forges like silver and is a lot cheaper. Look at some of the bronze age jewelry; even dark ages penannular brooches can find a ready market with reenactors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Since you have some time, why not go to the forums tab and scroll down to Forges > scroll down to solid fuel forges(61 pages) or gas forges(45 pages) and find one in there you like and what might work for you as "we" don't know your capabilities or resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Nothstine Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Get a small swage block and start making ladle, shovels and spoons. When you get your forge going you can make handles for them. When I use mine I'm setting down and have it on a stump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 As you have time, why not read IForgeIron cover to cover. There are many of the ideas you seek in the postings. Although we try to group similar subjects together, there is always a stray tidbit hidden somewhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Russell Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 As you have time, why not read IForgeIron cover to cover. There are many of the ideas you seek in the postings. Although we try to group similar subjects together, there is always a stray tidbit hidden somewhere else. Glenn , he said he was gonna be off his feet for a couple of months , not a couple of yrs Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 You gotta start somewhere (grin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 So he can skim or pick one IFI character and read all of his/er posts.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 So he can skim or pick one IFI character and read all of his/er posts.Frosty The Lucky.ummm... Yeah. There are a few on here that unless he is a speed reader, would take more than a couple months to read all their posts. Not to point fingers, but someone who's name is part of TPAAAT comes to mind immediately. You're not too far behind him. Shoot, even the site owner has fewer posts than either of ya'll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Glenn's been slacking hasn't he? I'm pretty sure we'd ALL have more posts to read if IPS wasn't such a train wreck of a software company.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 I have watched a lot of videos of smiths in other countries who are doing bigger stuff while sitting down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 I have watched a lot of videos of smiths in other countries who are doing bigger stuff while sitting down. I believe there are a couple threads on IFI about smithing from wheel chairs and such. A person could make up or have made up a nice bottom tool holder at a good height to forge on while sitting that would be handy in the shop on it's own merits.Fact is after last Saturday's hammer work shop and all the sledge hammering on the hardy hole on my anvil I was thinking I should've made up a striker height post anvil. Not only would it have sped things up in general we wouldn't have spent so much time trying to get drift unjammed from MY ANVIL!It wouldn't need to be fancy, just some heavy wall tubing on a plate foot wide enough to be stable. Then a few inserts that fit the top: 1" sq for hardies and bottom tools, one for drifting, one for punching and whatever. Make a cap from decent thickness plate with a collar that fits inside the stand pipe and make whatever you need with each cap plate.I know for a fact I'll have one before another hammer gets made with MY anvil. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Dont some of the tribal knife guys use stools? Seems a 4" post anvil would work well with a mechanix stool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 (edited) I had two disabled Vets come into the forge area and make their first project yesterday at the "Day of the Cowboy" event. I talked over working sitting and arranging the work triangle so support the needs of the first one who was using a cane; but was able to set it aside for hammering. The other was OK for the forging time and we will work on getting him set up properly later as he's local to me. We read the same SF/Fantasy too so I expect we will see quite a bit of each other and trade books as well as forge time.The first one was from OK so I hope to point him at the Salt Fork group(s) to get some help going forward. Edited July 26, 2015 by ThomasPowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 TP, if he is close to me i'll be honored to help, if not I will cetainly encorage other members to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zach124816 Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 i dont have access to a welder but i think i might build a smaller forge. i have a big brake drum forge on blocks but its outside and i dont have a hood or chimney so it would be scary to sit by it without being able to duck and run haha. im set up under the end of the lean to where the lawn mower is parked so im limited on room. i hace a smaller brake drum i might try and just swap them out. i would like a small gas forge tho. i wouldnt lose my rings in the fire lol but thanks for the directions to look ill start lookin more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Do not overthink simple.Look into the side blast forge. Simple to construct, no welding needed.A chimney is just a way to get smoke out of your work area. It does not have to be straight up, but can be at an angle as Tech Joe pointed out in his post.Lack of a welder does not keep you from doing something, it just means you need to be more creative and figure out a why to get the job done. Bolts in holes and rivets can be used instead of a welder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 (edited) Look at Glenn's 55 side draft, if you leave part of the drum intact it will form the hood (cut the drum with an 8" pan and leave about a third of the back of the drum and angle the cut up to about 1/2 the drum at about 6-8" frum the top. Do somthing about the sharp edges, legs and a 12" stack. Once you put 8" of sand in it its not going anywear Edited July 27, 2015 by Charles R. Stevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 (edited) Personaly I recomend taking a page from the brits and putting two, 2" hard fire bricks in the center , run the tuyeer right to the edge of them, the bottom of the tuyreer 1" above the brick. I also like a "bellows stone" to protect the tip of the tuyeer from burning up and keep slag from geting under it, just cut a notch in the edge of two fire bricks and set them on top of the other two with the tuyeer pipe between them (a plate welded on the end of the tuyeer works too. Now a good adobe clay will replace the bricks nicely. 2" in the bottom and a back wall at the tuyeer, leave the front sand and ash and shape a fire bowl as it gives you versitility for odd shaped fires. Edited July 27, 2015 by Charles R. Stevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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