Maine hammer Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I have read so much my head hurts, break drum or rotor forge some say the make two big of a fire some say they are two shallow. Some say to fill in with a clay sand mix to forum a cone shape. I have read so much but I have not really grasped the purpose of why people would be saying these things. Please if any one can help me understand please help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Different fuels require a different forge design. Different materials have different dimensions. A rotor is not always the same as a drum, though some rear brakes double as both. Drums from a semi are going to be different than drums from a compact car. Coal needs a shallower fire than charcoal does. Knowing what you have to work with and what you want to use for fuel makes a big difference. Many times people just make do with what they have. I redid the rear brakes on my F550 last year. If I had wanted them, I could have saved the rear disks from the mechanic. That would give me a fixed item to work with and I'd have to adapt my design to fit that piece of material, even if they are bigger than I wanted/needed. I burn coal, so I don't need a huge fire pot, but if I ran charcoal I'd need a deeper fire than my coal forge is set up to use. I hope some of this makes sense. tell us what you want to do and what you have already, and maybe someone can point you in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wana be Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Hi I am in Liberty ME if your close by your welcome to come & spend a couple hours at my forge help you get started John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maine hammer Posted August 31, 2015 Author Share Posted August 31, 2015 Well I know I want to use charcoal and I can get my hands on any thing I need at the local scrap yard. Hi I am in Liberty ME if your close by your welcome to come & spend a couple hours at my forge help you get started John thank you for the offer but I'm up in caribou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Maine, IMHO there is no such thing as a perfect forge.Go find what you can from the scrap yard and build a forge, knowing that you will more than likely rebuild it in the near future when you gain some first hand knowledge of how this stuff works. Glenn's side draft 55 forge with a clay bottom can be made in about 2-3 hours with basic tools out of one 55gal drum and 2ft of 1-1/2" pipe. Run it for a week and then build another one that you think will work better for you.Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Charcoal likes a side blast better than a bottom blast. Check out some of Charles posts on the subject he has it down pretty pat.A lot of the TMI about all the different forge designs, especially adapting brake parts, drums, rotors, etc. are by guys trying to figure them out. They find something that can be MADE to work or they THINK will work so they post it. Winnowing the wheat from the chaff is probably one of the hardest things to learn using a forum for research.Seriously, you can make a perfectly usable forge with a blow drier a short length of pipe and a wood fire. You don't really need the blow drier or piece of pipe but they really make it easy. The pic below is me straightening a log tong I bent. The yellow thing in the left back is a Coleman Inflate all, 12v blower for inflating rafts mattresses, providing air to a smith in the forest, etc. There's a piece of pipe to a wood fire. There isn't miuch smoke because it's mostly coals. And Yes, I'm using a log for the anvil but I brought my real kit out shortly afterwards.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Wow Frosty, you never mentioned that you were clearly cousin to Chuck Norris.Best reccomendation, build one. When you find out you what you don't like, re-read a few posts and modify it. You'll get there. My head hurts too sometimes. Sometimes when I see something the first time and it's too hard. Usually after I've re-read something I looked at 3 yrs ago and didn't get at the time. Sigh..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Wow Frosty, you never mentioned that you were clearly cousin to Chuck Norris. You didn't think I won the Birch tree death match with charm did you? Up till not long after that pic was taken I used to get accosted by giggling young ladies pretty often and occasionally young boys wanting lessons, autographs, etc. It was fun to go ahead and sign an autograph for the looks on their faces when they saw my name on the . . . whatever. It hasn't happened since I started buzzing my hair, first for a friend with brain cancer and now because I'm too lazy to comb it.I actually met Mr. Norris and Bruce Lee once but I was like 18 and there wasn't any resemblance except hair color. They came by the Dojo and were introduced all round. Turned out they were looking for extras for a movie that didn't float.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I've seen way of the dragon, i wouldn't say it didn't float. The use of the kitten in the Colliseum was inspired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I've seen way of the dragon, i wouldn't say it didn't float. The use of the kitten in the Colliseum was inspired.Nope not that one.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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