Devil Forge first burn

[Elvirth]

Hey fellas. 

Sooooo I got my propane regulator in the mail today, went down to the hardware store and bought a few parts to go on it and hooked everything up for a test burn. Now, before you all start pounding me over the head with crosspeins for using a five gallon bucket as a forge stand, I know it's not great or smart, this was just a short test, pounded out a little piece of angle iron (at least I think it was angle iron- might have been steel. It was welded onto one of the blocks I purchased with holes drilled in it), just for fun and personal satisfaction. Nothing caught fire, and I was grinning like a madman the whole time.

I'm wondering if I ended up setting my burner a little too high in the holder, or maybe even too low. I had a bit of a hard time judging the tuning of the flame. The light outside was probably a factor as well. I might pull the burner out and see if I have an easier time that way.

I wasn't originally planning to hammer anything today, which was why my (very temporary) anvil setup looked like this.

Not exactly ergonomic working conditions. This pic was taken after I took all my gloves and tools inside and stuff. I'm just letting that piece of metal air-cool.

Hand for scale. It got kind of mangled, but since this was literally my first time hammering hot metal, I wasn't particularly bothered that it still just kind of looks like random scrap. I have much to learn and I'm not going to rush into any particularly ambitious projects until I feel like I at least know a little more about what I'm doing.

Anyhoo, just excited to share this with you guys. My buddy might be coming up next week and then we can get properly set up and maybe start making some actual tongs to use; those vise-grip pliers are short and really annoying. Cheers fellas.

[Charles R. Stevens]

Welcome to the addiction, sorce a stump to set your anvil on (make one iut of laminated 2x stock if you have to) find a non flamible stand for that forge and start building some tools, long tongs for gassers are a nessesity!

[Elvirth]

Welcome to the addiction, sorce a stump to set your anvil on (make one iut of laminated 2x stock if you have to) find a non flamible stand for that forge and start building some tools, long tongs for gassers are a nessesity!

My buddy that is in on this is sourcing a nice log round for me, as well as some rebar for simple crappy tongs. I'm not expecting my first set to look too pretty. As for a forge stand, I'm not actually sure what to use.

[Charles R. Stevens]

Anything you can scrounge that will place it about chest high and not burn

Usualy one wants the forge and anvil at the same hight for solid fuel or large stock but it is easer to squat or bend over just a bit to look in a gasser if its higher. 

A steel 3 legged stand is the bomb, but a stump works if you can get it flat. 

[Frosty]

Looking good. Close the ends up some on the forge, it's wasting a HUGE amount of heat just blowing out. Start hitting yard. garage, etc. sales. I found an old steel cart last summer and it'd DE bomb for a gasser stand. It was part of an all or nothing deal for $5.00 and there were several buckets with various hand tools some scrap rod, bar, etc.

A steel stool is okay if a little tippy though a little imagination and a sand bag will stabilize it. If nothing else just drill and bolt one together from an old bed rail, angle iron, sigh posts, etc. Make it a tripod, they're more stable on uneven ground.

Heck, an old 55g. drum is a good height but be VERY careful what used to be in it or B-A-D things can happen.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Mikey98118]

Your burner is set at too low an angle. Move the brick until the burner's flame impinges direclty on it, and then move the forge legs to keep it in that position. At its present angle, your insulation won't last long.