FatBeardedGuy Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 New guy here that has no idea what he's doing. Trying to get a cheap forge goin, just to see if it's something I want to do for any length of time. I've done a bunch of research, and I was wondering if any of you had suggestions. I've built a forge outta wood, pvc, refractory caulk, and dirt. Dirt being the "firepot." It gets hot, quick, but it's doing a number on my wood. If I shaved down the burned parts on the sides, and painted with some kind of heat paint, do you think it would work? Or am I going about this all the wrong way? Bonus pic of the anvil I bought off a guy that didn't know what he had. the wood is mostly 2x6's, cut to 18" long. The fire started to get hot enough to turn a railroad tie orange, but then the sides caught on fire haha I would've rather done made this out of metal, and welded the thing together. I don't know how to weld, and I don't have any buddies that do either. So wood and nails were used. Thanks for any help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 More clay; you shouldn't be seeing the wood and thicker walls of clay, the fire pot bowl should not be too large especially using charcoal as a fuel. How about dropping a brake drum in the middle and piling the dirt around it? Your description did not include the "I can't use a drill and bolts to put metal together either". I once built a metal forge with a 1/4" drill being the "fanciest tool" used. I did it because of a student who kept whining that they couldn't build their own forge because they didn't weld...Used it as my main billet welding forge for a couple of years. I gave it away when I moved away from OH to NM IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatBeardedGuy Posted April 5, 2016 Author Share Posted April 5, 2016 I was thinking of doing just that. The brake drum in the anvil picture was the one I was going to use. Thanks for your input Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JME1149 Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 More clay to keep the box sides from burning, and get rid of the PVC. Eventually the heat is going to start melting it. Other than that, looks like you are off to a good start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Welcome aboard glad to have you. Another fat breaded guy here. Fill the box to the top and make sure there are a couple few inches of rammed soil between fire and wood. A side blast works better for charcoal but don't confuse yourself making a different TYPE forge just yet. Lose the PVC, there are much better choices plumbing parts is the common modern material, just don't use galvy near the fire pot. Back away from it won't hurt but not where it can get HOT. Burning zinc is BAD for you, don't breath the smoke. Nice anvil, have you fitted it's height for YOU? Standing next to it in the shoes you work in let your hammer hand hang. You want the face about wrist height for general working. Knuckle height is more of a striker's height but okay. Find a working height that you're comfortable with, you want the hammer to strike parallel with the anvil face. You can test by striking a piece of wood and seeing what the dent looks like. If it's even all round you're golden. If it bites closer to you then it's Healing and your anvil is a little too high. If it's biting away from you (toeing) it's too low. If it's biting left or right you have to improve your grip you're twisting the hammer. Don't sweat getting anything perfect, perfect is an illusion, you want your kit set well enough you can work with it. YOu'll spend as long as you do this stuff adjusting things to the "NEW better." Oh yeah your forge. I'd build a wider, longer table ad hammer the barely DAMP 2pts. sand - 1pt. clay mix as hard as possible, well till the mallet bounces. Form the "pot or "duck's nest" with a bowl over the air grate. Or just lay the brake drum over it and fill to it's rim. That's it nothing fancy does the trick. A forge is just a hole in the ground to hold our fire but us modern folk have our fancy ways don't you know. A blow drier is MORE air than a charcoal fire needs so just aim it partly away from the air port to adjust. Again, nothing fancy does the job. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Newman Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Interesting Anvil height test Frosty going to check that out when I get home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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