Hi everyone just wanted to get some feedback and advice on my vertical forge build.   Also I'm worried I may have screwed up the angle of my burner tube , concerned I might not have proper angle for a nice "swirl" in the chamber.  I'll post some pics of that later, but not sure how much effect that will have on the performance as aside from the hot spot.  

Vertical?  What you are building is a furnace.  Visit www.alloyavenue.com  Tons of "vertical" furnaces over there.  Here's a few shots of mine.  I start on diesel and after a few minutes, switch it over to 100% used MOTOR OIL.  Forced air and a 25psi compressed air venturi hookup.  Works like a champ and costs literally pennies per hour to run.  Will easily melt cast iron.  You can see from one of my photos the angle of the tuyere.  Creates a nice swirl.  If you are going to use a crucible for melting metals, You'll need a top and an exhaust hole.  That's the only way to really crank up the heat.  (yes that is a drain hole on the bottom after the PVC was melted out) 

 

Wow that's pretty sweet.  Won't be melting any cast iron but will be forging some knives haha. Hope they don't melt lol!

Well I'll be.. it really is a vertical forge.  hmmm, now get a crucible and lets melt some metal!

Looks good.  How's your swirl?

Haha will do!

swirl isn't too bad could be better tho.  But will def do the job,. Guess that's how you learn

If you want to build a proper vertical forge check out Don Foggs site.

Frosty The Lucky.

Yep his stuff is awesome.  

19 hours ago, jagboy69 said:

now get a crucible and lets melt some metal!

Are you sure he's qualified to deal with molten metal or are you just encouraging irresponsible behavior?

Qualified?  Is anyone really qualified for any of the stuff we do?  There is an inherent danger with just leaving the bed in the morning.  I've only been pouring metal for 2 years, but I'm self taught.  Anyone can do it with the right research, learning and education.  If ya work metal and not tried pouring it, I think your missing out.  Starting with aluminum is a no brainer, then it's on to bronze and brass with cast iron being sort of the holy grail for those of us casters.  Screwing with molten steel while possible is something even we don't suggest for conducting at the home/garage level. 

Jason

Hey Frosty is there still a link for Dan Foggs site ?  I wanted to check some stuff out but doesn't appear to be a site anymore..??  I'm attempting to get a better way to plug the top of the forge chamber.  Not the metal lid, the wool plug.  I'd like to coat few times with satanite but I can't coat then plug bc then it just sticks so I can't coat it again.  Or if I coat first, allow it to cure then plug, the satanite just cracks exposing wool.  Lol sorry seems simple but just wanna do it right

Jason: Michael isn't blowing smoke at you, you're passing along dangerously bad advice suggesting anybody just get a crucible and melt some metal. "Is ANYBODY qualified to do what WE do?" A qualified person wouldn't make two such dangerous statements in a row. Hopefully most folk will listen to people with serious experience and not come to harm following your . . . advice.

Woody: didn't bother to do a web search? Lots of hits.

Frosty The Lucky.

I wouldn't start with aluminum if I was to be messing with molten metal, I'd start with a lower temp metal. There two things you've said that makes me wonder about you. I'm not trying to be mean but you really need to think before you post. Remember just because nobody else is posting doesn't mean that the 15 year old kid reading this that doesn't have a clue isn't gonna try to melt some metal and get seriously hurt. How'd you feel knowing your kid lost a hand, foot, etc because of a mishap with molten metal because some stranger on the web said

On April 13, 2016 at 11:01 PM, jagboy69 said:

now get a crucible and lets melt some metal!

 

I'll make this easy,  If anyone wants to learn to melt metal, go visit alloyavenue.com  Lots of good professional information can be found there.  NOT YOUTUBE and not here.

~exits side door~

3 hours ago, jagboy69 said:

I'll make this easy,  If anyone wants to learn to melt metal, go visit alloyavenue.com  Lots of good professional information can be found there.  NOT YOUTUBE and not here.

~exits side door~

I'll back this up. I do some aluminum casting and belong to alloyavenue. Lots of great advice from friendly, experienced members. 

Thanks for the info guys.  I think I'll stick to forging steel instead melting it ha.

Frosty- yea did a lot of searches, just didn't find what i was looking for but I'll keep searching.   I'm getting some advice on my bladesmith forum account as they seem to be more experienced regarding my work.

Thanks again! 

Well, reading the end of this thread made me feel like I was, oh, about 10 years old again, with my father slamming his closed fist onto the dinner table while yelling at me to "shut the xxxx up!".  Takes you back.  Good times.  

17 minutes ago, Doc T&A said:

Good times.  

Hi Doc, welcome to the insanity. Are you interested in blacksmithing? I see you are in Fayettnam lots of smith's in our area. You might want to read this to get the best out of the forum. READ THIS FIRST

And some have left the area too; I was born in Fayetteville while my father was a student at the U of A; I returned and got my first degree at the U of A and have a stepdaughter, SiL and twin grandkids in West Fork.   However my family is from Fort Smith and Cedarville.