Hello,

I am new to blacksmithing scene and currently in process of making my first forge but currently stuck on what to use for air source. I am working on budget so i cannot buy any sort of proper expensive equipment. I had few ideas of hair dryer or mattress air pump but it turns out that those things overheat quickly therefore its not very reliable. I am no expert on forging but i believe you need constant air blowing to the fire to keep it hot therefore overheating of the air source will prevent it from constantly keeping fire hot. Sorry if i'm talking nonsense i am new to this so correct me if im wrong.

Thank you for any answers 

You only need constant airflow for anthracite coal but only a little bit at idle. Bituminus need no air between heats. Heres a pic of my clothes dryer forge. You can find them free on CL and most of the time the fan still works. With a little dryer ducting and a sliding airgate this is what you get

I use a $20 air matrice pump from Wally World, and if you cut the heating eliment out. 

A $10 hair drier works well. Newer bathroom vents, recycled drier blowers and even double action hand bed pumps work well. If you have fabrication skills, a double action bellows using an auto inner tube works. 

Thank you guys for a quick reply,

@Kevin_Olson Could you explain what CL is im from UK so not too sure what you mean  But in general your idea is good but not sure here in you UK i can find that many clothes dryers lying around they tend to charge quite a bit of money for any scrap.

@Charles R. Stevens  Why would Air Matress pump have heating element i thought they just blow cold air maybe im just having a blonde moment  air matress i looked at all have 20min limit written on them im guessing this is the heating element part overheating?. And same thing with hair dryers, dont they over heat quickly but i guess without heating element it wouldn't over heat.

Sorry, overly helpful IPhone. The hair drier has a heating element. The  bed pumps I use don't seem to have an issue.

The pumps I have are Intex, 2- 110v, 1-12v and 1-110v for inflating pools. 

By the way, CL refers to Craig's List

hi simon, are you anywhere near me, have blowers here and lots of other stuff you can try, im in Kettering

@Charles R. Stevens http://www.sears.com/search=intex%20pump Have a look at those two pumps are any of those two yours? And yeah Craig's list is not really a thing here. Best i can do for Clothes Dryer is go to scrap yard and hope for best.

@the iron dwarf Thank you for the offer. I am around 1hr 20min from you. Its not easy for me to get there since i dont drive. Il think about it maybe catch a train but currently i wont be able to. Could you maybe send photos of what you got?

More like thease. http://m.sears.com/search=intex%20quick%20fill%20electric%20air%20pump

@Charles R. Stevens Just looked through and it seems like that website wants a lot of money for shipping totalling whole price of 42 dollars which is bit too much since you can get something better for that price. It looks like i cant get identical one but il look for UK version of pool pumps.. maybe they are better than mattress ones  but i doubt it.

In terms of hair dryers do they have to be very powerful to be sufficient for keeping fire burning hot?

Sorry for so many questions its just im big newbie and highly interested in blacksmithing  

 

This is a test of your ability to addapt. A hair drier should work fine for charcoal or coal. Atleast a small fire (6-8") plenty for us hobiests. 

I have seen heater/AC blowers from cars, secondary exaust boosters from newer home heating units etc used, and this is just electrical powers options. 

@Charles R. Stevens Hmm il look around for some hair driers and electric pumps and see how they work i guess its just mostly case of testing stuff out to see what works best. 

1 Will you be using charcoal or coal or coke?

2 Kevin you need a constant airflow for commercial coke which is a common fuel in the UK. (Probably more so than for anthracite)

3 Not knowing how large a forge or work you will be doing it's hard to narrow it down between a 2 horse power blower and a 1/32 horse power blower ... can you tell me what size tires I should buy?

ok so im 1 hour and 20 minutes away from you, am I the same distance from you at all the events I do?

on saturday I have a demo at a wedding of a blacksmith, then im at newark, tewkesbury, salisbury, wellford, stratford on avon, coventry and many more places.

I have maybe 15 blowers in stock, mainly side channel blowers made to run forever but often have cheaper things, it will depend on your forge design and fuel as to airflow and pressure you need.

the forges I make require quite a high pressure depending on fuel so some blowers I have will only work on my forges with charcoal but may work on yours with coal or coke too, it also depends on what you are forging, tiny jewelry or 4" square for making big tools out of or both

I'm not too sure what type of fuel coke is but I was thinking of using coal or charcoal.  In terms of size I was thinking of small forge built from bricks something like 4x4 and 5-6 bricks high. I haven't built it yet so the measurements can change. I guess I didn't explain what my forge would be like but it's just a tall square out of bricks. Hole for the airflow. Then use metal grate for holding the fuel and burning it on there. 

The things I want to forge is basically mostly quite big tools and items but jewellery too from time to time. 

As you haven't actually started yet, you have a world full of options, forges can be anything from a hole in the ground, a brake drum/disc, a wooden box with a clay liner, brick built, or one of Iron Dwarfs excellent "all comes apart and packs down inside itself" forges, side or bottom draft depending on intended fuel which could be coal, charcoal or coke (smokless coal) and the air can be supplied by traditional hand bellows, box bellows, sack bellows, water bellows, hand crank blowers, most electric motors, including hair driers etc.......the options are endless. If you can meet up with ID, you'll find him a helpfull sort of chap and often has many strange and wonderfull goodies up for sale, if you could get over his place, or any of his demo's he'll likely have you making something before you leave. (I should be at the Stratford upon Avon Demo)

While you are still in the getting it all together stage, soak up as much info as you can (and be aware there is a fair bit of dross on the web) but plenty of good info to be found here in the old threads.....Oh, and welcome to the site.

Air supply >>> ebay>>>>>> bouncy castle blowers>>>>>> 0.99p up + p&p  they are industrial, will work all day, relatively quiet, 

If you are going to be forging big tools and jewellery, for jewellery go for a small gas forge rather than solid fuel, similar techniques, but different scale.

I think you would benefit from going to some shows to see what the forges look like and have a chat with the people using them, may help to make a more informed decision. We would be happy to show you and explain diferent style, but it seems you are not able to travel easily, if you are in devon near Exeter anytime, let me know and i would be more than pleased to discuss and show what we have from cheapie home made forges 16" Square to large double hearths, small gas forges and burners. Some of our members are making forges as we converse.

Have fun, it is easier to change designs in your head prior to starting rather than make something you are not comfortable or happy with. 

I used a small shop vac for years.

@Smoggy @John B Thank you both for ideas they sound great. Yeah I could go for any types of forge it's just brick one was the one that springed to mind. Il try going to Iron dwarfs demo if i can to get some inspiration since the more I think my idea probably wouldn't work as I'm working from pictures and text rather than seeing one in real life. It sounded easier than I thought when I started being interested in blacksmithing but that's no problem I'm up for some challenge. For now I should focus probably on the actual forge. 

@jmccustomknives

Thanks for your idea 

Thank you all for all of the reply's you all have been very helpful il try going to one of the demos and read in more in the threads for more info. 

@John B Also sorry I can't make it to your area since its 4 hours away

get transport to my place to see a forge in action, try it out, got any friends who would be interested who drive so they can give you a lift

I will see what I can do with transport to your place. But I should be fine with seeing you at the demo. 

I would suggest focussing on expanding your knowledge about smithing so you can apply your funds to buying/building what you need rather than think you need.

Visiting other smiths is an excellent idea at this stage; especially as they are aware of the local constraints and sources. (and as I tell my new students, "spending one good Saturday with a smith that knows what they are doing and is willing to show you will save 6 months or more of you trying to figure things out on your own in your spare time.")

I would certainly ring a way to go see ID and John, if I ever win the lotto I would! But don't discount bellows, either classic European types or box bellows. Heck even water bellows. I like the quiet and the fact I can't wonder off and make sparklers of the steel. Hand cranked are also nice, as they again are quit, keep you at your work station and are compact. 

The skin can be an inertube, infact the constitina design lends it's self well to them, tho large comertial tubes work well for the tear drop style. 

ok if you only want to come to an event im demoing at then it is this saturday at rockingham, right by the castle or stratford on avon race course or wellford, these are in order a wedding, a camping / bushcraft expedition event and a music festival

Would the bicycle style bed pump offer sufficient volume (http://m.sears.com/intex-portable-double-quick-fill-hand-powered-manual/p-SPM8299646702) for a brake drum forge?  Thinking bending steel and forging rail spikes.  I would like the quiet of bellows, but most likely for me the forge will stay outside.  The rotary hand crank seems ideal but quite pricey for my current hobby state.  Some excellent ideas and responses here!!  Thanks!  Def got me thinking.