Millhand Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Hello all and thanks for having me! I'm new to blacksmithing to some degree. I've never owned a forge but have been doing my own fabricating for the greater portion of my life also I've been very fortunate to have collected and built a decent metal fab shop that will help me get this thing off the ground. So anyways here is the start of my forge. please feel free to criticize or point out any shortcomings tips, or tricks you may know/see. Thanks for looking. It's made out of some 1/2" Dimond plate I has laying around. 10x12x5.5 deep I may make a insert to shrink it up for smaller work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Welcome Millhand! That fire pot looks really nice. I couldn't critique it if I wanted too. Hope everything works out well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 looks good 2 me 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millhand Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 Thanks guys! tomorrow I'll hopefully get the tray finished and firepot installed. Wednesday I'll build the hood and install the blower. I'll document my shop build here as well. after I get my coal forge done I'm moving on to a 35 ton press build, maybe a 100lb air hammer after that. man I'm glad I never throw anything away, my massive piles of treasures will shrink drastically by the time I'm done lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 keep it coming. i'll be waiting with baited breath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigb Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 The only thing I can say is the fire pot might be a tad deep. Mine was too deep and I found myself pointing my work pieces downward to get into the heat, and it was hard to heat the middle of longer pieces that way. I raised my fire ball and it helped a lot. Mind you I am far from an expert just sayin what my experience was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Millhand, Nice fab work. Where fore art thou, Bunkie? (to plagiarize Shakespeare). Some of the members may be nearby, and would probably be happy to meet with you. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millhand Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 Hahaa! I had to look up the meaning of that phrase. I live in Northern Michigan. on the deep pot I had planned to make it 4.5" deep and had it all soapstoned out at that measurement, then my last min bigger is better self kicked in. I'll make a insert or Butch a inch off, if it doesn't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beech Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 If you to put that location in your profile we will not forget like we probably will if it is only here in one thread. Looks good, where is the anvil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millhand Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 Two of my anvils and my 7" post vice waiting patiently for the shop to get started. 178lb family heirloom, arm and hammer and near mint 380 lb columbion. I also have a double horn anvil I'll post later. Welding bench I built at work, with a very handy makeshift anvil I made out of a large busted loader fork. I'll start on another table just like it for my home shop someday soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 looks like you're ready to go. nice outfit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Remember the workpiece should go in horizontally through the hot spot so if you have to shift the hot spot *up* you end up using more coal and having issues with burning work in too. If I had a firepot that size and was doing small work I'd put slots in opposite sides so I could shove the workpiece in lower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millhand Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millhand Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 2 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Remember the workpiece should go in horizontally through the hot spot so if you have to shift the hot spot *up* you end up using more coal and having issues with burning work in too. If I had a firepot that size and was doing small work I'd put slots in opposite sides so I could shove the workpiece in lower. I'm not really following you on the slots. do you mean like a v in each side? Do you think it would work to use fire bricks to raise the hot spot up? Ill do some outdoor test runs tomorrow and hopefully the pot doesn't have to shrink to much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millhand Posted January 5, 2017 Author Share Posted January 5, 2017 Well no picture update, been getting hammered at work. almost no time to spend on the forge. I did however scrap all my plans of a huge grand hood! I was able to get the greater portion of a side draft "super sucker" built tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millhand Posted January 5, 2017 Author Share Posted January 5, 2017 Not sure if anyone is interested but here is my limited progress on my forge . I slapped together a insert to shrink the depth to 4 inches on the pot. I'll hook up the blower and wiring tomorrow. work has been a bear and I've not had time to do much. thanks for looking! One thing is forsure, no one is going to run off with it.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 of course we are interested! that's a nice forge you got there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millhand Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 Thanks! it's coming along Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Why would you post a boring side draft forge build on a blacksmithing forum??? It's awesome! Keep it coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Great looking forge! You are really going to like the large table. Aside from folks building their first forge and making the flue pipe too small, the other thing is that they usually wish they had made a larger table for the coal. Your's is a good size. I wish mine were large like that. We're all anxious to see how your side draft hood works for you. The ones I've seen do a super job. Thanks for posting your progress pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millhand Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 Thanks c1 and arkie! I'm stoked to get a fire in her. lord willing I'll get a test in tomorrow. any idea how much pipe I will need for a outdoor test run? also wondering what our sub 0 Temps will do as far as draft. Probably suck the coal up the pipe lol Added a shelf and tong rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoName Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Hello Millhand, Pipe free, outdoors. I am a fair weather smith, outside only. No hood here. Beware of the cold anvil, easy to knock a heel or a horn off. Tried to forge outside in the cold, anvil is a huge heat sink. Glad I asked an old time smith buddy about trying to preheat anvil before I did. I remember how big his eyes got, and knew the answer before I finished asking the question. Thought it would be easy to heat a scrap metal plate in the forge, and rest it on the anvil. He warned resting hot metal on the anvil would suck the temper out. Beware of the frozen anvil. Oh yea, cool forge. N.N.F. Beautiful, Manchester, Michigan, USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 9 hours ago, NoName said: He warned resting hot metal on the anvil would suck the temper out. Beware of the frozen anvil. Ah, yeah. Not quite. You're only going to "suck the temper" out of an anvil if you get the surface above a few hundred degrees Fahrenheit, and your anvil is going to have to go from "ice cold" through "hard to touch" to "hot enough to boil water" before you get anywhere close to that. See this thread for a short discussion of whether or not regular forging (not at subfreezing temperatures) can make an anvil lose its temper. Now, with that said, there are ways to preheat an anvil for use in cold weather. Take a look at this thread for a lengthy discussion of different options (which do include a heated plate); my favorite is starting each forge session by putting a steam iron set on "HIGH" face down on the anvil while you get your fire lit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 On January 5, 2017 at 10:08 PM, Millhand said: Thanks c1 and arkie! I'm stoked to get a fire in her. lord willing I'll get a test in tomorrow. any idea how much pipe I will need for a outdoor test run? also wondering what our sub 0 Temps will do as far as draft. Probably suck the coal up the pipe lol Added a shelf and tong rack. It may draw OK for you as-is, but if you can add another 3 ft. or more, you'll find that will work better. You need to build up velocity and temp/pressure differential by using a taller pipe than you have. My forge is outside under a shed, with no hole in the roof, and the stack is about 5 feet high. That draws just fine for a vertical hood setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millhand Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 The forge is destined for a nice heated pole barn and 18' of pipe, im just doing a test run outside is all. although it will not be today as I'm running around fixing machines. seems I should have paid my guys to stay home today. it's a xxxxx milling Lumber in sub 0!!!! my forge build has been a mini vacation for me but real life seems to creep in lol. appreciate the advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.