missourikid Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Im planning on building my forges this spring a oil drum forge cut in half for my big forge and a brake rotor set in a oil drum for my small forge. Will I have any problems doing this? I don't relish setting my yard on fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Either should work. Lots of folks start out like that. Cheap and easy. You might line the horizontal drum with firebrick or clay to keep from burning it out. I'm sure some here who have made forges like that will chime in real soon. There are lots of designs you can build. Here's an example of one that one of our members made recently. This had a hair dryer, which I don't like...to darn noisy. Other blowers can be found. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missourikid Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 That's my small one I plan on building soon, my large one I plan on cutting in half and having it as my secondary forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 I hope you have fun and enjoy building your forges. Be sure to post back here on IFI to show us your forges. We like pictures!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 I'm driving to NW Arkansas next month. Will I have any flat tires or engine trouble? Really hard to answer questions like that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missourikid Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share Posted March 13, 2017 So I started yesterday on my one forge, I had planned on working on it some today but I woke up to 2 inches of snow on the ground and a arctic wind blast. I have included a photo of what I have done so far which isn't much, as I have to put the blower system together and find a source for some coal. All I did was cut the hole and it was a bit tight but just a tap of a hammer and it went in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 You will want some depth to the fire beyond the top of the rotor. To get the depth, add a metal fence or a brick wall to the edge of the drum. The blower does not have to be attached to the air pipe to the forge. Leave a 3-4 inch air gap between the blower and the pipe. Aim closer for more air, not so close for less air to the fire. Infinite air control that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missourikid Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share Posted March 13, 2017 Thanks Glenn for the advice, I have excess scrap metal laying around I can use to add a fence,just leave one side open or do I go completely around with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 How you shape it depends on how you use it; we can't tell you unless you tell us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 Leave one side open to start. A inch gap is plenty for small stuff or ends. Later you can cut a mouse hole in the opposite side if you want metal to go clear through the fire and out the other side. Exact shape and depth depends on what you are doing and the project at hand. Do not over think simple. You just need a fence to hold the coals and make the fire deeper. Cut a rectangular piece of metal, roll it into a circle, and use screws or rivets to hold it together. Metal from a 55 gallon drum will work. How large? Start with the outside diameter of the rotor or larger, How deep? You will want a fire ball the size of a melon plus 2-4 inches or so of fuel on top. As the fire ball consumes the fuel, the fuel on top of the fire ball will settle down and replace what was consumed. You will have to play with things to get them to your liking. There is no perfect set up. There is the set up you have now, and as your needs and knowledge changes, you can modify or remake a new set up. Do not be afraid of failure, it is just a reason to change things and make them better. (grin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missourikid Posted March 27, 2017 Author Share Posted March 27, 2017 I'm planning on small projects i.e knives, and repair of my farm tools. The lip is a 2.5 inch lip added and yesterday I added a steel plate to keep the coal in and not falling down the blower tube, drilled holes 15/32 for air flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missourikid Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 So I finally got it finished and have 25 lbs of Bituminous coal on its way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Can you photograph the air holes at the bottom of the fire pot? It appears you have drill 5 or so small holes in a plate for the air to pass through. A single piece of 3/8 rod across a 2 inch or so opening or 2 pieces of 3/8 rod across a 3 inch opening in the brake drum works. This is 2 pieces of 1/4 inch rod across a 2-1/4 inch opening. The fire pot is made deeper by adding bricks. I can use coal dust with both set ups. Once the fuel cokes up only the ash falls through the hole. Fuel does not make the fire hot, air makes the fire hot. You then get the amount of heat you need from the fire by controlling the amount of air that reaches the fire. In your set up, your metal will be on top of the fire. You will want to add fuel above the top of the brake drum to get a deeper fire. The fuel / fire burns the oxygen from the air leaving only heat to reach the metal. This reduces the scale, and makes the metal get hotter faster. The 3 inch flat bar is actually about level in the photo. You can see how the fire is made deeper by the bricks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missourikid Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 The holes are 5/16 and 1/4 inch drilled thru some cutouts I had here. I have plenty of brick here is that just the regular red brick used for brick houses? I don't have access to a welder so I went with the plates. The five holes barely move a sheet of printer paper when held 18 inches above the lip of the forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I find it odd that nobody in Salem MO has a welder; no farmers, no shade tree mechanics, no shop program in the schools? I often find stuff and access to stuff just mentioning it at coffee hour after church---I was once *given* a swedish cast steel anvil that way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Worst case is you could drill larger holes in that plate concentrated within a 2" or so circle right above the tuyere, but you may still lose a little pressure due to the larger dead space between the bolt heads and the plate. Should work a lot better until you find a welder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missourikid Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 My brother-in- law has one but with no truck its hard to move the forge and he's 2 hrs away from me and he won't meet half way nor bring the welder to me. I may check with someone at church who may have one I'm not sure how much stuff he does have as he keeps buying and selling it all even if its just for a one-time project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Don't check with "someone" check with *everyone*! Who knows what a SiL of a Cousin of their Aunt's 3rd Husband has and would be willing to help out with. Shoot you might be weighed down with gifts of smithing tools too. When I got my current job I moved out to the country down here near the border and started attending an old country church. So is as my want I asked around about smithing stuff. The oldest lady in church---in her 90's---was the person who had an anvil she wasn't using! How I found my rental too; didn't want to be in the city; but after talking with the pastor I was hooked up with an older couple that had a rental unit on the edge of the desert overlooking the farms in the valley and about 1/3 *cheaper* than the city rents---and they thought having a blacksmith as a renter was a plus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missourikid Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 I have 6 inches from the top of the rotor to the top of my bricks and 8 1/4 from the plates to the top of the bricks. I can add more bricks if I need too as I have them stacked two high. 4 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: Don't check with "someone" check with *everyone*! Who knows what a SiL of a Cousin of their Aunt's 3rd Husband has and would be willing to help out with. Shoot you might be weighed down with gifts of smithing tools too. When I got my current job I moved out to the country down here near the border and started attending an old country church. So is as my want I asked around about smithing stuff. The oldest lady in church---in her 90's---was the person who had an anvil she wasn't using! How I found my rental too; didn't want to be in the city; but after talking with the pastor I was hooked up with an older couple that had a rental unit on the edge of the desert overlooking the farms in the valley and about 1/3 *cheaper* than the city rents---and they thought having a blacksmith as a renter was a plus! I've been asking around but I'm considered a outcast here as the town is very clannish even though my mom family is from here in Salem they disregard any questions I have but I am persistent in my quest though I will get something accomplished, even if I have to watch yard-sales and garage sales for tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 1 hour ago, missourikid said: The holes are 5/16 and 1/4 inch drilled thru some cutouts I had here. I have plenty of brick here is that just the regular red brick used for brick houses? I don't have access to a welder so I went with the plates. The five holes barely move a sheet of printer paper when held 18 inches above the lip of the forge. Holes in a screen door are larger than 1/4 inch. (grin) House brick will work as you are just building a wall around the fire to make it deeper. You do not want to move paper you want to burn fuel. It does not take high pressure, it takes air movement. You do not need a welder, but they come in handy for many things. Brand new Lincoln tombstone is $300 or less and will last a lifetime. I purchased a used tombstone welder, at what I thought was a good price for used. The old leads had cracked insulation and several places where the copper wire was exposed (no insulation). The new copper leads cost way more than what I paid for the welder. Now I know why they were selling the welder LOL. Passed a pawn shop last week and they wanted $250 for a used and beat up welder that you could buy brand new, in the box, with a warranty, for $300. Do your homework and know the prices. All you need is some rod. Bend it to go into one lug bolt hole, across the large hole, and against the opposite side of the drum. If you want a second rod, repeat as needed. Then get some mud and fill in the remainder of the holes, maybe a little mud to keep the rods in position, and if you want, some mud to make the bottom of the drum smooth. Build a fire and then see if you meed more depth. Forge for a while and then add another row of bricks to make the fire even deeper. You will get the right combination soon enough. You do not have one size wrench in your tool box, so what have one forge in your shop? You can always modify the forge when needed, or build a second forge to produce a particular type heat if it is needed on a regular basis. You will make mistakes, we all do. Use your forge for a while then improve the forge with modifications. There is no one perfect forge for all things, so try round, square, rectangular, and long forges. Try different size fire pots and different depths to the fire pot. Different fuels like different type fire pots so that is another variable to play with. Do not over complicate simple. Improvise, adapt, overcome, and have fun doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 missourikid, look into BAM blacksmiths' organization in Missouri. That might be a good source of contacts, information, coal and to learn the basics of blacksmithing. You might even have some members close to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missourikid Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 I have the coal I have ordered is coming from Rich Hill, Missouri. But I have tried to contact the 3 in my area to no avail even for hands on learning or apprenticeship for a year. Most of the information I have gathered was from a friend out of state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 I find that strange, as most blacksmithing organizations are geared toward attracting new members and helping those wanting to learn more about smithing....??? You most likely won't encounter any apprenticeships in blacksmithing organizations, just folks eager to spread the knowledge of the art/craft. Wish you were close to Arkansas...we'd help you best we could at the drop of a hat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missourikid Posted April 22, 2017 Author Share Posted April 22, 2017 I fired it up Wednesday afternoon and took a peice of rebar and bent it to form a coal rake. Since it has been raining since I haven't been out there yet again. I have learned one lesson and that's not to have it near a 3 sided building due to the smoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Nice piece of bent rebar! keep at it you're off to a good start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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