Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Newbie from wisconsin


Northland73

Recommended Posts

Hello smiths,

    As in the title, I am new to smithing, but have been interested in manipulating metal for many years. I grew up on a farm as a kid so finding ways to be handy has become second nature to me. I've been researching around your site for various forge designs, and ways to do things.   I'm planning to start with a small coal forge, and see how I enjoy it. Any input is greatly appreciated, and thank you for having me. 

  North. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome aboard Northland73. 

Sounds like you have an idea. Next you plan. There are many ways to build a small coal forge. Find what will best work for you and what you plan to make. 

If you are like us at all, once you start you'll be hooked. :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most if not all parts to make a forge like that can be sourced cheap if not free. It is a little easier to assemble if you have a welder but can be done without as well without much effort.  Going through the solid fuel forge section and reading the pinned posts and going through the rest should give you a good idea of how simple it can be. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Upper Midwest Blacksmith Assoc. Go to the meetings with a pencil and notebook. You can learn more in a day than you can imagine.

 

Next event 

Broom making class!! February 24 @ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Jim’s Place,  South Beloit, IL 61080 United States  We will be having a broom making class on Friday February 24th - this is the day before the winter event.   We have the broom-corn, and we have some string.  Please bring your own handle. Jeff Amundson - an accomplished broom maker, will be teaching this class. 

2017 UMBA Winter Event February 25 @ 9:00 am - February 26 @ 5:00 pm Jim’s Place, South Beloit, IL 61080 United States

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

there are a couple of us around central WI... I'm only home every other weekend, but I made a propane forge. not the best, but I've limited funds. already starting to collect stuff for my "next bigger better badder forge" and will get it done... oh, at this rate... next winter XD

 

personal experience: the forge isn't the hard part. ANVIL was what kicked my but trying to find/afford

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, straycat_74 said:

there are a couple of us around central WI... I'm only home every other weekend, but I made a propane forge. not the best, but I've limited funds. already starting to collect stuff for my "next bigger better badder forge" and will get it done... oh, at this rate... next winter XD

 

personal experience: the forge isn't the hard part. ANVIL was what kicked my but trying to find/afford

I was thinking of building a wood charcoal forge, because I've come to find that coal is hard to get around here. There is a dealer down around portage, but not ready to drive that far just yet. How much propane do you usually go through? As in a BBQ grill size tank. Think they're 20lb

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last Saturday I taught a class from 8:30 in the morning till 5:30 in the evening with an hour off for lunch. We started with a full bottle of propane and were still on the same bottle when we quit.  Depends a lot on the forge, burners and what you are doing.  Billet welding uses more than forging 1/4" sq stock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, ThomasPowers said:

Last Saturday I taught a class from 8:30 in the morning till 5:30 in the evening with an hour off for lunch. We started with a full bottle of propane and were still on the same bottle when we quit.  Depends a lot on the forge, burners and what you are doing.  Billet welding uses more than forging 1/4" sq stock.

Ok. Thank you very much. 

I should note that I am a maintenance mechanic, and am handy with lathes, mills, plumbing, electrical, and stuff like that. So building a propane style forge wouldn't be difficult for me. I looked up the Frosty T burner, and it seems simple enough. Just wasn't sure if the propane method would be cost effective. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm just in the midst of a propane forge build and here are a couple photos from mine.  Burner design is from book "Make: Fire" "The Art and Science of Working with Propane" by Tim Deagan.  It starts out with the very basics and progresses from there, and I've learned a lot, and feel comfortable with my setup.  Recommended.

The shell I'm using is 14" diameter and will have 3" of ceramic fiber insulation.  The kiln shelf bottom sits on kiln shelf risers, which are hollow and fit over studs I welded to the shell.

Plumbing has an idler circuit, all gas rated valves, and took multiple trips to Menards before I rounded up all the right bits!

-- Dave

DJEF0969.jpg

DJEF0972.jpg

DJEF0973.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well guys I built a very crude 55 forge, using an old disc brake, blower from a wood stove, and a rock haha.  I used charcoal briquettes to start, then continuously fed burned down firewood coal.  I know there is a lot wrong with the build, this was just to see if I would enjoy this as a continued hobby. I'll say mission successful. I hammered a half inch bolt down to a crude wedge. I plan to build a coffee can forge with a Frosty T Burner.   Was a fun afternoon. 

 

 

image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He means you need to get rid of any sharp edges and smooth it out to ensure good, solid, full contact blows. This will help in the forging process because you won't have to rework the metal to get rid of the hammer marks on your blades. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
On 2/16/2017 at 3:59 PM, Northland73 said:

I was thinking of building a wood charcoal forge, because I've come to find that coal is hard to get around here. There is a dealer down around portage, but not ready to drive that far just yet. How much propane do you usually go through? As in a BBQ grill size tank. Think they're 20lb

my first forge I musta run for 10-12 hours off of a 20lbs propane bottle. I finally ran out the otehr day so I took my 40lbser to Ace Hardware to get it filled. Was cheaper than bottle exchange! swapping bottles (around here anyway) is $22-25 for the 20's, but getting a 40 filled was only $29!

 

I run two 1/2" burners with .025 mig tips around 10-12psi as as long as the stuff I'm working on isn't too thick I can even forgeweld with it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Refills are almost always cheaper, I recently got 2 BBQ grill sized tanks filled for US$28.  I taught an 8:30 am to 5:30 pm class with an hour for lunch and the forged turned up pretty high (open front and several students sticking work in it...) on 1 tank and it had appreciable weight left in it afterwards.  I try to make a "trinket" to sell each time I fire up for "gas money" and so not worry about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...