Andrew Collington Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 This is my first ever attempt at creating a JABOD forge - though in this case it's a small BBQ rather than a box. No idea if it'll work - there's probably a hundred things wrong with it, but I can't wait 'til the clay/dirt sets a bit and I can try the little thing out. So excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewayforge Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 What is there not to work? You have a metal container designed to hold fire, and a sand/clay mix that won't burn, and a good sized firepot, and some air... Looks like a winner! You probably will see the clay start cracking as time goes on- But that's the simplicity. It won't be too detrimental to the forge. Its an interesting choice, to be sure, since the original JABOD is just dirt. It should work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 What fuel will you be using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 An improvement for your next one would be to ram DAMP soil in for the liner rather than mixing mud. Mud shrink checks (cracks) when it dries. A mix of about 2pts. sand to 1pt clay and just enough moisture for it to ram hard works well. The sand allows moisture to evaporate and not shrink the liner. It also allows the material to expand and shrink by subtly moving while staying in place so it won't heat check. Just bear in mine there is no perfect way to do any of this. a soil liner is a wear item and will need replacing as it breaks down. Looks like a good working forge to me. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Collington Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I do expect the clay mix to shrink a bit, but I figured I can just patch that up as I go and as it cracks. Should give me a few good tried, though, and if/when it fails I'll step it up to a proper JABOD with the sand/clay mixture you mentioned, Frosty. As for fuel, ThomasPowers I only have some charcoal right now so I expect that'll be my initial test, but I'm going to get some coal - I expect that'd be better and last a bit longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 PROPER(?) JABOD?! Get a grip man it's Just a box of dirt! Next time try a side blast it works fine for coal but works much better with charcoal. Come to think about it you built a JATOD variant. Just A Tub Of Dirt. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 1 minute ago, Frosty said: Next time try a side blast I think this one is a side blast, Frosty. 2 minutes ago, Frosty said: Come to think about it you built a JATOD variant. Just A Tub Of Dirt. I'd stick with JABOD: "Just A Barbecue Of Dirt" or "Just A Basin OF Dirt"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Sort of I guess. The blast does come in horizontally but into the bottom of a pot, not just above the bottom of a trench. I may have my terms wrong and sewing confusion. . . again. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Collington Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 7 hours ago, Frosty said: PROPER(?) JABOD?! Get a grip man it's Just a box of dirt! Hah, yeah, fair play. I just mean't more like the mix you mentioned… Though one man's box of dirt is another man's exciting entry into blacksmithing. 7 hours ago, JHCC said: I think this one is a side blast, Frosty. I'd stick with JABOD: "Just A Barbecue Of Dirt" or "Just A Basin OF Dirt"! I like it! Yeah, the side blasting is more like Frosty mentioned, in that it is horizontal but does appear at the bottom of the bowl rather than up a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 12 hours ago, Frosty said: I may have my terms wrong and sewing confusion. . . again. Frosty The Lucky. That'll leave them in stitches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 The air path has a lot of influence on how the fire behaves and charcoal works better with a horizontal flow through the fire. However the blast enters a fire pot it's flow through the fuel is generally vertical up. I don't know why it makes a difference I'm primarily a gas forge guy but having used both I recognize better from okay. Some punny characters like John and I like using threads to hem each other in with punishment. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 9 minutes ago, Frosty said: Some punny characters like John and I like using threads to hem each other in with punishment. Frosty The Lucky. So it seams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Stop needling him---or we'll pin something terrible on you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Would that be a bias crime? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Do you have that on tape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Yes, but it's unintelligible: too much hemming and hawing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Darn, this thread is going to get us lam-basted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Just embroidering an otherwise-unremarkable discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Darn darn darn. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Frosty is stuttering again; do you think he's feeling worsted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Time, 'twill tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Swatch it guys you're warped, almost totally beweft of the fabric of the subject. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Collington Posted June 11, 2017 Author Share Posted June 11, 2017 Would have replied to this thread earlier, but I've only just stopped groaning from all the puns. Just had to follow-up with the original post to say that today I tried out the forge. Threw on whatever charcoal I had to hand, pulled the blade off a broken mower, and for the first time ever put hammer to hot metal. Did many things wrong; melted the metal at one point, pretty sure I burnt the metal, had the head fly off my hammer (broke a mallet handle fixing the hammer!), got a couple small burns from flying scale when I struck the metal, and ended up with the ugliest metal rod you've ever seen. BEST. SUNDAY. EVER. Now to actually read some books on how to do this right, take a few lessons, get some more metal and fuel, and practise, practise, practise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 Yup, switch to lump charcoal not briquettes, stick the work piece in horizontally rather than slanted down into the Destroy All Metal zone---and keep having fun! Now with charcoal you can cook over the fire too, or at least boil the kettle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Collington Posted June 12, 2017 Author Share Posted June 12, 2017 Great advice, thanks! Will take it all onboard for next time I fire it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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