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I Forge Iron

Improved Rivet Forge


ThomasD

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Hey everyone, 

I'm a bit of a lurker here, having only posted once or twice before. I thought I should contribute to the content as I use the forum a lot for inspiration, ideas and information and find it extremely useful. 

This is my improved rivet forge. My blacksmith friend from up in the high country who I obtained the blower and stand from had already welded the feet on, which I think is a great, simple improvement on the original splayed feet. It's very sturdy. A friend and I spent the afternoon putting together the new fire pot and surface. 

The fire pot is 250mm x 200mm at the top, 100mm x 100mm at the bottom and is 125mm deep. The surface is 550mm in diameter. 

(10"x8" top, 4"x4" bottom, 5" deep, 21" dia) 

The construction is all 5mm thick mild steel with the exception of the 100 x 100 bottom plate which is 10mm. It is TIG welded together. 

The blower is a buffalo forge co. number 210. It may look a little rough but it runs beautifully. I'm not really interested in cleaning things up for aesthetic appeal, though I admire it when others do it well.

I have quite a small shop in an old shed in the bush, so the rivet forge serves me well. I intend to put a lip around the edge in sections for banking fuel up against but decided I would use it for a while first and decide exactly where I want them to be as to not block the steel's path to lay flat. I want to feel it out a bit first. For the moment I use charcoal that I make from off cuts of Australian hardwoods. 

I'm happy with the way it turned out and the fire burns beautifully. Thanks for looking. I'm interested in hearing your feedback and suggestions. 

Cheers,

TD.

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 A lip will definitely keep coal from dribbling over the edge. If you put a little notch in the center of the front and the back, you can pass long stock through quite nicely.

 While you're at it, you might want to consider extending the dimensions of the top. A firepot of that size is going to take a fair amount of coal,  and you may find the current dimensions insufficient for containing your fire, your fuel reserve, your fire tools, and your actual workpiece. 

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My fence had the ends not meet at the "front", leaving a tall slot for work to go in. It also had a mousehole on the back across from the slot to allow long bars to push through.  You can make a "gate" for either or both the slot and or mousehole to avoid dribbles when they are not needed.

I never consider the forge I build to be finished; but merely a work in progress as I change things to suit myself.  In fact it's about time to build a new forge table to go with the firepot I have been using since about 1985.  The new one to be even easier to breakdown for transportation---I'm trying to do less lifting these days as the decrepition advances slowly....

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 A lip will definitely keep coal from dribbling over the edge. If you put a little notch in the center of the front and the back, you can pass long stock through quite nicely.

Rehashing an old comment but on my build I did a clamp-on edge made from angle iron.  Tough in the case of the round forge above but for a straight edge, I've found that it worked out darned well.  Totally flexible in terms of placing an "opening" where you want one and completely removable in 10 seconds if you need.  Or you can go taller/shorter on a whim assuming your scrap pile has the material.

Although the chosen "paper" clamps seem cheesy, they've also worked out remarkably well for this.  The skirts haven't moved at all on me, even when bumped pretty good.

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Thanks for your suggestions everyone. As I mentioned, I always intend to add a lip, I just want to feel it out first to get an idea of high high I want it, what material etc.. An extension of the 'measure twice, cut once' philosophy. It's easier to weld on than remove. As Thomas Powers said above:

 

I never consider the forge I build to be finished; but merely a work in progress as I change things to suit myself.

 

 

Although the chosen "paper" clamps seem cheesy, they've also worked out remarkably well for this.  The skirts haven't moved at all on me, even when bumped pretty good.

Kozzy, I actually think that is a fantastic idea. Well done.

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I tend to use C clamps for such things and will even "retire in place"  some of them;  usually cheap ones sourced along the road or at fleamarkets.

C clamps are one of those things that I always buy if I can find high quality ones at cheap prices---you just can't have too many of them!  When I worked in a wood shop the owner had the same feeling about pipe clamps and sure enough one project used all 60 we had on hand and he borrowed another 50 from another woodshop. (Laminating up arches to use to make curved moldings for a custom order.)

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