Hello from Belgium

[Hans Richter]

Hello from Belgium,

 

Glad to be part of the IFI community  now. Found a very interesting forums and lots of knowledge around technic, skills and practices.

Here a short introduction of myself.

After professional education (maintenance mechanic) and after several years work/training in a lock/black-smith shop, finally running my own BS-shop for 9 years on a historical Dutch shipyard.

Because of health reasons and funding a family I rest de shop and went back to school for studying quality- and work safety management.  Since about 17 years I’m busy on payroll now to make a living in SHEQ-business within the metal industry . Next to that I work freelance as an IWC-S consultant to give welding advice to small metalworking companies.

Al this time I keep my basic blacksmith equipment (tongs, hammers, fullers, swags and coal forge) without using it. About 1 ½ years ago I reactivate the equipment in a small barn in my backyard and now I’m forging again.

In the last couple of months however the activities and goals are rising up and I build my own 55lbs power hammer and also a gas forge with a twin set of Venturi jet burners with many thanks to the oversea blacksmith community at forums and on Youtube. Still try to become familiar with the non-metric measurements.

Like to forge many items like chandeliers, fire pokes but also knives, axes and more.

At the moment I struggle with the fine tuning of power hammer  (insufficient air release at foot switch) and forge (becoming higher temperature >1750°F ), and also hoop to find many useful information about Damascus steel.

Cheers, Hans       

[ThomasPowers]

What is the inside of your forge lined with? With good burners that would probably be the limiting factor in getting to higher temperatures.

[Hans Richter]

Hi Thomas, Thanks for your reaction. The forge is made from used high density refractory bricks. Indeed they absorb a lot of heat in the beginning. Cover the bottom with ceramic blanket and intend to do this with the camber walls and ceiling to. Do you have any suggestions.

Have a nice day, cheers Hans

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Hans, glad to have you. Oh yes we can hep you get your forge up to what it should be. Check out two current threads here. Of most interest would be "Forges 101" and closely related is "Burners 101". Efficiently lining a gas forge can make a huge difference in performance and efficiency. Hard fire brick is a tremendous heat sink and about as good an insulator as an equal thickness of limestone. 

Thanks for pictures of your work, we LOVE pictures. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Hans Richter]

Hi Frosty,

Thanks for the warm welcome and advice. The stones ‘swallow’ a lot of energy and I have to rethink the inner shell of the forge chamber. However the space is big enough with 12 x 12 inch.

Start with covering the rest of the chamber with ceramic beads blankets. If this is not enough, I want to use fiber material as backing.

Regarding the fibers, I will add a topic in the Safety forum regarding Kowool which is forbidden in the EU now because of health hazard. According to recent European research some mineral fibres , wants get’n hotter than 1600°F, are even dangerous as asbestos. Until now I only read about reflection and radiation. About the pictures – I got enough to share, attached a couple of ChroMo springer fullers I made because of missing a third arm + hand :-)