Patrick1992 Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Hello all! Just a very brief post to show you all the 55 style forge I have just finished putting together. I followed the 55 blueprint for the most part (very much appreciated!) and although the end product is pretty basic, I am very pleased with the result. The entire build cost £5 as the brake drum was the only bit of kit I had to pay for, everything else was a freebie. Pictures/videos paint a thousand words, and there are an (admittedly fairly random) assortment of photos attached. The vast majority of the progress was captured on video however, the link for which is below if you are interested in a bit of insight into the build. Thanks for the material, this would never have been completed with such ease without the assistance of IFI. Paddy. Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuyeBmRzl4E&t=31s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 I would cut away more of the rim on just over one half, a 1 or 1-1/2" rim is enugh to hold extra fuel and provide beter access. Please remember to do somthing about the sharp edges. Not my favorite styel of forge but it sould do a fine job with coal. another improvement would be to rebuild your tuyere as a "T", so to have an ash dump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 I agree with what Charles said. Without the T your blower will get blocked up with junk and possibly ruined quickly. Something like this, doesn't need to be fittings, it can be welded. I only use fittings because I find it easier to deal with. Also some kind of weighted flap cap on the bottom makes for easy ash dump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick1992 Posted September 27, 2017 Author Share Posted September 27, 2017 Thank you both! Bit of an oversight I agree and this is something i'll add when i'm going over the finishing touches next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 For a cheep and easy build the $50 in 2" pipe fittings is a bummer, the welded tubing works well and is cheaper, square works as well as round and is easier to fabricate (no fish mouth). Honestly as most rivit forges lacked a true firepot a cut off drum with the tuyere attached directly to the bottom and a bucket of dirt thrown in works very well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 My advice...........take Mr. Stevens advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Check the scrap yard. Sometimes you'll strike it rich of some big pipe fittings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Cut a piece of metal, ring, from the circumference of the drum about 2 or more inches wide. Fold it in half the long way to form 1 in U shape about 6 feet long. Place this over the SHARP edge of the drum to protect yourself from being cut. DO NOT connect the hair dryer directly to the air pipe. Leave a 3 inch gap. If you need more air aim the hair dryer more directly to the air pipe. If you need less air, do not air the hair dryer so directly and let some of the air miss the air pipe. Full air control that way LOL And yes you should have a T air pipe so you can dump the ash when needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick1992 Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 Charles- thanks for your help there, I appreciate it. Glenn- Didn't actually think of that as a method of air control! Thanks to all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick1992 Posted January 2, 2018 Author Share Posted January 2, 2018 Same subject posts have been merged Evening all! I wanted to post this brief update for a couple of reasons, the first of which is to provide a bit of a catch-up from my previous post back in September, but secondly (and more importantly) to document all of the generosity of others associated with setting up the forge over the past few months. The first part of this generosity took place back in October, when a family friend called John found out that I had shown an interest in blacksmithing, and insisted that I have the tools that he had used as a young man in order to begin to furnish my forge. Even though I had known John for a long time, I had no idea he had any of this equipment! I told him that as soon as I had set everything up I would bring him down to see all of his equipment being put to good use again (as he would not accept any payment other than a few bottles of wine, I felt this was the least I could do). (John's equipment) Unfortunately, I never got the opportunity to take John to the forge as he sadly, and very unexpectedly, passed away shortly before Christmas. I know he would have absolutely loved to see all his old stuff being used again, and his family have asked if I can get a photograph of the new forge made up to be placed in his grave along with other photographs celebrating his life. I owe John and his family a huge debt of gratitude for this generosity, and will think of this every time I am hammering away on his old anvil. Having cleaned up John's equipment, I managed to get myself a good space for the forge on my girlfriend's family farm, which was kindly leant to me by her uncle. (The forge space, pre-clean up) I spent a lot of time after Christmas cleaning up the space and slowly bringing in tools and equipment to give the whole thing the resemblance of an actual forge and not just a big room! (Equipment being moved into the forge space- the anvil has not been properly secured here) Although it is a very simplistic set up I have over here, it's been a great experience getting it all to come together. Having got everything how I want it, I fired up the forge for the very first time a few days ago and made a couple of coat hooks (although admittedly they were a bit rough around the edges!). One final thank you is in order- thanks to John and Dave from Glendon Forge for their hospitality and mentor-ship during a number of one-on-one courses I have taken with them over the past few months, the lessons have been invaluable. (My oil drum forge previously made. The forge is being used outdoors for the moment due to a lack of ventilation!) (Main working area and bolted down anvil) (My shoddy craftsmanship!!) I would be happy to answer any questions about specifics etc, as I have tried to keep this brief and so have skimmed over a lot of the details about the set up! If anyone has any suggestions or comments, or indeed any information about the origins of some of the equipment I have, it would be great to hear from you. Thanks for reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 Great story, and good work bringing those tools back to life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMike Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 very enjoyable account. very envious of some of those tools. Good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 Make some U shaped loops and drive them into the wooden stump to keep the hammers off the floor. Bending down to pick up a hammer will get very old very fast. Check to see that the anvil face is about wrist high. It appears a bit low to me. Look up the thread on proper anvil height. Once you find the right anvil height, build a solid full platform of bricks or whatever to place the anvil stump on so it can not walk around and fall off into the floor. If the forge is outside move the anvil just inside the door. This saves on the walking and saves the hot metal from cooling off during the trip from the forge to the anvil. The set up looks great. Enjoy the elbow room. Only other suggestion is to get a radio. The distraction helps you loose track of time as you work. (grin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon ForgeClay Works Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Great story about your friend John passing on his tools to you, sad for his passing may he rest in peace. Be sure to toll the anvil three times in his memory, when you enter the forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 it is so nice to see tools passed down. Clearly your friend must have known somehow that his time was up. Folks do know most of the time. I remember a neighbour we had in the seventies. We had just moved in freshly married and made his acquaintance. He was a writer and a bit of a celebrity. In his seventies he was very healthy and was asked to give conferences all over the place. He used to invite us to chat a lot because his only son never came to visit. One day he called us over and pulled out old family photos and spent hours with me and my wife talking about his past, gave us some books and things and insisted for me to give him a run down of the value of all his possessions he dutifully listed. I did my best and then he told us he was booked the next week for a conference and he went on to give us the whole conference before we left at one in the morning. He passed away that night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 It can be a warning sign; a friends Father, a retired Metallurgist, once invited me over and proceeded to give me several shelves of old ASM handbooks and metallurgy texts and ASM books for the general public like "The Story of Metals",1951; "Man Metals and Modern Magic" 1958. I was very grateful and my friend told me he was very happy they they would actually get read and used. I was not surprised to later learn that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. When younger people start giving away their treasures it can be a warning sign of depression and possible suicide! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Make up a heavy angle iron frame that will support the swage block. Make it square to lay the block flat in, easy enough then to flip it on edge and use it. Setting on the stump is asking for a smashed foot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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