Jump to content
I Forge Iron

break drum forge has failed.


AndrewB

Recommended Posts

This is me smelting iron ore with a hair dryer. The only major difference between your setup and mine, is that you don't have nearly enough fuel burning in yours.

I started out with raw wood and just kept putting it in there until I had a PILE of coals (charcoal). Fill the thing up! (It can take quite a bit of wood, so just keep going). You can get results from THAT thing, but you will soon want to upgrade to one of the CHEAP and SIMPLE designs found right here on this forum. STUDY.

Robert Taylor

20131111_152253.jpg

20131111_151705.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Glenn said:

Then switch to the shop vac to prove that you CAN get a fire going.  Hint: the shop vac should have about a 2 inch hose. Be sure you are on the blow side of the shop vac, and not the suck side. As long as your not trying to blow 2 inches of air through a soda straw, it should work. 

The only issue I have with the shop vac is that its extremely noisy defensing to the ears I found.  I'm wondering I've still got my old sink, now with that old sink I could possibly take off the drain for that sink and some how mount it to the break drum to possibly get a better airflow.  I'm going to be putting the break drum up on bricks of course with the air flow access open but what I am considering doing is since I do not have a welding machine here at home like I said using the bricks that I have to put it up on a stand some what and then using the sink drain detached from the sink itself which is about 2 inches I believe in diameter would that possibly work?  Of course Id have to drill holes into the break drum in order to mount the sink drain catch to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you choose only one forge design you can figure out what works and what does not work rather easily. If you have multiple forge designs being tried and tested at the same time, your efforts are divided by the  number of forges, and less gets accomplished.

May I suggest you put all others on hold and work with the JABOD forge design. Simple, fast, low cost, and it works. It is easy to diagnose any problems as the forge is a simple and proven design. Do not over complicate simple. The JABOD is just that, just a box of dirt and a 3/4 or 1 inch pipe for air.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I said before I'm more than likely over thinking everything and trying to over do it more than likely.  I can't build a giant forge I probably shouldn't do JABOD just because of the fire issue, I'm not saying that JABOD wont work I'm just saying because of the safety precaution.   I'm a very cautious person.  I also try to keep that in mind.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Their is no more of a fire issue with a JABOD sideboast forge than any other solid fuel forge, less than some. The whole idea of a forge is to provide a hearth (not unlike a fireplace hearth or a barbecue grill. Dirt doesn’t burn at the temperatures we are talking about. I’m not saying that is the perfect saluting for you, but it’s a cheap, easy to build, proven forge design (a few thousand years). 

Exactly what makes you think it’s more of a fire haszard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well unfortunately at this point, my main problem is now turning into being the air supply.  So at this point I'm stuck I can't and wont be able to do any forging what so ever for now.  So yes I'm stuck in a bad place, but I guess eventually I'll get out of it.   Oh well.  Hurry up and wait I guess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, AndrewB said:

So at this point I'm stuck I can't and wont be able to do any forging what so ever for now. 

If you wish to give  up on blacksmithing because you can not build a fire, that is your choice and therefore any excuse will do to support your decision.

Come back when you wish to try blacksmithing again. We will be willing to help, but you have to be willing to take the advice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No you are not overly cautious---if you were cautious you would go with 1 KNOWN GOOD DESIGN. As it is you are wanting to put 3 different sized tires on your car and drive it! And blaming your problems doing so on your "caution"!

I've built a number of good working forges very cheaply using only a hand drill; of course those were before the internet...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Glenn said:

If you wish to give  up on blacksmithing because you can not build a fire, that is your choice and therefore any excuse will do to support your decision.

Come back when you wish to try blacksmithing again. We will be willing to help, but you have to be willing to take the advice.

I'm not giving up on it, I'm just at a stuck point.  Until I can at least get it set up properly.  This is a hobby that I want to do.  So no I'm not giving up on it.  It's just frustrating because every where I go they say no you can't use this material because it will get too hot and melt.  So folks at stores send me some where else.  It's just a pain in some ways to deal with but meh.  I found my air supply at least.  I have a little fan motor that is quite powerful.  An old bathroom exhaust fan.  But I need to figure out how to get it to push air instead of pull it unless I just turn it around towards the pipes and have it pull the air into the pipe that way.  But the nice thing is it has a 120 volt plug so at least I wont have to re wire the motor so it will go into a 120 volt plug.  So at least I wont have to worry about using the shop vac.  This fan motor is so quite you can't even hear it turning unless the fan blades are hooked up to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, AndrewB said:

Hurry up and wait I guess.

So, what are you waiting for exactly? A lot of people giving you good advice, but you've only posted one picture of charcoal briquettes burning. No pic of your air set up. No pic of trying to get your coal burning. Hard to help in any detailed way if we can't see what you're doing. You don't need to weld to get the air pipe set up - plumbing fittings screw together. And you don't want to weld galvanized pipe.

I've never burned coal - I have a propane forge, but I know, one way or another, I'd get coal burning, if I were inclined to go that direction, even if I had to stick it in my propane forge to get it lit. LOL!

Don't know what corner of Thurston County you're in, and I'd offer to help - I have tools, welders, etc., - but you'd have to take a more determined attitude to get it done than you've shown so far. If you have a truck and can haul your set up and coal over, I'm sure we could figure it out and get it going.

And a small thing you should've already figured out - ear muffs or plugs for loud noises like shop vacs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/3/2018 at 11:00 PM, AndrewB said:

The only issue I have with the shop vac is that its extremely noisy 

So get some ear protection! A couple of bucks will get you earplugs; a couple more, over-the-head ear defenders. 

I've used a shop vac to power my last three forges. While I'm currently using a modified household vac (on a variable transformer for speed control), it was perfectly adequate for everything I needed to do.

In short: Brake drums can work, but not well. Sinks can work, but not well. JABOD forges are cheap, easy to build, safe, and work VERY well. Buy some earplugs, use your shop vac as a blower, and get forging.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Funny my brake drum forged worked Very Well Indeed and was my main billet welding forge for several years. The difference was that I used a shallow drum and added a sheet metal fence to it with a slot and a mouse hole opposite the slot so I could put stock in the middle of the neutral hot spot.  (The hot spot was even with the rim of the drum and extended upward a ways.)  Where folks get it wrong is thinking bigger is better and get a forge where you can't reach the hot spot with a middle of a long work piece.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, John in Oly, WA said:

Don't know what corner of Thurston County you're in, and I'd offer to help - I have tools, welders, etc., - but you'd have to take a more determined attitude to get it done than you've shown so far. If you have a truck and can haul your set up and coal over, I'm sure we could figure it out and get it going.

Andrew, that's about as good an offer to help as it gets. It'd be well worth a drive out there with what you have to get your forge ( or A forge) working to get you to the real fun of hammering some hot steel. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, AndrewB said:

It's just frustrating because every where I go they say no you can't use this material because it will get too hot and melt.  So folks at stores send me some where else.

Why are you asking or listening to people in stores that have no clue as to what you are doing or how to make something work? 

The old bathroom exhaust fan must exhaust the air out in some fashion, usually through a duct to the outside of the house. Connect the air being exhausted and the duct to the forge. Problem solved. If need be purchase a clothes dryer exhaust duct (under $5) and connect the fan to the forge. Use the expandable aluminum style as it is much better than the plastic with the wire in it style. I can say that because I have done it,  have used both styles, and know both work,  and the metal style is better. 

Photos of what you have will go a long way in providing information so we can assist. 

There is no one right way. The right way is what works for you and gets the metal hot enough to move under a hammer. There is no reason to over complicate simple. They have used a hole in the ground to forge with for years, (read centuries). The JABOD is just a hole in the ground elevated to a comfortable working height. Brake drum forges are a bit more complicated as they are usually bottom blast and require some piping to get the air up and into the fire. Still no big deal, just a little more involved. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes most people do not have a clue to what forging is like: I get a lot of "it must be nice and warm in the winter!" I sometime point out that if my waist can stand so close in summer and not get toasted; my feet, twice as far away, are unlikely to feel warm in winter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got it all figured out.  I wasn't thinking or thinking about it too much.  Problems solved.  Airflow should be ok for a hair dryer.  No welding necessary.  So that makes me happy maybe I will be able to get a fire up tomorrow and test this out.  The only thing I gotta figure out since I'm not using any welding is how I'm going to keep coal from falling into the ash dump.  I'm sure I'll get something put together but I at least want to see if this will work.  Yes I'm using cinder blocks as stands they work just fine.  At least I don't have to be fancy.  Thanks guys for all the input.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as the grate I've still got to get that figured out.  So far even with the 1 inch pipe since I have had some trouble finding 2 inch pipe that is metal and not PVC.  Well it works for now.  The air flow through the pipe even with a hair dryer is now substantial.  Enough to get a good fire going.  I forgot that I had some old wood from my smoker still available to use to get my fire going.. That should work at least to start it along with a little bit of help from Mr lighter fluid.  So I'm hoping once I get my grate issue solved I am hoping to maybe do some forging this afternoon.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the 2" black pipe to make the T I have had luck finding the parts needed at the local Restore ( used building supply store). 

Also I can't speak to all of them but my local Home Depot has 2" black pipe and fittings. 

There are other routs, like using auto exhaust pipe new or used. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/5/2018 at 10:40 AM, AndrewB said:

I'm not giving up on it, I'm just at a stuck point.  Until I can at least get it set up properly.   I found my air supply at least.  I have a little fan motor that is quite powerful.  An old bathroom exhaust fan.  

A bathroom fan DOES push air, it pulls from a room and pushes to the exit point outside the house. A high CFM  would work fine, you already have a 3'' outlet on the housing. Mount it on a piece of plywood with a decent sized hole cut in and put a slide plate over it for a regulator.

 

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...