Rivet Forge...

[JW513]

I've considered building a forge, once I'm done with the class. But right now I'm leaning towards buying one. Mainly because of fire management.. If the fire isn't staying lit or hot enough, its user error, not the way I built it.  I used one in school last week. I enjoyed it, but I don't have much expirence, to really form an opinion one way or another. 

 

The price seems good, although I do like hand cranked blower better.. It keeps me more focused on fire management.. ('I've used both styles in class)...  Anyways just looking for opinions on both rivet forges and this one in particular as well if anyone knows anything about them. Also, do I need a hood if i will be doing it outside? I'm mainly interested in forging simple thing like hooks, bottle openers, tools., maybe a small knife but no axes or anything.........  I also might travel a little bit, so I want something portable.

[Charles R. Stevens]

Fire going out is most often fuel in the case of coke or hard coal, dialing around to long in the case of soft coal or forgetting you left it lit in the case of charcoal. 

Rivit forges are often a bit shallow for forge welding wit soft coal.

[Glenn]

Fire management is a thing you learn with solid fuels, and each fuel is a bit different. 

The design of the forge is secondary, and if there was a perfect forge, we would all have one.

[JW513]

Thank you guys for the responses. There are so many different ways to go with a forge, its just a little over whelming...

 

.I'm not sure how to edit my posts, but I meant to say no swords.. Not  no AXES in my first post. 

[TwistedCustoms]

Hi JW513. The Centaur products are on the high end price wise but they are solid. There are a lot of variables such as, do you own a welder and are you proficient fabricating? You can purchase the raw materials to build a solid fuel forge for a lot less than the manufactured ones but if you don't already have some of the more expensive tools and or you value your time more than the cost of a manufactured forge it may be the way to go. Having a good, working tuyere/clinker breaker and a fire pot made for the fuel you will be using is nice. I have never used or felt I needed a hood when using a rivet forge outside. Coke produces less smoke than coal which is only really a consideration if you plan to do demos. If I were going to purchase a fire pot I would get the coal pot. You can burn coal or coke in either pot or a combination of coal/coke. You wont get great results with wood charcoal and a bottom blast of any configuration. Charcoal requires side blast and a gentle puff. Most hand crank blowers I've used will make charcoal lift up like a mini volcano in a bottom blast. As long as you stick with coal/coke a rivet forge will do the job. You can build it for less money but if the money isn't a stumbling block you could do a lot worse than a Centaur! My first was a break drum, bottom blast with a squirrel cage fan out of an old gas water heater exhaust. Guess how I know about the charcoal volcano effect! Once I got coal the brake drum served me well but having a proper clinker breaker and ash dump is nice!

[ThomasPowers]

Of all the places to spend money in smithing I would probably rate the solid fuel forge as last! After all they have been forging for 3000 years in a hole in the ground. The JABOD forge is just that hole moved up to a convenient height + a little tweaking.

I borrowed the welding skills of a friend to build my last coal forge; total cost was about US$20 and so far it's lasted 30 years; though it is time to start thinking of the next build---the firepot = 1/2 of a $6? set of jack stands made from 1930's axle covers for a banjo rear end, is still going strong. I have the other half for when the first one gives out but at 61.5 it's looking to outlast *me*.