silly goose Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I've been using a coal forge for about a year and a half now, that doesn't have a firepot. It is about 24"x30" and just has a flat deck where the air comes up through the bottom. I've used it the way it is for a while, and then used fire brick to simulate a firepot. Am I missing anything by not having a firepot? I'd hate to spend $350-400 and not see any real benefit to it. Just wondering what you folks with more experience might feel about this. Thanks. Fyi, I'm just a hobbyist, content to make plenty of hooks, plant hangers, puzzles, strikers, chisels, punches and what not as I learn my way through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 the forges I make are similar, bottom blast through a 5/8" thick cast iron tue with a single hole just under 1/2" dia, for coke no firepot, for charcoal or coal some firebricks to make the pot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Basically the firepot allows your fire to not be so high on your table. The firepot also tends to get the sweet spot of the fire roughly at table level, so you can place your stock horizontally. You have plenty of room on your table with your adjustments to be able to use it effectively, raising the sweet spot and using the bricks to contain things. You also have the ability to make a larger or smaller fire as needed by adjusting the bricks. You have your system sorted out to work for you. I would just use it as- is. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Fire pots eliminate the need for a thick table/box of refractory material (dirt or brick) they make forges a big more portable. The down side is your pretty much stuck with one depth and size of fire. With out a pot you can sculpt what ever Size and shape you need. So if you are forging nails you don’t need a fire big enugh to weld 2” billets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 A good firepot enables you to have 4" of coke under your iron and 2" on top. And your stock will be parallel to your fire. You can get this with a flat bottomed forge, ut you will most likely burn more coal. The reason for the 4" below is to consume the oxygen and the 2" above does the same. This makes a neutralizing enviroment for your work. Thus less scale. I also recomend a "clinker breaker". Its misnamed. It will break clinker but its main function is to make it easy to dump ash without breaking apart your fire. Its best to remove your clinker with your fire tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Soft firebrick or hard firebrick? SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Yes, you are missing something, the ability to build the optimal fire. Might want to review this thread which explains the above posts. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30887-forges-and-fires/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Firepot doesn't have to mean expensive cast iron fire pot. Anything that shapes the fire and creates depth to your fire is a fire pot. If you use bricks you have a pot.. Of sorts... You can add a brake drum if you want a little more definition and depth and those are free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 19 hours ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said: Yes, you are missing something, the ability to build the optimal fire Is this meant for me? If so, ill answer, if not, I wont. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 I think it was in answer to the original question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Yes, it was directed to the OP, one of the problems with trying to limit quoting is sometimes we don't know who the post is directed to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 18, 2018 Share Posted August 18, 2018 You can always highlight and quote the specific thing you’re replying to, like this: On 7/17/2018 at 1:55 PM, silly goose said: Am I missing anything by not having a firepot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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