Hello from Nebraska

[Beavers]

I've always wanted to try blacksmithing but I figured it took a ton of money to buy a forge and get started.  After watching a bunch of youtube videos I decided to try making my own forge.  After researching on this forum I've discovered maybe I should of skipped youtube and started here.

 

Anyway...I'm not sure what you would call this forge.  I used a couple concrete blocks, some fire bricks, and some cast iron wood stove parts.  I started off with Kingsford since it's all I had handy and I wanted to hurry up and try it out.  Using a shop vac I was actually able to get some rebar hot.  

Next I tried some coal.  It was small acorn size pieces...I got it burning and hit the power switch on the shop vac.  It looked like a small volcano...spewing red hot coal 10 feet in the air.  I ran through the rain of red hot coals and shut off the vac.  I think it might be putting out a little too much air.

My little test run and reading on this forum have taught me a few things already:

1. I'm building a JABOD

2. Shop vac is too much air.  I've got a manual mattress pump I'm going to use.

3. Coal stinks.  I'm going to use lump charcoal

4. An I-beam is loud and flexes a lot.  Going to try a sledge hammer head.

5. Getting metal red hot and beating on it with a hammer is a lot of fun!

[ThomasPowers]

Think of all the valuable information you have proven to yourself:  What not to use as a blower.  How not to build a forge. What does not make a good anvil.

In general youtube is not a good source when you don't know enough about an area to be able to vet the videos as good or accurate. (You will see reference he about the Dunning-Kruger effect.)  One positive aspect of these forums is that folks posting bad info generally get dogpiled by folks saying "don't do that!"   (And often giving reasons why or suggesting better ways to accomplish what you want to do.)

[horse]

I love the smell of but in coal in a forge. However close neighbors may not enjoy it as much. I think you are on the correct path. A lot to learn here if you watch and listen/read. It is a great wealth of info. You sometimes need a rather tough hide if the curmudgeons find you lazy and with no motivation for research. Well thought out question with specificity are generally very well taken and you will get great info. Your first post is a well thought out post. Good job.  And yes hitting hit steel and discovering how it moves is not only fun but may be somewhat addicting. 

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Beavers, glad to have you. There are already a number of Beavers or variant names, is there a little more unique handle we can call you? Otherwise folks might get confused about who we're teasing. 

You're going to fit right in here, you learn quick, lots of folk spend a lot of time trying to figure out why the things you tried don't work well. On that score you've deprived us from the joy of telling you THAT WON'T WORK then laughing at you when it doesn't. (we don't really do that even if some of the really thin skinned think we do but we have a rep to maintain so don't tell anybody) You have jerked the joy rug out from under us curmudgeonly types, you're a cruel person.

Enjoy the ride, it's a blast.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Beavers]

Thanks for the welcome. 

This forum is great. I've been reading a ton and learning a lot.

I think the strong coal smoke was due to my fire skills. Pretty sure I piled too much wet stuff on and made it really smokey. I don't have a good coal source so that's the main reason for wanting to go with charcoal.

I'll do my best to avoid asking questions that are easily answered with a little research and avoid a curmudgeon attack. 

I did get a new forge built today. I used the JABOD III and JAPOB designs.  I had a pile of fire bricks and figured I may as well put them to use. Also managed to forge my first useful thing. Got the forge done and thought it would be nice if I had a hook to hang my fire poker from...so I made a hook. Its ugly as sin but it works. I think that's the thing that excites me the most about blacksmithing, being able to make practical things and tools, custom designed for what you want and not having to run to the store to buy some junky Chinese version of what you could build better and cheaper on your own.

I also ditched the rebar I was working with and got some round stock. You guys were right it does work much easier than the rebar. 

I did have some help building the forge. I think he was almost as excited as I was to fire it up.

[ThomasPowers]

Marshmallow roasting fork seems to be called for as you can cook over a charcoal forge fire as long as you don't put any toxic coated metal into it!

[Beavers]

That does sound like a good beginner project and he does love smores. 

I do a lot of outdoor cooking over a fire so cooking tools are definitely on my list of projects. 

[Frosty]

Put some better eye protection on the boy please! The cheap < $4.00 a pair goggles that cover glasses work well, they make good contact completely around the eyes and prevent bouncers. I've had crud bounce off my jacket, the inside of my face shield, cheek, safety glasses and into my eye. No bull. 

You guys are going to have a blast. Playing with fire and hitting things is excellent quality time.  

There are a number of fire cooking rigs from tripods, to A frames, grills, etc. that are good projects. Thomas Powers has a lot of Y1k outdoor kitchen experience. Mine is extensive but different, I spent 20 years as a field guy and warming canned food(?) gets really old. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Beavers]

Good point on the eye protection. I'll get him some goggles. 

[MC Hammer]

Yup, just had a piece of scale jump off the piece I was forging yesterday and land on my cheek right below my safety glasses.  Proof positive that you can get hot scale in the region of your eyes.  My habit since starting forging is to put my safety glasses on when I start getting set up and take them off when the apron comes off and everything is put away.  If it becomes part of your routine you won't forget them.  I also got a neck lanyard that attaches to mine so if for some reason I have to remove them from my eyes while looking for something, they are hanging right there around my neck to remind me to put them back on.  I generally don't even do that.