rdc Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 So Ive been doing some research on tube style propane forges and everyone out there with a sizable forge seems to be using thick pipe. However there are also quite a few plans for making mini forges out of tin cans (bean cans, coffee tins etc) lined with insulating material. Is there any reason not to combine these two ideas and make a larger forge out of sheet metal, it seems like it would be a lot easier to work with than 1/4" thick metal, and a heck of a lot easier to transport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 my propane forge is thin sheet metal rolled into a tube and tack welded. It is lined with kowool and has soft firebrick covered with castable refactory for a floor. it works just fine. The steel shell is merely a means to hold the insulation. I am currently building a bigger one made from two old bbq sized propane tanks with the ends cut off. I then welded the two sections together to form a long tube. WARNING. I completely purged the propane tanks first, then filled them with water and thoroughly washed and rinsed them. Then I did not flame cut them, I used a sawsall wilth a 24 tooth blade to cut them. Flame cutting a closed container, even one that has been completely cleaned can result in disaster because the torch will blow unburned gas into the container making a potentially explosive atmosphere. Woody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 I imagine that what you are seeing is the use of what is available and easy to adapt rather a need for the heavier wall. Woody has it right, as well as your intuitiveness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristopher Skelton Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 What Woody said If you go to forums.dfoggknives.com and search for "Xxxx forge" (or maybe xxxx fire) you'll run across an interesting forge by a Swiss knifemaker that is basically a box made of hard fire brick and some kaowool for a top. It gets hot! I'm currently using a standard size mailbox (bought new from Lowes, so it never saw service with the USPS) lined with superwool (non-ceramic fiber insulation) and ITC100. It needs to be bigger now, but it's suited my needs for quite a while. There is a rather large mailbox available (for packages and such) but their volume is such that you'd really have to consider how you're going to line it and fire it to get useable temps. If you use anything galvanized PLEASE be careful!! We don't need anymore deaths or illnesses due to metal fumes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdc Posted December 2, 2005 Author Share Posted December 2, 2005 Im just getting started (this will be my first forge) and now that Im out of school I dont have ready access to a welder so working with the thick pipe wasnt going to work very well, my plan was to use sheet metal and pop rivits, but I really like the mailbox idea. Ive seen the firebrick forges, but I live in an apartment and Im not sure if my landlord is going to be ok with me setting up a permenant forge in the backyard so I may be moving stuff in and out whenever I work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meco3hp Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 RDC, Be sure that the pop rivets you use are SS and not aluminum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted December 3, 2005 Share Posted December 3, 2005 RDC, I built four Sandia-style forges some years ago for myself and three friends. These were fabbed from 16 ga hot rolled sheet and mine has been in more or less continuous use since then. The only corroded area on mine is a small spot on an outside edge near the door where the "dragon's breath" has eaten it away. I formed the steel by clamping a piece of angle iron onto a work table and bending the edges up with a hand hammer. I then used self tapping 'purlin' type screws to put it all together. The only power tool used was a small, electric hand drill. The insulation was 2600 Insulboard - I think it came from AP Green in Houston. Originally, they were all naturally aspirated but I later converted mine to a small blower and it will now reach welding temperature, which was inconsistent before. No welder required or any other exotic tools... :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjskinner Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 I have two gassers one is the big and thick one and the other is a coffee can Both are lined with kaowool, satinite and itc 100. I use the coffee can more than the big one. Woody is right The steel casing is only to hold the insulaton . Click on the link provided http://refractory.elliscustomknifeworks.com/ you see everything from steel, bricks, COFFEE CANS, and some funky looking sheet material. Oh and also just because the shell is thicker it still gets HOT :shock: Just my .0000002 cents PJ :mrgreen: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Though I haven't used it for probably eight months (I really like my coke forge with the bellows), I made mine from a piece of 14" diameter 14ga tube (liberated from a combine feeder house front drum). I had used a 10" diameter cardboard shipping tube to serve as a center mold for when I poured the Satanite (a brand of high temperature refractory cement). After burning the cardboard out with a torch, I then used 1" Kaowool for the final liner. This gets hot very quickly, and after the ceramic warms up, gets VERY hot after 15 minutes. However, it weighs in at over 50#, so portability is not for the faint of heart. Also, if you use a high temperature ceramic, DO NOT ALLOW IT TO GET WET! I have not included the different welding and fabrication I performed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogvalley Posted December 6, 2005 Share Posted December 6, 2005 Even expanded metal grating works. I don't have a forge built out of it, my forge is made from an old propane cylinder, but we have a raku kiln made from it and I have seen forges made the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 6, 2005 Share Posted December 6, 2005 I have one of each: A light one made from grain auger tubing and a heavy one made from an oxy bottle. The heavy one is great for the shop as it doesn't move around on you. I welded a piece of sq tubing on the side that 1/2" sq stock slides in and made an adjustable holder for long pieces. I'm currently designing a twister that will work with the metal in the forge---it will have a holder for an adjustable tail piece so I can twist various sized work. Having heavy metal makes it easy to weld on all sorts of bells and whistles---though it isn't very protable... Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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