where would I find brick coal forge plans?

[Steel sparrow forge]

Hi just wondering if anyone knows where I can find some good brick coal forge plans? 

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard newbie, got a name that's not so clumsy? If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many members live within visiting distance. 

Have you been blacksmithing long enough to actually want a permanently positioned coal forge? You have a shop with room enough? 

What do you mean by "GOOD?" I'm not a big fan of coal, it's too hard to come by for me but I've burned it often enough. A hole in the ground isn't even necessary though it's better than not. The couple times I've used a largeish masonry forge it was nice but sure took up a lot of room. Heck, my 3' x 4' brick covered steel duck's nest forge would be a real space eater in the shop, it's been living retired outdoors since I built the shop.

What are your criteria for Good and your experience to judge are my questions. Without which it's not possible to provide meaningful answers. We just need clearer, more specific questions.

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

You want a brick forge good for working 1" and smaller steel or on that's good for 1' and larger?

Really need to provide details of your use case. BTW do you have access to good blacksmithing coal?

[Charles R. Stevens]

To further complicate things, do you waunt a side blast or bottom blast? Comertial tuyere or DIY?

[Steel sparrow forge]

Hi yea I am newbie only about 13 years old just getting into it this year. Thanks for the tip on the name, i guess it makes it pretty obvious I am newbie.

i am building a permanent shop right now (the other place is falling down and can’t put a chimney in)and am building the forge but wondering where I could find plans. 

What I usually try to forge is smaller decorative items nothing over half inch most of the time,

i live in Cambridge Ontario area but in the country and can get bituminous coal at thak iron works.

for side blast or bottom blast I have only tried bottom blast in my temporary forge so I have no experience with side blast if you do it would help greatly.  

By “good” I mean not a hole in dirt with bricks with a hair dyer attached to it. And to be more specific something brick and mortar and a chimney so I don’t die from carbon monoxide poisoning or whatever it is.

for a tuyere I have a welder and it would be ideal to diy it Since I am just a kid and can’t spend 600 dollars on something I could make.

your input and help to a kid like me will be greatly appreciated 

-Noah

 

[Frosty]

I like you already Noah, you'll fit right in here. We get a lot of folks ask questions but already have preconceived notions of what the answers should be and argue when we don't agree. 

A couple practical suggestions to start. A masonry forge is a permanent structure meaning you can't change it as your skills and interests grow and change. Believe me your interests WILL change and you WILL want your forge in another corner. For now build something portable or at least easy to move. The JABOD can sit on a table or steel stand. A 55 forge is another excellent home build and is easy to attach a stack to for clear air in the shop. The JABOD wants a side draft hood and stack and is maybe too portable. 

If you can weld, there's no real limit to the forge you can build IF you can stand it not being brick and mortar. A 24" x 36" steel table with an angle iron rim makes a forge it'll takes years to outgrow. There are a number of good fire pot designs you can weld up that just drop into the table, rest on a horizontal rim and connect from below. That lets you change out fire pots for different projects or preferences. Making your own lets you experiment with side or bottom blast and use them as you wish. 

A steel forge table is easy to move, steel stove pipe can allow a degree of movement without poking more holes in the roof. It's all good. 

One of the real benefits of burning coal is you aren't going to suffer CO (Carbon Monoxide) exposure without knowing it, coal smoke stinks if it gets smokey in the shop, shut down open the doors, go have lunch and let it air out. Then go in, figure out why the stack wasn't drawing properly and correct the problem. Yes?

A propane forge is different, they produce CO in large quantities so you have to have excellent ventilation. CO will sneak up on you, it's odorless, colorless and deadly. 

Gotta go for now, more later.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[Glenn]

The 55 Forge is a great place to start as it is easy to make, easy to modify, can be either bottom blast or side blast and inexpensive to build. 

JABOD (just a box of dirt) is the same but likes side blast.

Building a Brick Forge is not what you want as a beginner, but the information is available on the site.

READ THIS FIRST

Go slow, show us photos, ask questions, and start building your data base. Listen to what is being said as those folks have been there, have done that, and know of which they speak. 

 We suggest that you pack a lunch and a cold drink before you visit the site.  (grin)

[Steel sparrow forge]

 

Yea a steel forge would better. I just love that good old historical look and feel, but who doesn't right. I eventually will most likely make a permanent forge such as that (Maybe in twenty years or so.) thanks. For talking about carbon monoxide poisoning, were worried that I would get it since right now I am burning charcoal(in something similar to the earlier models of the 55 forge.). That page of tips that you gave me the link for Glenn really are helpful and for that I thank you.

It’s just so amazing and helpful that there is a website dedicated to asking questions about blacksmithing and sorts. every reply I got so far has just been so helpful and meaningful. Really I have no clue why I haven’t done this sooner. Thanks for your support

[ThomasPowers]

Oh *historical*---have you looked through Moxon's "Mechanicks Exercises"?   Published in 1703...The first section of the *complete* book is on blacksmithing. (There are lots of reprints of just chunks of it out there.)

[Steel sparrow forge]

Hey I have that book it’s chuck full of info will check out that section again thanks

[JHCC]

Okay, you just made ThomasPowers very, very happy.

[ThomasPowers]

However you may not want to build a forge exactly like that one.  I'd build a JABOD and get forging while you research masonry forges and start evaluating designs with what *you* will be using it for!

[Steve Sells]

I waited over 15 years before building my brick forge, and I had made quite a few changes over the years to the steel stand I used before building it, Just a FYI

[ThomasPowers]

My current coal travel forge; the firepot has been in 3 forges so far and I'm about ready to build the 4th "new and improved" version to make it easier to travel with as I get a bit less burley...

[Daswulf]

In my shop I have a dedicated hood and stack. My forge is a metal table with the firepot "brake rotor" in that. I have two different size pots to use depending on what I'm forging. It can be moved, adjusted, and cleaned as needed. I even put my demo forge under the stack to test it out. With welding abilities you should have little trouble making a forge to work for you, and be able to adjust things till you know what works best for you. 

[Kevin Olson]

There was a user her that started a thread called "19th century brick forge build" and has a post on here in 2016. Then another guy showed his brick forge build. Its a photo essay of his build progress. Do a google search for what i have quoted above and include  site:iforgeiron.com 

[Frosty]

What are you using for a blower Noah? A blow drier works really well and can be had at yard, garage, etc. sales for a couple bucks. They put out more air than you need for all but large work. I've been picking up mattress inflator type blowers at yard, etc. sales for a few years now. Most are 12v DC but occasionally I see a 120v AC inflator. These put out WAY more air than you need but even new they're cheap and it's easy to control the blast to the fire. One of these blowers and a couple feet of black iron pipe is all you need to make a forge in the field. 

When my old hand crank dies I'll replace it with one of these, they'll run for hours on a small motorcycle battery and I usually have the pickup close enough to plug into.  

Frosty The Lucky.

[Steel sparrow forge]

I spent 200 dollars and got a smallish hand crank forge blower from buffalo blowers from kijiji. I think I am starting to understand why a permanent forge wouldn’t have been a good idea when I am just getting into it beacause I really have no clue what kind of forging sence I don’t have the experience. I haven’t tried any thing over half inch so how would I even know. Every person who has replied has had so many more years of experience than me just judging by account profiles and how you say things. I could not be luckier that this website exists even though I have made one blacksmith friend who also helps me with this sort of thing. But it is still amazingly helpful to have this as well. it definitely is helping me not make rash decisions like making a brick forge. 

Thanks for all the help -Noah 

[JHCC]

Keeping you from making rash decisions makes us ALL very happy.

[Frosty]

It's a genuine pleasure helping someone willing to consider advice, it's more rare than you might think. Most of our "experience" is the result of mistakes we've made and we offer you the benefit of ours so you don't have to make them yourself. I find myself smiling every time I see your sign in name. 

What we're really waiting for is you to make new mistakes we've never seen before. And NO, using a live artillery shell as an anvil has been done. Don't bother.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Steel sparrow forge]

Haha live artilery shell... anvil? What!!! How?

i acualy have two anvils so far gladly I don’t think I need to blow up my shop trying that. I got one junky one from granparents it’s steel and 100 pounds but from princess outo and use that as some sort of a striking anvil because it’s not hardened properly and I have another 100 pound anvil newer on the anvil spectrum but used and that’s my main one.(my blacksmith freind gave it to me) I am one lucky kid having old welders and oxyceleyine torches from my great grandfather and meeting a blacksmith in the neighbourhood who gave me an anvil, and nw signing up for this information highway of a website. Wow I have one amazing start into blacksmithing in my eyes.

Happy Hammering! -Noah.J.Richer

[Frosty]

Yeah, I believe it was in the Middle East and the smith's career was brief.

Disarmed artillery shells can make good anvils, and mandrel cone combos. Uri Hofi uses an artillery shell at times I believe. That and or shows his students how to find and make anvils from them.

If you have a soft anvil doesn't it make more sense to use it as a tool holder and for light work rather than beating it to pieces with heavy work? 

It doesn't hurt to have more than one anvil, even if one isn't much as an anvil. Being able to leave a bottom tool in the hardy hole and ready all the time can be very handy. Hmmm?

Oh, and just relax and talk we're good with common courtesy, no need to be thanking us constantly we don't need so much butter. Okay?  

Frosty The Lucky.

[Steel sparrow forge]

Yea I usually just cant help my self to thank people beacause I feel as if they are just going out of their way to respond to something some kid said. And yea that makes sence to use it for small work and to leave a bottom tool in the hardy hole, the one thing is that the face is massive for a 100 pound anvil but I don’t think that really matters to much douse it?  I have seen fine work on big anvils(on you tube and at Westfield heritage village) so I don’t think it matters but I definitely will choose my better anvils horn over that ovalish cone shape.

ps: have you read THE ART OF BLACKSMITHING by Alex w Bealer... it’s quite good

 

 

Unless I am forging ovals

[pnut]

Of course. Great book. If you haven't already I'd suggest New edge of the anvil  by Jack Andrews, Practical Blacksmithing compiled by M.T. Richardson. There's also a whole section on books and book reviews. Happy reading.

Pnut (Mike) 

[JHCC]

12 hours ago, Frosty said:

Uri Hofi uses an artillery shell at times I believe. That and or shows his students how to find and make anvils from them.

I think Hofi uses the titanium rods from spent tank-killer artillery rounds as punches, if memory serves. I think I remember reading somewhere him saying something about having a military friend who picks them up for him at the firing range.