I`am starting to build a 2nd portable forge:o! Its goin be a side draft . The frame will be 45" x 24" inches. The table will be 1/4 " plate , it`ll have a brake drum fire pot. The frame will be 1/8 x 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 angle.I`am going fab up a mont for my handcrank. Also am going to build a mount on one side it to bolt my post vice to;). I need to find a 10 or 20 gallon barrel though:confused: I `am going use it as the hood (sorta like Richard T `s portable forge) anyone know where I could get a 10 or 20 gal. barrell?????(Iv`e seen them but not sure where) I`ll will post the progress on this thread so keep watching the build. I plan to use it at Perryville reinactment (with Dave Custer, FFF forge). Any help would be great.
Thanks,Chris

I got a old tank this weekend for my hood !!! I`am starting work on it this week (probally today) I`ll keep ya posted on progress! I have a quick??? though! Should I make it 36 inchs tall or make it 31 1/2 which will make the post vice not need a drop down mount??? And where is the bbest place to get felxibale pipe? (for the blower)

2 types of places I can think of to get flex pipe. 1st is HD or lowes or some other big home improvement store, the have aluminum flex pipe used for exuast vents ( this is not the lite stuff used for dryers) I have this on one of my forges and it is 3years running so far. For better flex pipe try auto part store or tracktor supply store, they use it to repair or fab up exuast systems.I will be useing this on my new shop forge I am finishing up. I see you found a drum, We use to get our grease in 20 gal. drums for heavy equipment.

okay thanks!!! I got the tank cut a few minutes ago!!!! (it may be some type of water heater and something) If was a pain to cut!!!!

UPDATE:
Okay I finshed the hood besides the monts and wire wheeling and primiering.. I`am going to try and get a brake drum for i tommorow at NAPA . I found anew place to get metal from Noble Metals Scrap Iron
Thanks,Chris

I got the mounts cut and drilled for the hood today. Here are some pics of the hood

Ok its been a while since I worked on the new porta side draft forge but I got the tabble cut out. And the hood is finshed cutting, working on the frame now , I got 1/8 inch plate for the table and 1.5x1.5 x1/8 angle for the frame. I also bought 2 brake drum the same so if one Ever burns up i got another to fit down in the same hole. Pics soon

Well,
Some of Y`all know I`am building a new shop. I WAS going to build the coal forge of my dreams for it. BUT I`am buying a New 286Lb. Euroanvil & all my money is going to that(I`am getting a deal). So I`am finshing this forge up to put in my shop because I want a side draft in it. I Figure after I buy the anvil I`ll save up & build the coal forge of my dreams (centaur Firepot, Fabbed side draft hood,) . Today I WILL be building the frame and see what I get done. I dont have the ash dump yet but will get what I can done today . Also My new shop should be dryed in by Tuesday. I`ll post pics of the new shop, forge.
Sorry This post is long winded.
Chris

Chris, as your forge is new construction, think back a ways to a time when people heated their homes with wood and coal. In the house many had a coal bin they wound fill with a ton or more of coal each fall. They also had a ash pit (hole) in the fireplace where they could shovel the ashes so they would fall into a bin located on the floor below (basement). This allowed them to stay indoors where it was warm and the fuel and ash removal was easy to access.

The ash dumps on the coal forges I have seen hold only a small volume of ash, then it is dumped into a container or metal bucket when full. Full in many cases can be measured in cups of ash, must be dumped often. Each dump creates a cloud of fine dust that gets out into the room. More importantly, if you dump the ash several times you have HOT COALS in the ash container, that can remain hot for a day or more. How many folks take the time to extinguish the HOT COALS in the ash container before they leave the shop?

BP0337 shows a 5 gallon bucket of water under the ask dump, which kills any fire or hot coals in the ash. It also shows the twyere pipe extended to just below the water line in the bucket, which means there is no ash dump, the ash automatically goes straight into the water. For smaller twyere pipes 2 inch or so the power fine ash can float on the water and sometimes clog the end of the pipe, but with a 3 inch twyere pipe this seldom happens.

I have used this system and find only two minor problems, one when the ash builds up in the bucket (usually over 4 gallons of ash) to the point of touching the twyere pipe, and when the water in the bucket freezes in the winter. Changing the bucket cures both problems. (grin)

okay Thanks for the info glenn. I may not get the ash dump done today but everythjing else should be done.
Chris
PS I plan on fab one up like on my protabkle disc forge i use for demos.

Today
I got the forge table, frame almost done (its all tacked) And the legs cut.
Chris

I now have the new firepotdone ( weld the band around it this morning) I just gotta add some braces under the table and wel the hood brackets to the hood and make the blower mount.
I will post pics ASAP.

Hurry up with the pictures, the suspense is awful :D

I got the camera but its dark now and the forge is sitting outside LOL!

Here a some progress pictures. More to come tommorow after school.

good work, Chris.

Wow! that looks really neat, good work.

Vic.

Nice work kid. However, I thought you were going to use a brake drum? I'm new here but you new pot looks better than a brake drum ever could.

Looking real fine there Chris!
Finnr

Looking mighty fine Chris.

I'd put spreaders between the legs for added stability though.

Frosty

I am new here and green as grass. I thought the fire pot had to be cast iron for some reason. Yours looks like welded steel. How thick is the steel you used? I have been looking for a forge recently with no luck. Let me rephrase that "I'm CHEAP". I could make what you have there for a little bit of nothing.

I saw a video on one of these sites where a guy used a brake drum for the fire pot, actually it looked like a recessed rotor for disc brakes.

Any info you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Paul

edit: spelling

ya..you can hand make them.....you can use 1/4 inch if you want but it will not last as long as 1/2 inch....thats a good size to use....mines a welded fire pot..i think there just as good as a cast one..

Welcome aboard Paul!

Wow, you're the second guy in a row that included your location right off the bat! I'm proud of you guys already.

Forges tend to get overthought by folk breaking into the craft. 1/4" welded steel will probably burn out in a mere 8-10 years of heavy use, about the same as a brake drum or rotor. Semi brake drums are WAY too big unless you're into industrial forging at home.

If you just must have cast there are several outfits selling them, a web search will turn them right up. Heck, there might be a group putting on an iron pour near you and you could make your own pattern, I might do exactly this next summer if I don't mold up a replacement fly wheel for my post drill. Heck, might as well do both.

Sorry, got sidetracked there. Anyway, there are lots of options including a piece of cast iron cookwear if you're so inclined.

The really important thing is do NOT wait till you have all the "real" (HAH!) tools and equipment to build a fire and start hammering. Reading is good, talking is good but unless you actually do it you will never learn it.

Good to have ya.

Frosty

Hammerkid, your forge is looking good! However, if it was me building it (and it's not) I wouldn't attach the vise to the forge. If you should get rambunctious with twisting or hammering while using the vise, things could interesting very quickly.
I have a welded firepot in my coal/charcoal forge. IIRC it's 3/8 plate. Works quite well.

Paul B
Look up Blueprint BP0133 the now famous 55 Forge. Quick, simple, and easy to build. You can have a forge and a fire in just a couple of hours, with little or no money invested.