Firebug27 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Hello all, I am new to the community and anxious to dive right into some basic metalwork. However, I need a forge first. I've played around with plenty of firepits and hair dryers before, but i'm looking to really get going with a proper forge setup. I live in the country so space and fuel type are quite flexible. My only real constraint is that I want it to be capable of forge welding low carbon steels and maybe even pure iron for when my skills hopefully reach that point. To my knowledge that requires a temperature of around 2700° F. Do you fine folks think I should build one, or buy one? And with what type of fuel source and/or blower? Thank you in advance from this humble beginner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 If I had no restrictions on size and the funds I would buy a water cooled side blast forge. If money is an issue I would recommend these links. I have forge welded in my charcoal fueled jabod. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/44842-just-a-box-of-dirt-or-a-simple-side-blast-forge/ If you have to have a fabricated forge you can build one of these in a couple hours and start forging while you're designing a fabbed up forge. You might find you don't need anything more than a jabod though. I've used one for around a year and been completely happy with it's performance. Welcome aboard be safe and remember it's supposed to be fun. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebug27 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 You know I believe you have an excellent point. I should make something similar to this first to find out what I like and hone my skills. I was told that the blacksmithing community was second to none and I've not been disappointed. Thank you for such a detailed reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Welcome aboard Firebug27. I always suggest this thread to help you get the best out of the forum. READ THIS FIRST Like pnut said a JOBOD forge will get to welding temperature with any fuel wood, lump charcoal (not BBQ briquets), coal, coke, peat, cow chips or what have you. Not knowing where in the world you are located it's hard to recommend a particular fuel, hence the suggestion to edit your profile to show location. A well constructed propane forge will also reach welding heat. We have both types of forges and use each depending upon what we are making, my wife likes propane and I like coal. As far as type of blower, I like a hand crank blower (have 3 Champion blowers) because they are more economical in fuel consumption, other folks prefer electric blowers but are tied to a power source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebug27 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 I couldn't find the location option but I did see that suggestion in a new user thread, I live in Appalachia so all forms of fuel are quite readily available and I in fact used to work at a coal mine so that part shouldn't be an issue. Would you recommend an electric blower on a JABOD forge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 When I first built my jabod I used an AC matress inflator from Walmart. I then bought a hand pumped mattress inflator. They both worked but if you forget to turn off the electric pump it burns up fuel for no reason and it also burns steel easier. I got a buffalo hand cranked blower and I love it. I use charcoal so it only takes about six turns a minute to forge and eight or nine to weld and like IDF&C said it burns less fuel and makes it hard to burn up your work. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 If you go to your profile, you will see a button top right (edit profile) click on it and a box opens up to let you add location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebug27 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 Hopefully the location shows now I think I found it with your help. I never would have imagined a hand cranked machine would give that kind of output but I will go buy one asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 I missed the editing time window, but I should have said a hand cranked blower makes it hardER to burn up your work. This is the buffco blower before I cleaned it up, and there's a picture of the double action mattress pump in the MarkIII jabod thread. The buffalo blower will blow the charcoal right out of the firepot if I crank it too fast. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Another good easy to build forge beside the JABOD is this one, it can be a bottom blast or side blast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 I had the makings for one of those but didn't get a chance to put it together before the fun police ruined my day. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebug27 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 Who are the fun police? Do I need to worry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Maybe. The fun police in my neighborhood has their HQ right next door to me. I don't know who they are where you live. Maybe the HOA? Maybe the people across the street? They could be anyone, anywhere, and show up at anytime. All it takes is someone enjoying themselves a little too much and they're liable to make an appearance. Hopefully your parade will be rain free. Pnut I'm just fooling around. The neighbors complained about me forging so the landlord told me I have to quit for a while. It was actually a dispute between my landlord and the neighbor. I was collateral damage or just a convenient reason for the neighbors to complain to the county. You shouldn't have any problems if you don't violate any ordinances or HOA rules. I thought this was a thread titled starting a home forge. I had the two confused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebug27 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 There's no HOA here in my part of kentucky, we shoot ak's on new years. We'd welcome you with open arms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 I thought I was posting to a thread about forging in town. I was confused. I'm in Grant County. It's about 40 miles north of Louisville. Let me know if you get up this way. I got some family in Perry Letcher and Pike counties. I get down there every so often. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebug27 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 Oh nice, I work in lexington but will be building this forge in campton, good to know there are close smiths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 The fun police are of the ilk of "I don't like it so you can't do it" and they are every were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 4 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said: "I don't like it so you can't do it" I'm pretty sure that's the motto on their badges. It's in Latin in some jurisdictions though. Depends on where you're at. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 When I was living in the old section of Columbus Ohio and trying to forge I had two neighbors comment on it. One was retired and grew up in Pittsburgh PA and said the coal smoke reminded her of her childhood as they had a coal furnace to heat their house. The other never talked to me about it and just called the fire department on me multiple times. By shear luck all 4 times the fire department wedged their pumper down the narrow alley I was actually using my smoker to cook food---an allowed use of fire in the city ordinances and not my forge. (I was told on the side that they were informed that the next time they called in a false alarm they would be fined US$1200.) A student of mine was shut down by the city---told that he had to buy a "burning permit" each and every time he fired his forge up and it had to be done 10 days ahead of time and cost $25 a time. He ended up moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebug27 Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 I hate upitty city folk, like mind your business were just making stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 I have it real good where I'm at. We don't complain about what the neighbors do and they don't complain about us. You can hear gunfire all over the place, including us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 We pay no attention to the gunfire and very little to the explosions, (EMRTC Energetic Materials Research and Training Center has several blast pads between us and the mountains.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 My one neighbor inquired and then asked if i could show him what i knew. I started then he moved away. My other neighbor is just afraid her son is going to pester me to death, he is 8, i told her he did not bother me but you know how mothers are. She also gave me an old porch railing, seems like stainless and a good 50' of 1/2" square bar in 3' pieces. I have found a gift or 2 to the neighbors help them not notice the coal smoke as much to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Stainless railing would be a rare thing indeed! Are you sure it's not a electrically plated item? If he doesn't bother you I would set up a "Safe Place" for him to watch from and require that he not move from there while hot steel is in play. (And get buy-in from a parental unit that he can observe from there.) Back when I lived in the inner city; my forge was in a decrepit 1920's detached garage. I taught the head of the local kid's gang some smithing and with written parental permission some of the basics of knifemaking. I don't know that he ever finished that first knife; but I had no more vandalism or theft issues the rest of our stay there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 My nephew, who will turn 7 tomorrow, has a barstool chair that I put him in so he can watch at a safe distance. He loves tools and loves working with them. Maybe I can teach a little soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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