John Martin Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 (edited) Today, I finally got my forge finished, with my welding teacher. 10in Brake drum serves as firepot. I now need to make a stand for my post-vise, but otherwise, I can get going. I'm assembling and setting everything up tomorrow. Pictures attached. Any comments, or questions, or suggestions WELCOME!!!. Detailed Specs. Table Height: 30 inches. Lip: 1inch Firepot: 10in Diameter, 5/16 to 7/16 thick (Depends on spot). Grate: Two half inch round stock pieces welded on. Tee: Two in round. 5/16 thick, buying plug tomorrow. Hood: Bolted on for removal. 14 inches wide, 4 feet tall. Table: 16inx32in Edited July 30, 2008 by m_brothers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerkid Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 She Looks GREAT LOL!!! Lot better than the old brick one eh? I bet it`ll draw nice to. Casn`t wait to see post viise stand pics. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnr Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Looks great!! Ya know some of that stuff looks kinda familiar! Finnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 Hmm. Really. Why would that be? Lol. I'm going to get pictures up as soon as i fire it for the first time.!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Looks good John. The one thing I would've done differently is make the hammer rack removable so it hangs from the table lip. that way you can put it where you need it or get it out of the way. Another option is to weld a couple parallel bars across the legs 6" or so below the table. The legs serve as the spacers and your hammers and tongs hang from the bars. That's just a personal preference thing and really minor, it looks like a darned fine forge to me. Well done. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 (edited) Thanks Frosty. Those two racks will be for tongs only. I'm going to weld another thing bar through the middle of both of them. And I'm making a hammer and tools stand/rack. BTW, pictures of forge without hood attached. For those of you wondering or thinking about my stuff being outside. The anvil, post-vise, outside of fan, and hammer faces are coated in a light covering of oil(wd-40) every night. Keeps it all in good-condition and rust free to a point. Edited July 30, 2008 by m_brothers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zsartell Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 It looks like a great setup. I think you've done a smashing job. The only thing I see that might be a problem is that your chimney looks a bit big. A smaller tube might draw better. The best ones that I have seen only had about a 7" diameter tube, gut then again i may be just blowing smoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 ya looks great im hoping to get mine finisend soon but ive been so bussy latley i havent had time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 Zsartell, we tested it, it draws the smoke and fumes away really good. Not with the forge, but with an identical pipe like the one above, I had two, and started a fire in an old metal cooking pot, cut a hole in the bottom, and blew air in it, and it worked well. It was crude, but it worked, and once I get this fired up for the first time, my results should be the same, I am also going to be using a different kind of fuel, similar to the coal to coke process. Will keep everyone updated. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zsartell Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 M_brothers, Sounds great. I think now we need some pictures of it in action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug C Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 m_brothers, This looks super. The pictures are great and are a help for me figuring out what I am going to do for mine. By the way, you practicing to be a farrier on that horse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 Rofl Doug C. Lol. No it's my little sisters. I will be getting pictures soon. I haven't fired it up yet. Have to move it to the back of the garage. BTW, I came up with the design myself. And I actually did some homework with my design. Either way, it should work super great. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug C Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Frosty and everyone else, Do you park your hammers at the end of the forge? I have mine on the anvil stand but I am not sure I like them there. I hate having to hang over the anvil to get the right one if I change my mind while the iron is hot and I don;t like them knocking my knees on the near side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 My preference is to hang my tongs from the forge and hammers from the anvil stand but those are only the ready hammers and tongs. The ones I think I'm going to need at the time. I have a little steel table with clip on racks where I keep the might need tongs and hammers. There is plenty of room for stock, partially finished pieces, hardy tools, set tools, and other various hand tools. The table is within my work triangle so it's convenient to grab whatever I need on the fly. Pics attached. I've partially finished a free standing rack to hold various hammer and tong clip on racks. I'm thinking it needs some tweeking so it'll get snaps taken and posted later. It's always a balancing act to keep what you need at hand without crowding yourself. Perhaps when I have more hammer time I'll know exactly what I'm going to need and won't have the problem anymore. Till then I've got the close to hand racks and the nearby racks and soon, the "so I don't have to hunt for them" racks. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug C Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Frosty, Thanks for the pics. That helps explain things a bit more. I really like the extension on your forge that holds the ready tongs. I like that rack / work space. Maybe having something like that the right of the anvils heel will keep the hammers close enough to suit me. Time to move tweak the triangle again and update the plans for the forge to include a removable tong / hammer rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted August 2, 2008 Author Share Posted August 2, 2008 I've got my shop setup, I might make a lean-to, I might not. Hopefully when we move there'll be an extra building other than the barn that I can setup in, ne how, here are the pictures. Still have to finish a stand for post vise, and tie the anvil down. But other than that, I can forge again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 dont you think that the anvils a bit far away from the forge? imnes fight in front of my forge so i grab the steel and spin round to work wile still lost o room for movin.. i would keep everything as close to the forge as possible.... otherwise nice job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted August 2, 2008 Author Share Posted August 2, 2008 (edited) Lol, it's the angle of the camera. I have 5 blacksmith books, and have learned from on here to have the anvil close, well it's four feet away from the forge, I simply take the metal out, grap the hammer, turn left off of my left foot, plant my right foot down, and I'm there. It's really close. Edited August 2, 2008 by m_brothers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 ya i see from the other pic it is close...LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 john go on chat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Frosty, Thanks for the pics. That helps explain things a bit more. I really like the extension on your forge that holds the ready tongs. I like that rack / work space. Maybe having something like that the right of the anvils heel will keep the hammers close enough to suit me. Time to move tweak the triangle again and update the plans for the forge to include a removable tong / hammer rack. Another detail of the tong rack on the forge, flip it over and it's the same height as the stock support and will let you support stock another 10" or so longer. Why I didn't go ahead and make the legs on the tong rack 18" long like the stock support is one of those head slappers. Oh well. The layout of the forge, anvils, etc. is very much in transition in my still under construction shop. I have it as spread out as is reasonable, a bit more actually and it's still really cramped. Otherwise I'd post a pic of the layout too. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Looks great! It should last you many years and still be around when you are teaching your kid to smith. You did a great job on it. You might consider putting up a small shed to store your stuff in. It will keep things in better condition and help to gaurd against theives. A hand truck (dolly) will help with moving stuff around safely. Dan:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted August 2, 2008 Author Share Posted August 2, 2008 (edited) I don't know if yuo can tell from the picture, but the vise does not open when i screw it open, i have to manually move the jaw backwards. But it will tighten up real good. Picture attached. Like the whole screw itself is now independent of the vise and it only tightens the vise on its own because the cap has to go back into the screw, were as when trying to loosen it, it will justun-screw itself completely. Happened the first time i used it. I didn't notice, until the screw fell out and the jaws didn't move. What can I do? It's a really, really good vise, just the screw is messed up, or I didn't put the screw back in right. I don't understand it. Please help. Edited August 3, 2008 by m_brothers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BT Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Looks like you need to tighten the wedge that holds the vise mount and the leaf spring, so there is some pressure exerted against the front jaw by the leaf spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted August 3, 2008 Author Share Posted August 3, 2008 NO, none at all. What should I do instead?? I am not capable to forge a new spring I don't think. So what should I do?? Could I get a spring instead, and weld it to both sides, and then it would exert pressure on the swinging leg of the vise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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