HumanAfterAll Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Hey, guys! I've found someone selling a forge + blower for about $70 (I'm converting BRL to USD, so it's no very precise). Only the blower is around $100 here, so I think that just that is enough to keep it, but I want some input from you regarding the "design" (which there's basically none) of this forge: Link removed What you guys think that I should change? Where should I go from this? Also, I wanna share my current forge that I made myself with a brake rotor and some steel: Link removed Cheers! breaker.mp4 blower.mp4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 I would be all over that, like a duck on a June bug. Up here the blower alone would sell for more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Oh yeah, I'd have it in my pickup truck now. Provided the blower works that is. I think it's a pretty good deal. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 What do you plan to forge and what forge fuel will you be using. Also what method of controlling how much air is going to the fire? However; I'd pick it up for that and work on the details later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanAfterAll Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 Ill use coke. And I'm learning, so I can't precisely define what I'll be forging, but surely nothing super complex. I'll go get it by the weekend. Will post new pics once I have it. Cheers all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Electric blowers are a plus when using coke! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanAfterAll Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 I've posted a similar question to the "Blacksmithing" subreddit and got the following: Quote Best thing I could see done with it is treat it like a box of dirt, only it has the advantage of a rocker in it where most of them don't. If you can weld, try to make the ash pit larger. 4" diameter or larger, 6-8" deep. That way there is space for the ash to drop out instead of being blown back into the fire and making clinkers. Might need to trim the sides down so that from rocker to horizontal across the top is no more than 6" deep, that way you can get the heat to climb up to where you can work it without digging your bar down in- a bad habit that leads to burned work. https://i.imgur.com/0mGh3bw.jpg is the shape I'm used to, based on several vintage forges that I've used over the years at various exhibitions I've worked at and used on my own. The pan is 20" x 30" with a 10" square 4" deep firepot, set 1" below the side lips so that I can heat the middle of a long bar without having to bend it first. What you think about that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 Buy it and look into what a ducks nest is. You can form a firepot from clay. I wouldn't sit around too long or you'll miss out. Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanAfterAll Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 4 hours ago, pnut said: Buy it and look into what a ducks nest is. You can form a firepot from clay. I wouldn't sit around too long or you'll miss out. Pnut The seller already reserved the forge to me. I'm getting over his city by Saturday morning to get it. Will post news as soon as I'm back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanAfterAll Posted May 20, 2020 Author Share Posted May 20, 2020 Hey guys! Sorry for the delay. She's here! I disassembled the top from the legs, converted the motor from 240V to 120V and took a closer look onto the piece that encompasses the air piping, ash dump and clinker breaker (guess it's called tuyere, but correct me if I'm wrong). As far as I can tell (which is not very far) the piece is cast iron and quite robust. The inner part of the clinker breaker has a lot of independent movement from the rod it's connected to (is this called a gap?) and IDK yet how they're put together. Now, as I'll not be able to cheaply control the blower's speed, I though about putting a air gate on the air entrance. Is this a good solution? I've seen somewhere someone using what's supposed to be the ash dump as an air gate of sorts. Could any of you guys share some tips and designs that might help? Cheers all! VID_20200519_211028013.mp4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.w.s. Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 Doesn't look too shabby, most definitely serviceable. There's probably a very caked over set screw or hole for one somewhere on that clinker breaker. I'd probably give it a quick sandblast to see if it could be revealed, but you might have some luck with scrubbing it down with some oil and a wire brush.The way it moves, I'd probably be set on eventually replacing that rod, customizing it for the table etc, then while you have it taken apart, you can clean up the other parts. Who knows what it might reveal? As far as an air gate, go to a home improvement store, you might get lucky and find an aluminum one in their HVAC section although it will inevitably be sized for any size pipe except for what you need or it'll be made out of plastic, but at the very least it might give you some ideas on how to design and fabricate one on your own that will work for your purpose. -J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanAfterAll Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 Been thinking about making a new firepot, since the forge is that large. I have my old hand-made forge that I can take apart to make a firepot that fit's this new structure and tuyere. I don't have enough knowledge to state what design I'm after, so what would you guys suggest me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 I use a lid from a soup can for an air gate. I cut a slot with my angle grinder in front of my air supply. When completely closed its got about 1/16" (1.5 mm ? i think) opening on the bottom. To get more air i just simply lift it up. Since using it for a while now i marked the locations to give me an idea of my heat. Forging temp then a little higher i can get welding temp. Not exact but it gives me an idea of how hot y fire is. Oh, also becuase the can lid and the pipe are both round you do not have to cut that deep into the pipe. I hope you can visualize what i mean. I would post a pic but for some reason pics have been kind of hit or miss, mostly miss, for me to be able to post. To get rusted bolts loose use transmission fluid and turpentine. Get tranny fluid for old cars, i would use type F or dex III, they will contain more detergents than the newer synthetics like dexVI or Merc 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 A 50/50 mix of transmission fluid and acetone works even better than turpentine and faster too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 We recently had trouble finding plain old transmission fluid to use in a tiger blower's gear case. All the ones we found had "leak stop" stuff in them and I didn't want any leaks stopped I wanted to encourage leaks! Finally paid an inflated price at a truck stop for some "cheap" stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 The only place I can get it is my favorite auto parts store, been in business since around 1940 kinda like the old time hardware stores were, if you can't find what you want, there is a good chance it has been discontinued. I need the old Dexron for my '82 4X4 Chevy and '87 Cavalier Z24. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 We finally lost our last old time hardware store. When I moved here there were 4 hardware stores in our small rural town---supported the ranches for miles around. Then Walmart moved in and they started shutting down till we had only an ACE left. Of course now TSC has opened up---I may get to try anthracite after all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 IDF&C, ask that parts guy if they have any really old fluid from before the 70's. You would be surprised at what they have in the back corner of their store room. If so that will be made from whale oil. We have an ACME auto that went out of buisness in the early 80's here and you can still see old parts on the shelves when you walk by. I would love to get in there. Just for reference but DEX III and Mercon are basically the same thing and can be used interchangeably. Same with MOPAR 3. Type F can be used in older GM trans and will give a quicker smoother shift. The biggest difference in the newer synthetics are high or low viscosity. DEX VI is a low while merc V is a high. I am not sure if i can post the link so i will not but look up "Transtar" and they have a PDF you can download and it will tell what fluids can or cannot be used in your vehicle. If just adding a pint or so it really does not matter though. (Transtar is a transmission parts supplier) One other thing DO NOT USE CVT FLUID IN AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Not only old parts stores. I went to the going out of business auction for a car repair business that said they had been in the same building since 1918. I bought a 6" post vise; someone else got the anvil, there were beautiful shapers with 1.5" spindles on them for doing the woodwork on old cars; all the "good stuff" had been pushed into corners and buried in junk as they stopped using it over the years---save the postvise. It was still in constant use in the shop and had a fine hammered patina all over the outside of the jaws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanAfterAll Posted June 8, 2020 Author Share Posted June 8, 2020 Hey guys! Quick update on the vise. Here is how it looks now: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 Looks good, almost too good to get dirty again. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanAfterAll Posted June 8, 2020 Author Share Posted June 8, 2020 You'll see that the smaller parts are cleare than the other. That's because those parts where cleaned on vinegar as well. Used carnaúba wax to finish it. Cheers, all! 1 minute ago, Frosty said: Looks good, almost too good to get dirty again. Carnaúba makes it feels like it's really protected. Let's see how much time until I need to rewax it! Thanks for all the tips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanAfterAll Posted June 8, 2020 Author Share Posted June 8, 2020 Just realized I posted at the wrong topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanAfterAll Posted June 8, 2020 Author Share Posted June 8, 2020 Now actually related to this topic. I disassembled the blower, gave it a good cleaning and painted it: I love hammered paint. Now I'm struggling with the firepot dimensions. I don't know which way to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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