JHCC Posted June 8, 2021 Share Posted June 8, 2021 24 minutes ago, Frazer said: I had reasonable success with my rotor firepot. Big difference between a brake rotor and a brake drum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 8, 2021 Share Posted June 8, 2021 I don’t disagree that rotor and drum forges are usable, many smiths forge beautiful things with them. I simply am of the opinion that side blast is easier and in most cases less expensive to build, both in time and/or money wile being at least as easy to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisCA Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 On 6/1/2021 at 5:33 PM, ThomasPowers said: My most used coal forge has the firepot made from an axle cover from a 1930's banjo rear end---they were often repurposed as jack stands and I found a pair at the fleamarket for US$3. Been using the first one for around 35 years now. Beginning to look like I won't need the second one as I retire this year and the first is going strong! Is this a side blast config or bottom blast? Do you have pics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 20 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said: don’t disagree that rotor and drum forges are usable, many smiths forge beautiful things with them The bottom blast forge I made burned through charcoal like nobody's business. The side blast MARKIII style jabod is more efficient for charcoal compared to the brake rotor forge I built. Pnut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 And generally easier to build a side blast. A 3/4” schedule 40 black pipe billed is cheap and easy to source compared to 2” pipe or a fabricated bottom blast tuyere and a grate. Not to mention the fact that the slag doesn't automatically block the air. different strokes for different folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 Mine is bottom blast, I use a hand crank blower and it's quite thrifty with good smithing coal and easy to weld billets in it. If I used coal that wasn't so good I might have a lot more issues with clinker than I do. For charcoal I modify the forge pot into a trench configuration and cut the air into to it WAY down. Pnut, what was your air supply and did you restrict the charcoal to filling a trench rather than the entire forge? (All charcoal in a charcoal forge will end up burning and not just what is around the work piece, so designing a forge that only has what is needed saves on fuel!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 If I had to use a Webber BBQ I'd find some steel sheet and cut a spacer to lift a brake rotor to within an inch or so of the BBQ rim so I only had an inch or two of soil to pack around. I also weld exhaust tubing to make the air supply and a clamp on exhaust cap for the dump gate. I bought exhaust pipe drops from a muffler shop, the flap cap was cheaper at NAPA but not enough, so I got it at the muffler shop. I have the hole saws so cutting pipe to fit pipe is easy in the drill press. A 4" x 7" vertical with 2" x 6" horizontal and the flap cap cost about what One 2" T would have. Even if I calculated what 20" of weld wire and 75/25 shield gas and electric cost. I have the tools and shop skills though so it was just a matter of setup and execute for me. Doing a couple tests I discovered it was much easier to make the air supply to tuyere pipe weld if it was about 2" from one end so my air supply enters the vertical pipe "tuyere" 2 1/2" from the air grate with a lot of pipe below to catch ash. I welded a 14 ga. flange to the top of the tuyere and a 1/4" x 8" disk with holes for the air grate. The grate plate sits on the forge table and the flange bolts to the grate from below. I REALLY like a duck's nest forge. However if a person want's a fire pot it'd be a snap to jig saw a hole large enough to drop a rotor or drum through the forge table so it rests on the rim or disk. Adjust the size of the sheet steel flange and use the lug holes to bolt it together. EZ PZ and inexpensive. With the large Tuyere it can go for hours without needing to tip the ash dump and it seems to keep the grate plate reasonably cool. Drilling holes in the plate isn't a good air grate, I cut a hole and laid 1/2" round stock as a bar grate s per Glenn's suggestion and it works WAY better. Regardless of what I built, a JABOD is easier, requires fewer tools and skills and works a treat. Frosty The Lucky. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 I ran into the same problem with the Army pack forge. My solution was to build a raised table so I didn't have to use clay/dirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 (edited) I use a Webber kettle grill filled with dry kitty litter and bricks for the firepot. I put a round piece of plywood in the bottom to take up some room and require less litter. I've been considering something lighter though for the fill like perlite or vermiculite. Pnut Looks like I posted the same thing on the previous page hahaha. Edited June 10, 2021 by pnut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisCA Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 Mine is currently really darn heavy + bricks, sand and kitty litter mix, along with ash and stuff that accumulated as I reformed it. Considering cutting off the top (chimney) and moving it so I can access it on all sides like a conventional outdoor forge and get long stufff in it. I have noticed the smoke isn't that bad during startup and the coke burning doesn't even smell that bad so I am not 100% I actually need the chimney, effective though it is. One could use some flat bars to keep it in place though, while having access fro all sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 I fill mine right up to the rim and the lid is removable so you can walk around it almost 360⁰ except for where the tue enters from the side. It took some fiddling with it to get the center of the hot spot level with the rim of the forge so you can lay stock flat across it but once you get it right it's easy to duplicate if you have to disassemble the forge. Pnut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 One of the best things about burning bituminous coal is that it's upfront with the danger warnings. It's pretty clear you SHOULDN'T be breathing that smoke! Things like propane and coke still produce CO and other toxins; but they hide them so you can ignore the warnings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Masterson Posted June 11, 2021 Author Share Posted June 11, 2021 Help lol at Home Depot. No vermiculite. Will perlite work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Masterson Posted June 11, 2021 Author Share Posted June 11, 2021 Ok so they ended up finding the last bag of vermiculite. But did you know they take rocks you find in the back yard and put them in a jar, call them “river stones” and sell them for five bucks? I thought that was funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeJustice Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 Yeah, but at a buck a pound, that might be a steal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted June 12, 2021 Share Posted June 12, 2021 21 hours ago, Pat Masterson said: Will perlite work? I don't see why it wouldn't. I haven't personally tried it for this application but it works for an annealing insulation so there's no reason it wouldn't work as the dry fill for a forge with a firepot such as the one you've made or a MARKIII jabod like I use. Pnut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted June 12, 2021 Share Posted June 12, 2021 Perlite contains water, at high temps it will expand and release the water. Perlite is used in gardening to lighten soil and to help soil retain moisture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Masterson Posted June 14, 2021 Author Share Posted June 14, 2021 Vermiculite worked great. The weight is much more manageable now. I think I’ll still try to reinforce the legs in some way just to be safe but I’m not too worried about it now. Thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natkova Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 It will be good to see how it burns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natkova Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 I dont want to open new topic, just about coal forge. By logic in school they tought us that oxygen is lightei Should I add something to here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 Oxygen doesn't weight enough less to separate so you don't need to do anything special. It won't separate out without special equipment. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natkova Posted November 19, 2021 Share Posted November 19, 2021 well frosty i think it blows better undeneeth fuel than from side . Even side blast is kinda bottom blast, just from side but under fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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