I think what they are trying to say is that it can be difficult to have a single gas forge that can heat as wide a range of items as most coal forges.

Example: say I have a 4'x4' gate that was run into and I need to heat the center section to work on. On a coal forge I heap up the coal and turn the air up and stick the entire gate up on it with the part needed being heated.

Most gas forges won't do that no matter if they have 1,2,3 or more burners--have to use a rosebud *or* have a stack it yourself gas forge where you can change the shape of the firebox at will and it will still be hard as you have to figure out a lid and be moving it off and on to get a good heat, (nice scrap of kaowool board works well).

Now if you have a gas forge that will do a 1"x1"x8" knife billet and a 4'x4' gate post pictures!

I have 3 gas forges so far and still use the coal forge for items that tend to occupy a lot of space.

That's jesus hernandez's webpage. I'm not sure that I've seen him posting over on this forum, but he does frequent Don Fogg's forum.

Now if you have a gas forge that will do a 1"x1"x8" knife billet and a 4'x4' gate post pictures!

hmmm...an interesting design challenge...i think i could come up with something...will do some work in 3dsmax tonight and post what i've come up with tomorrow...

I saw a pretty neat deal in a fab shop once - they weren't blacksmiths but sometimes needed a good heat on a piece of steel. I never built one but probably should at some point.

It was simply a large blown burner pointing vertically, set in a ring of steel and cast insulation (basically, just a big "turkey fryer" burner). They would light the burner and lay the material over the flame, then drape kaowool over the whole thing. Not sure about welding temps since the shop didn't need it but they could definitely get to a yellow heat. It ran on natural gas and used a lot of fuel and air - probably a 300 cfm blower.

Eric Thing sort of has the reverse of that for heating metal for armour making, burner on top with a base to reflect heat.

Hmmm how about a big beefly burner on a counterbalanced swing arm with a kaowool insulated shroud. Place big item on firebrick "table" and swing the heat over it, then swing away and work the metal on the table or move to anvil depending on your needs.

If you are going to the anvil you can have a helper swing the burner back to preheat the bricks for the next heat.

Would not be very efficent for working a knife sized piece of stock though...

Now if you have a gas forge that will do a 1"x1"x8" knife billet and a 4'x4' gate post pictures!

Here you go Thomas.

This isn't THE forge that will adapt quite that much but it's the type that will.

I can adjust this one from a volume smaller than your 1" x 1" x 8" to 18" x 18" x 32". Without using a height extension.

If you think you'll need one that will adjust from 8cu/in to oh say 64cu/ft it's only a matter of adequate fab skills.

Frosty

Edited September 4, 200817 yr by Frosty

That's quite the gasser Frosty! Is that your design or is there a book I should be looking for? Variable volume... very nice. works well, then?

Bill

Thanks Bill.

There are a number of versions of the thing out there, mostly clamshells, this is my take on the theme.

Ralph Sproul and I brainstormed the idea some years ago and he started building his version. I wasn't able to pursue it till this summer. There are differences but out basic design has the same criteria.

There are a few things I'd do differently but yes, it works pretty darned well. The volume I use most is less than 300 cu/in so one 3/4" burner is a nice level of overkill. On occasion I need something larger or a special shape and reconfigure it.

So far I'm pretty happy with it.

Frosty

This poem was published in the Anvils Ring back in the 1980's. I keep a copy of it tacked up on the wall in my shop.

Under the spreading sheet metal roof
(Chestnuts died out of a blight in '31)
The outcast smithy stands
His clothes are black and sooty
For that's where he wipes his hands.

His creativity stiffled,
History drowned in future's pool
His neighbors' complaints are rifled
At the pounding of this fool.

The ringing of the anvil
Echos it's past to all,
But petitions from the present
Brings the ringing of the law.

The noise they say just wrecks their nerves.
Our ears they ring in pain.
The smoke clouds up the neighborhood.
The coal dust ...acid rain.

What is this fool, a pilgrim?
Someone arrived too late?
Who dreams of handmade follies,
And good things are worth the wait.

Whose bellows gasp for one last breath
to forge it's form, it's art,
Just a crusty old smithy
In a 20th century heart.

By Mike Haun

and all of Vulcan's children raised their hammers and said "Amen".:cool: