Can you build a gas forge for less than it costs to buy one?

[rdennett]

With the advent of these inexpensive Mr Volcano forges ($68 at present), is it worth it to try to build one?  I currently use a JABOD forge using coke for fuel.  I would continue to use that, but coke is hard to come by in central Texas and is rather expensive.  Coal is cheaper, but I live in the burbs and I don't want to piss off the neighbors with smoke from green coal.  I can get lump charcoal for $27 for 34lbs, but I don't like it as much because of fire fleas and the fact that it doesn't go out by itself at the end of the day, waisting any unburned fuel.  Propane is easy to get, practically 24 hours a day, but I have not taken the plunge since propane forges are much more expensive than a JABOD.  However, I might just do that.  I am only a hobbyist, so I try to keep things inexpensive, but the forge mentioned above is not much of an outlay.  Could I come in cheaper by building my own?

I am also curious about forced air forges.  Do they have to have a ribbon burner?  How much gas pressure do they need?  Less than the 2PSI I understand a BBQ regulator puts out?  What about the blower?  Do you need one of the squirrel cage blowers I commonly see people use or could you get away with a hair dryer like my JABOD uses?

 

[Mikey98118]

15 minutes ago, rdennett said:

With the advent of these inexpensive Mr Volcano forges ($68 at present)

The short answer is no. Furthermore, most people who build a gas forge, find out that large or small "it isn't the right size," shape, or whatever. No it isn't actually wrong; they just want a second forge that's different 

So, it would only be smart to jump all over that offer, before the people at Mister Volcano come to their senses.

[Frosty]

Making your own propane forge is only cheaper if you've already made a few and used them for a few years so you know how to build what you need. Even then, as Mike says it won't be what you need or want for long. 

Buy a Mr. Volcano it's the best bang for the buck out there and will do anything you need a forge that size for.

There are a number of professional blade smiths in our club who have started using a small bolt together brick pile forge, the interior is about 5" x 5" x 18" and is powered by one 1/2" T burner. They're welding damascus billets and forging bowies and larger, one fellow specializes in hawks, hatchets and axes. All in an itty bitty forge, maybe 1/8 the size of your concept sketch.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Latticino]

12 hours ago, rdennett said:

Do they have to have a ribbon burner?  How much gas pressure do they need?  Less than the 2PSI I understand a BBQ regulator puts out?  What about the blower?  Do you need one of the squirrel cage blowers I commonly see people use or could you get away with a hair dryer like my JABOD uses?

No forced air forges don't have to have a ribbon burner outlet.  Plenty of them have been running for years without (including mine).  PSI requirements are related to the amount of fuel/air mixture you need to heat your forge, size of pipe, type of gas fuel...  I would still recommend sticking with an adjustable 0-30 PSI regulator if you are anticipating the typical propane forge with nominal 1/4" gas supply line. without a jet orifice you will likely need less pressure (also why pressure is a lousy measure of how much gas flowrate you actually have), but you still should use an adjustable regulator with a gauge for repeatable settings.

I personally use residential  low pressure natural gas in my forge, but I have a 1" line and relatively large terminal orifice.  That is one of the advantages of a forced air system, you don't need the high velocity gas stream to entrain the air into the burner mixer.  It is that jet creation and terminal orifice that drives the upstream pressure requirement up so high.

Blower sizing is also dependent on your system configuration.  Too many variables to discuss here.  I greatly prefer centrifugal blowers over hairdryers.

[Mikey98118]

Hairdryers are sooooo noisy!

[seagiant]

Hi,

         To the OP, if you get the Mr Volcano Forge, you want to set it up with a "Door" front and back to preserve heat and gas consumption.

Hard fire bricks are easy to use and durable.

I just built myself a small forge and use this idea and it works great.

If you go with a jet orifice the Mr. Volcano Burners for $25 is a no brainer and work fantastic and are adjustable to get the atmosphere you want in the Forge.

Here is a pic of my small but big enough for me Forge, I can run it and do with both types of burners.

 

[ECPHILO]

I saw Mr Volcano when searching to build a forge thought they looked better than the upright ones. Now they are 88 everywhere or need to check with a different computer.   Did see a reline kit for them $31 but was headed to the kiln store soon to see what they had available maybe even trash since hes a customer of ours. 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

When we had the pottery section of our business in operation, we bought everything to build a Raku kiln from our pottery supplier. A Gaco 750 propane burner, Inswool for insulation, Satanite for refractory. One thing led to another and we never built it.

Fast forward and my wife wanted a propane forge, because she liked using one in club members forges. We used an old propane 20 pound tank as the shell and everything we had purchased for the kiln and I can say for sure we could have purchased a new forge for less than we had in the parts. But as we had the parts for a bunch of years they were what we used and had the enjoyment and education of building our own forge. 

Here is the thread of the build (some of the first pictures were lost but added at the end).

20 pound propane tank forge in progress - Gas Forges - I Forge Iron

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sails

[Frosty]

It's hard to beat a Mr. Volcano for value. The forge and burner are just part of the machine, right now a regulator and hose will run you around $50 at the local propane supplier or industrial hardware, then add the parts to make a burner, the refractory blanket, water setting hard refractory of just Plistex is you can be gentle with the liner in use. Add all that up and you're running about Mr. Volcano money and that doesn't take into account the tools, fittings, etc. and your TIME.

For a first time forge buy one. 

I can make a forge cheaper than a Mr. Volcano but I've made a number of them, have the tools, most of the materials and time. It's not a fair comparison to making a first forge.

 Frosty The Lucky.

[Mikey98118]

Not to mention that, since we only run one forge at a time, the gas assembly and burner can also be used in a second larger forge, instead of building a burner and gas system; which is where most novices mess up badly. Larger? Yes; their burner is 3/4" size. A good 3/4" propane burner (such as this) is capable of heating a forge (350 cubic inch internal area) built from a five-gallon container as its shell.