Still working on this portable forge, according to Government specs. Making the wheels is difficult.

Could you post those Gov.specs to IFI, or at least where I can find them. I would love to have those plans to add to me collection (and to-do list)

Sam

What issues have you found with the park forges? And what did Jymm recommend?

The fire was about the size of my fist and was right up against the brick side wall. Hard to get much heat or get much besides the end of something in it. Jymm Hoffman's forge is based on an 18th century military traveling forge cart (I'm preety sure) and looks and works very nice. He has the air nozzle/pipe/tuyere? about 2 - 3" out from the shield and about 2 - 3" up from the bottom. This is probably the biggest problem with the park one. The pipe was too short and in the wrong place. I think it would be worth trying it out.

Yes, I've noticed similar issues on occasion with my Irish forge. Although a hot spot about the size of a fist is perfectly suitable for working a lot of items I demo anyway.

Even though my tuyere is made from clay, and there is historical evidence that these were seen as expendable, I generally don't extend it far into the fire because this hastens its deterioration. (I don't have ready access to a potter to fire them for me so I try to keep them as long as possible).

What I've discovered is that the tuyere angle also plays a strong role in fire size and distribution as does charcoal size. When I take the time to angle the downward into the slope of the bowl I've dug, I can increase the hot spot another 50%-75% in size. Also, keeping the outlet of tuyere clear of charcoal about 1" away also helps.

One type of clay tuyere that I've been curious to try actually looks like a faucet. It heads straight out into the fire bowl and turns 90deg down.

In this image it's being prepped to smelt copper/bronze (thus the crucible under it).

On the forges that are made of wood lined with firebrick the air pipe comes in from the side just like a side blast except it sits between the firebrick and has holes drilled pointing up. if your side blast isn't working perhaps extend the pipe through your fire area and cap it off then add a layer of brick around it and drill holes point up. stand a few firebrick up on their sides to form a bit of a ''Pot'' around the fire to help keep it contained. Perhaps this would help a bit? The standing brick will get shoved around a bit as you move work in and around the fire but that just makes it easier to get to the fire and keep it where you want it.

Just an idea that came to me as you were describing your problem.

Title: The Field Artillery Traveling Forge book No. 61

Author: Captain Albert Mordecai
circa 1848 through 1850s
Reprinted by Antique Ordnance Publishers

This publisher sells a series of books that contain reprinted drawings originally commissioned by the US government for use by government contractors in the construction of army equipment. These books also include additional charts and information reprinted from the Ordnance Manual of 1863 that are of assistance in the construction and use of period Civil War carriage mounted equipment.

This particular book is for the blacksmith that is seriously interested in investing the time necessary to build a reproduction Civil War Period Traveling Forge.

I believe this book is a bargain for $26.00 plus shipping. I highly recommend acquiring a copy while it is still in print.

An early edition of this book has been donated to the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland's guild library.

This book is available for sale both directly from Antique Ordnance Publishers, and from some merchants catering to people who reenact Civil War period living history such as the Regimental Quartermaster.

The Regimental Quartermaster
Location: 49 Steinwehr Ave., Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone Number: 717-338-1864
Web site address: The Regimental Quartermaster - Civil War Sutler

Could you post those Gov.specs to IFI, or at least where I can find them. I would love to have those plans to add to me collection (and to-do list)

Sam

This is what i just got back last week on the books.
No 29 $12.00
No 61 $22.00

Shipping for the pair is $10.00

If you intend to construct the Traveling Forge you will need the Limber
also. The limber makes it a four wheeled vehicle to move about.

The ammunition box on the limber was used to carry tools for the forge.
The limber was a common design for all field carriages and so it is a
separate publication

The limber is our No 21 at $16.00 + $5.00 shipping

Antique Ordnance Publishers
Travis

Well, the price of $26 I got was from their current online catalog found at:
Antique Ordnance Publishers - Catalog Sheet . If anyone wants to see the current prices of the publications of Antique Ordnance Publishers, and the current shipping costs that is probably the place to look. Maybe someone is still selling copies at the older price.

As far as a limber, yes a limber and limber chest would be nice, but I only know of two living history groups that have displayed both a Traveling Forge with a limber. Most smiths were happy just to be able to complete the forge part and use that. Yes that might not be authentic without the limber, but most people who attempt to construct a Traveling Forge burn-out before even the forge part could be completed. It is a big project. Many people and groups have planned and even started constructing one, but very very few actually have spent the massive amount of time and money completing even the forge part of the Traveling Forge. I applaud and respect anyone who can actually finish the Traveling Forge shown in book No. 61, super-especially respect anyone who has built one single-handed.

I have a short stack of the various books of Captain Mortecai's plans that apply to the smith including the Traveling Forge, Limber, Artillery Implements, No. 1 Carriage, Tack for the horses pulling the Limbers, Battery Wagon..... which reminds me... to be really authentic you will need a Battery Wagon, two Limbers, two Limber chests just to carry all the tools. A Traveling Forge always traveled with a Battery-Wagon, and that battery wagon also had its Limber with its Limber Chest full of tools. ;-)

The estimated costs of being an Authentic Civil War smith are posted at:
http://wiki.bgcmonline.org/bin/view/BlacksmithInfo/CivilWarPeriodTravelingForge

This is what i just got back last week on the books.
No 29 $12.00
No 61 $22.00
Shipping for the pair is $10.00
If you intend to construct the Traveling Forge you will need the Limber
also. The limber makes it a four wheeled vehicle to move about.......
Travis

Edited November 5, 200817 yr by UnicornForge

Here's my setup.

Historic Demo - Blacksmith Photo Gallery

Thanks Unicornforge !!!

HE-HE-HE-HE ... more toys ... more plans ... I love this place ...

Sam

You're welcome, glad to help.

Whoever dies with the biggest toy wins.

Thanks Unicornforge !!!

HE-HE-HE-HE ... more toys ... more plans ... I love this place ...

Sam

That quote was directly from Antique Ordinance by email. I know what's on the website but I contacted them for more info and that's what they sent. If it was me I would contact them by email and they most likely will give the same prices again.
Travis

Edited November 6, 200817 yr by Covforge

Very interesting thread this one. Thanks to those who have posted some pics of some real nice looking Forges! Can I ask, what type of awning do some of you use to keep the sun off your forge - so you can see the colour of the metal?

Vic.

Very interesting thread this one. Thanks to those who have posted some pics of some real nice looking Forges! Can I ask, what type of awning do some of you use to keep the sun off your forge - so you can see the colour of the metal?

Vic.

I use a canvas fly to keep the sun and rain off of me. Depending where I set facing and the time of year sometimes the sun comes across my anvil and I can't see the color very well at all. I need to know by the feel and experience how much heat is still in the piece I'm working on. Sometimes demonstrating outside can be a real challenge. Like when hurricane Ike blew through.

The guys we were with today had a cover made from a painters drop cloth. They used 2x4s for the frame. It made a really nice looking rig, if all you need is sun cover. the cloth came from Lowes for about $5. It's not fire or water proof so you have to be careful, but makes great shade.
Travis

Gobae and Aeneas,

was just reading through this thread and saw the comments about having to forge on knees vs. squatting position-

I have experience working in India using an earth forge, very similar to that pictured. The Indians always worked in a squat position and were incredibly adept and nimble at forging in this manner. They could jump up and displayed amazing agility in this position.The anvil was sometimes raised and strikers would stand depending on the item being forged.

If you look at societies (tribal) that live very close to nature, you find that many of them adopt this squatting position. If you watch babies and children, it is a natural way for the human body to move, we westerners tend to lose this way of using our bodies because we do things like sit in chairs, etc. I found it ridiculously difficult at first, but soon got used to it as the muscles/tendons in my legs stretched.

Ancient Celtic society and these blacksmiths in Rajasthan may be very different in culture and very far away from each other in geographical distance, and I am also no expert but the similarities struck me when I read your posts.

Oh, and regards to using cloth for a sun shade, you can buy flame retardant sprays to treat the cloth (I used to use a product called Flamebar on canvases I painted with good results)

- Colleen

The guys we were with today had a cover made from a painters drop cloth.

Good idea, we call them dust sheets over here and you can get nice thick cotton ones at a good price. Treating it with Alum would be a good idea as well to make it a little fire resistant.

I would greatly appreciate finding out what "Alum" is. Also, if anyone else has information on fire-retardants for canvas, that information would also be greatly appreciated.

Good idea, we call them dust sheets over here and you can get nice thick cotton ones at a good price. Treating it with Alum would be a good idea as well to make it a little fire resistant.

Borax is a classic flame retardent for cloth and one that many blacksmiths have to hand already. It's biggest problem is that it washes out so a good rain will require re-application. OTOH you can wash cloth treated with it in a washer with no problems as it's used as a laundry additive too!

I hyave a piece of very heavy canvas I have been using as a coal forge shade for nearly 20 years now. Waterproofed with a brick waterproofer and never treated for flame; it's never tried to catch on fire either.

On classic trick is to orient your anvil so your body casts a shadow over it when you are working.

I would greatly appreciate finding out what "Alum" is. Also, if anyone else has information on fire-retardants for canvas, that information would also be greatly appreciated.

From: Alum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As a Flame Retardant
"Solutions containing Alum may be used to treat cloth, wood and paper materials to increase their resistance to fire.
Alum is also a component of foamite, used in fire extinguishers to smother chemical and oil fires"

Not sure how effective it is to more modern treatments? AND now thinking about it I don't know where to buy it locally either Have to do a bit more Googling :rolleyes:

That is interesting. The "Mythbusters" did an episode on television where they looked at the layers of Aluminum paint and the layers of Iron based paint that was applied to the Hindenburg to see if together they could have formed into Thermite and been part of the cause of the Hindenburg burning so quickly. If I remember correctly, the answer was... possibly.

I wonder how aluminum paint would interact with rust-dust in a shop environment.

Hopefully better minds than mine could enlighten me.

From: Alum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As a Flame Retardant
"Solutions containing Alum may be used to treat cloth, wood and paper materials to increase their resistance to fire.
Alum is also a component of foamite, used in fire extinguishers to smother chemical and oil fires"

Not sure how effective it is to more modern treatments? AND now thinking about it I don't know where to buy it locally either Have to do a bit more Googling

I'm not sure I'd want to use any type of paint on cloth. Alum is just a solution that you soak the cloth in and then let dry, if memory serves the cloth looks and feels the same after it's treated.

Hey , I wanna see some setups with the stuff mounted to the trailer. Please post pictures for me so I can have some more ideas for my future trailered set up.
Thanks,chris

ok i think ive posted this in the past but will again ... if i get a chance i will show my trailer also last one is the oregon state fair ... that is my friend nick who is a knife maker and the original smith to setup there ... were useing my forge tho cause it is bellows operated and looks better for demos..

There is a place called Black Creek Pioneer village. It had an authentic blacksmith- ferrier shop, amonst other things, to do with early settlement in canada. I think it goes back about 150 years. It is probably as authentic as you could get.

This is my set-up.

Very cool set-up. Looks like your forge is similiar to mine. Did you have to clay it? Who is the manufactuer?