October 29, 200817 yr Author Forgot to mention, I wonder if the bellows and hearth unit for the 1905 forge was stripped out of a military forge wagon? The forge wagon in the 1846 aide memoire to the military sciences has this type of hearth and being a photo of a yeomanry unit instead of regulars they have adapted an old piece of kit?
October 29, 200817 yr Forgot to mention, I wonder if the bellows and hearth unit for the 1905 forge was stripped out of a military forge wagon? The forge wagon in the 1846 aide memoire to the military sciences has this type of hearth and being a photo of a yeomanry unit instead of regulars they have adapted an old piece of kit? I was wondering the same thing but think it was probably dismounted rather than stripped out. Having looked at pics of military portable forges I always thought they'd be okay for short stops but a pain in the butt for a regular working smithy. I know I've been able to do most things I needed to with a field expedient forge but if I'm going to be on location for more than a couple days it was worth the effort and time to make a more permanent arrangement. By that I mean arrange the forge, anvil, etc. in the way it is in a permanent smithy. Frosty
October 30, 200817 yr If I remember correctly there is a picture on the Library of Congress web site that shows several wheeled Traveling Forges being used within a building as a long-term blacksmithing military facility.
October 30, 200817 yr Author Not really field forges but interesting, The knife grinders cart is a model but I have a copy of a sketch showing one from the time of the napoleonic wars being drawn by a donkey.
October 30, 200817 yr Brilliant images Wayne. I would be very interested in the sketch on the knifegrinder set up. Cheers matey
October 30, 200817 yr I had a friend that bought one of the military "forge in a box" in unused condition. We think it was a naval version as it did have an electric blower built in on the bottom. He's added a hand crank blower and uses it on a regular basis.
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