archiphile Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Just thought that I would share this moment with all of you. This is my first forge and first fire all in one day... I feel full of win. The firepot is out of 3/8" diamond plate scrape. I purchased the pipe, and the frame of the forge is from 2" sqr tube that was left over from our barn doors. Welds are rough but they will hold. My welder is a little under powered and I am rusty. I still have to put some plate on the top all I have to do is cut it to fit. Let me know what y'all think. Best, Archiphile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Good job. Chuck the blowdrier. Once you invest in a nice blower, you will never go back. Can't wait to see what you make with this forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratch Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Nice job, be careful of your surroundings... I see lots of dead dried leaves and kindling around there, the forge might get hotter than you want...:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Covington Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Nice job. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Love the engineering for the actual forge with a hair dryer stuffed in the pipe The warning about flammables around your forge is a good one. Now to flesh it out and you are away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 That looks just like a FORGE! Well done. Yeah, leaves, kindling, etc. are bad around the forge. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgtwister Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 looks great as thick as that fire pot is it should last a long time and those welds aren't that bad i have seen a heck of a lot worse and they were going down the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiphile Posted November 27, 2008 Author Share Posted November 27, 2008 As to the leaves and wood ) They are wet, as it rained all day and night before. ) This is a temp location.I will be moving into the garage as soon as the power is installed and I clean it out. As to the blow dryer blower, I am scrounging for an ex-dryer so that I can have a proper blower. I can not afford a new blower so this will have to do in the mean time. I think that it will work for now and I have planned only to have this on a temporary basis. Thank you for all of the replies and kind words about the welds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 The blow drier will work fine till you find something better. Just being cautionary about close flamables, not trying to be preachy. Heat something in it yet? It's perfectly usable as it is right now. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I still have a blow dryer on my coal forge Ive been laying off forever to buy a squirrel cage blower but just havent got around to it...I weld just fine with my little blower..Ill probably just use it until it expires :cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Looks great! I can almost smell the coal! You need to build a table around that beast, will make things 10 times nicer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug C Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Check out craigslist for maine. Do a search on blower. There is a guy in grey, Maine selling a hand blower for 50 bucks. Just went up today. If you don't buy it I will!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 (edited) Nothing wrong with the hair dryer. Just looks odd compared to the great job on the rest with that just stuffed in. I used one for quite a while, at least till it blew up which forced me to get a "real" blower Now for the serious bit. I may be preaching to the converted but if you are moving the forge into a garage please make sure it has lots of ventillation. These things chew up lots of oxygen and put out some really nasty gases that can do bad things to you. Remember, safety first. Edited November 27, 2008 by rmcpb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiphile Posted November 27, 2008 Author Share Posted November 27, 2008 The blow drier will work fine till you find something better. Heat something in it yet? It's perfectly usable as it is right now. Frosty I am working on a new pair of tongs. This is the first half of said tongs I only had about five minutes to do anything in the new toy, but, I punched this out in that time. It is a start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 That's pretty darned good for 5 mins work! I'd say that puppy gets plenty hot. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Catchum Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 If your wife has to keep going out there to get her blowdrier back, you just might get a blower as a holiday gift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quenchcrack Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Yeah, I need to make a coal forge, too. Except my welds look like I threw JB Weld at it with a sling shot....I went to a demo at an 1850 farm that has been converted to a living history museum. I had the only gasser there. Kinda embarassing. Told the visitors it was a genuine 19th century reproduction. At least the gas is old..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Yeah, I need to make a coal forge, too. Except my welds look like I threw JB Weld at it with a sling shot....I went to a demo at an 1850 farm that has been converted to a living history museum. I had the only gasser there. Kinda embarassing. Told the visitors it was a genuine 19th century reproduction. At least the gas is old..... Next time tell them all blacksmiths are full of gas and you're recycling. Nothing like a good laugh at a demo. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiphile Posted November 28, 2008 Author Share Posted November 28, 2008 If your wife has to keep going out there to get her blowdrier back, you just might get a blower as a holiday gift. Wife does not use a blow dryer (bd) on her hair, and she is jewish.(not like you knew that) I went out to the thrift shop and purchased 2 bds for real cheap. Thanks Best, Archiphile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammered Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 Looks a heck of a lot better than what I just threw together. Just made the switch from gas to coal on a VERY limited budget. There's nothing wrong with the hairdryer for now (that's what I'm still currently using), until you perhaps decide to upgrade to a handcrank blower. I've been watching for a used one myself, but they generally go for around $175 - $200 (canadian dollars) when they do eventually pop up. Me thinks I have to start selling some pieces and I'll be able upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronPuppet Posted November 29, 2008 Share Posted November 29, 2008 Hi there. I couldn't help notice how your forge looks like mine in some respects. I put mine together a short time ago. You might like to read my thread and see how mine came together. I have an awful time getting any coal around where I live, so my forge has been tuned for a wood fire. I use an old Electrolux vacuum cleaner for my blower I got for fee as my MIL was throwing it away. I control the air flow with an old vertical gate tap. I have a long piece of sump pump hose I use so I can have the vacuum in another part of the place and I don't have to listen to it whine. Air flow is precise using the tap. I can have anything from a whisper to an all out blast. Check out my thread:http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f11/air-fire-3078/ Christopher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruityloops31 Posted November 29, 2008 Share Posted November 29, 2008 Congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul B Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Man I got tostarted on a forge, I'm tired of everyone else having all the fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Can you dig a hole? Doesn't take much more than that to build a forge. An old hibachi works nicely, as does an old kettle BBQ, SS kitchen sink, wash tub or anything that will support a few inches of dirt or clay. Then all you need is something to supply air, a hair drier works nicely as does a Coleman Inflateall as I used in the below picture. the bright yellow thing between me and the pickup truck. Yes, I'm using a birch log for an anvil, burning wood and the log tongs came out fine, better than than they were before. I straightened one hook and needed to re-arc it, in the process I set both point properly so it wouldn't slip again. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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