First time forge

I am certain there are better, and was considering just starting with a gas furnace, but kinda like the nostalgic aspect of this lil hand crank unit, so have one on the way.
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Have a nice hunk of railroad track, and a harbor freight style cast anvil to start with.
A Swedish style 2 lb Picard hammer, and a few rods of rebar, as well as vintage early 1950 British spring steel to play with.
Will use this thread as a repository of my learnins and a place where those still on this site that are into smithing might add some insights drawn from experience hopefully.
It all started with coal as far as I’m concerned, so why not start there as well.
Cheers gents.

That’s is interesting. I am excited to see what you think when it is in hand and you are using it

Now if you could figure out how to drive it off of the rear wheel of the MG.:thinking:

Great idea! ( the forge thread I mean.) ( well your forge is cool too!). As I mentioned before Black Bear forge on you tube has a 2 part series right now on getting started on a budget plus some ideas for first projects and ways to practice what you'll need to know. I look forward to sharing my input.

I might mention that if you use coal to make sure you get Bituminous coal instead of Anthracite. Anthracite is hard to light and is hard to use with a crank blower.

Nice project thread. I will be watching. Great idea, Mike.

It looks like a sweet forge. Welcome to a new addiction.

Is there a benefit to coal over charcoal?

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Originally Posted by Bruno

Is there a benefit to coal over charcoal?

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Found this:

https://blacksmithcode.com/best-fuel-for-blacksmithing/

I intend to fulfil my forging fantasy vicariously by lurking on this thread and contributing what I can that doesn’t interfere with or derail the conversation.

I received the forge today, and it is 7”x5” internal bowl dimensions.
The air blower impeller is slightly off center but moves air. The internal bore can and will be cleaned up with a dremel, and once I put this into a frame and put a working table on top, it should be enough to get going.
I’ve seen guys use these with only charcoal, but have a local source for bitmuth coal by the 50 lb bag if, and when i need more heat than charcoal will provide.
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Have a k type high temp thermometer all ready, and will order a dedicated probe rated for 2k temps to run some tempt trials, as well as give me a measure, while in use, of my coal temps.
Like I say, this is merely a start, to make a couple things, test the waters, as it were.
If I have the right temper, pardon the pun, I may expand into a proper gas forge, power hammer, tempering oven kinda shop.
Few other items to source and build before this gets really tested, but I hope to do a burn test at least and burn off the shipping finish and such maybe later this evening.
Cheers gents and thanks for the tips and input already.
:tu

Excited for you Mike. You might just at least try charcoal first. You might be surprised.
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This was not the best picture I have nor the best example but what I could easily find for the point I was trying to make which is that you can get a charcoal fire pretty darn hot.

Are those the new fireproof safety sandals Mike? Please be careful.

Paco Crocs?

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Originally Posted by 32t

Paco Crocs?

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:roflmao:roflmao

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Interesting. I have seen solid fuel forges that used coke rather than charcoal or bituminous coal. Coke burns a lot more cleanly than coal. Possibly it's harder to obtain these days?

one of my goals in building a coal forge was to learn to forge weld. Got some free coal from a friend (before I knew that there were different types of coal) only to find out that Anthracite coal needs a constant blast of air to make it burn ( which isn't conducive to welding as you need a reducing fire, that is less oxygen).

Haven't shopped for coke but I imagine it would be more expensive.