Thread: Planning a new little forge.

There is something about the sound of your forge that doesn't sound right. Also, there was one point when the fire went out, and then re-ignited. And, it seemed to me to take too long to heat up your steel. The flame sounded better at the end when you experimented with moving the air control sleeve, and added more air. When my forge, which is about the same size as yours, is running right, the sound is steady, not pulsing. I hope that makes sense - ask if it doesn't. You definitely are on the right track, you just need to experiment with various was to tune it. And, get your steel hotter before you start hammering. Good luck.

Originally Posted by 10Pups

Okay I jumped through You tube hoops and got this over sized video up and running. It is 20 minutes long but it starts at the 10 minute mark. Don't ask me how I did that I only have suspicions. If you really want to see it all just click the time line over to 00:00

First fire in the Forge - YouTube


There are several things I need to do to it still but, I know it works now so the additions will be worth it.

1) it needs to be hotter. when you pull out the stock, it barely seems past red hot. For really shaping steel, you should go way hotter. And in any case, your forge should be able to turn it light yellow in a reasonable timeframe.
2) you need some kind of support to lay your workpiece on.
3) you hammer with just your wrist. this is a good way to develop tendonitis + you get very little work done per stroke. You should lift the hammer higher, and use your wrist, elbow, and shoulder all together, with the wrist just doing the coordination of the hammerhead and not much more. you only have a short interval in which your workpiece is hot enough, and you want to move as much metal as you can within that interval.

Originally Posted by 10Pups

I was looking at NC, and Carrol anvils. I was kind of set on the CC after reading all I could for about 3 months. Cliff Carrol makes his in Colorado and if you buy from him direct he ships free. Price wise it is about the same but I like the idea of buying straight from him. These are mostly made for farriers but they are also easier to sell if you decide to get something else later. Some say they don't have a lot of rebound but like most other things reviews are mostly from unhappy sorts. I was looking at that size or even a 70lb. If your not going to be doing heavy work why buy something you need a forklift to move. Judging by your forge money is not an issue :<0) That is a nice one though. I have maybe 50 bucks in mine and will never buy what I can build. I just like to build but it has draw backs. (look for the post about bruises, cuts and burns.)

Actually $ is an issue, but every dang time I try to save a buck it costs me as much as one commercially made, possibly more, and a huge loss of time. I started my nwg 2x72 grinder a long time ago and just recently got it going. I could have bought one for as much as I have invested in it. Bad motor (bought it new) & bad vfd (bought new) and not knowing enough about vfd's (finding someone was impossible for me too) & how to troubleshoot them costed me another new motor & vfd. Time had run out on warranties since I didn't buy them both at the same time. Time is another issue all together...I have very little of it & try to spend it wisely, thus ordered the forge after research the dickens out of them.

Originally Posted by 10Pups

second thought !
If I lived where you did I would run an ad in Craig's list and wait. I guy did that in all areas in the west here and was buying them for a buck to a buck and a half a pound. He was on his way to get mine but I beat him to it. You may find an old one like I did.

Problem with all these folks around here is that there are quite a few anvils around...just nobody will let go of one. I have three anvils that I can "borrow", but none that I can just buy. I hate borrowing stuff, once again Mr. Murphy is always hanging around and I would hate to somehow damage an anvil or have one stolen. That's the kind of luck I deal with when I borrow stuff...I may try an ad, gotta re-plenish my play $ though as I am actually overdrawn with the forge. I put it on credit card and had almost all of it stuck back...but will NOT buy an anvil until I have the forge paid for and at least half the $ sitting aside for the anvil if I go new. Took me a LONG time to get out of CC debt & not going to get back there over "stuff".

+++1 on cash basis oasis. I was really thinking smaller anvil at first. 35 to 70. That and a good stand will make razors. Then there is always a big flat plate to use until you caught up on the flow.I do not borrow either. The words just don't come out of my mouth. And the offers always have a tone of " because I would like to borrow your ***** someday" and I never get "my ***** " back.

Thanks for all the tips. I was only halfheartedly smacking the steel and I realize when I get down to business I will have to develop some skills. Your advice is going to help a lot.
I was thinking I probably don't need to turn that thing up all the way either. Less gas more air did make it sound better. At first I was thinking the breeze was making it stroke like that. I have some square tubing to make a tray/holder on the door and still have to make something for the inside when I start playing with RSOs . I am taking a few days off from it now but will get back to it soon.

I did get this in the mail today.



-58 to 2,372 degrees +- 2% reading.
I am thinking of making a square tube that goes all the way through the forge to put razor blanks in for heat treat. I will have to get good at tuning that burner before I go there.

Once again thanks for the help!