Thread: Planning a new little forge.

Wish you all the luck 10Pups, but I can't help you there.
The closest I've ever gotten to a forge is the BBQ grill.
Let us see some pic when you get started.

I am going to try using clay. Currently I use a micture of refractory cement, ashes, and kitty litter for insulation.
Over time it may crumble, but it costs almost nothing to repair or replace. I think that is a better solution than worrying about preventing it from being corroded or anything else.

And take it from me: after a while, you will want to modify your forge design

OMG are we talking FMD ? (forge modification disorder). What your saying is, just protect the shell and get started making fire. Worry about refinements later. That is one way to go and would get me in cheaper.

Hard to know what you want/need before you tried it, start building and after you used it you know how to make the next one!

My forge is not my own design, it is what I copied from other peoples shops. Most of my ideas for my forge came from Mike Blue or Dan Graves.

I would go with the brick or refractory clay if I were planning to make some damascus.

The important thing about the burner is that it meets tangentially with the hole in the middle so that the flame swirls around the forge.

I have kaowool->satenite->itc100 it is a great little forge for forging but not the best for welding. The flux does eat away at bottom surface. The main advantage of mine is how fast it heats up I am up an forging in a few minutes. The disadvantage is the forge lining is not the most durable.

Charlie

There is a product that you can spray on kaowool that is supposed to protect it from welding flux. I don't know the name of the product - it should be available where you get kaowool. The source in Minneapolis is Smith Sharpe. Good luck. Ditto what Charlie said about fast warm up with a kaowool lined forge.

Originally Posted by Bruno

I am going to try using clay. Currently I use a micture of refractory cement, ashes, and kitty litter for insulation.
Over time it may crumble, but it costs almost nothing to repair or replace. I think that is a better solution than worrying about preventing it from being corroded or anything else.

And take it from me: after a while, you will want to modify your forge design

This is what I did yesterday. My forge was crumbling on the sides, wasting heat. The walls should curve inwards to make a more contained hollow. And when I made it, the back was closed because at the time I didn't think I was going to heat anything bigger than 6" blanks. I also wanted to make a slit in the back where I could slide longer stock through.

I mixed half kitty litter, a quart of ashes and a quart of cement with a lot of water (costing only a couple of $) and then used all my play-doh skills to make it look the way I wanted, which took about 20 minutes including prep work.

I do appreciate all the input here. I was going to start building but I started gathering things together so a plan formulates in my head. I went to my storage and found all kinds of stuff which changed the plan somewhat. My little forge is growing.

From the bottom up :

• A 20" plow shear for the stand foot.
• 3" X 5" rect. tubing for the stand pipe.
• 3/8" plate for the forge base
• 10gage steel in the shape of a baseball proof mail box for the forge walls and lid. ( I will have to widen it some)
• 2 full propane tanks
• 2 high pressure regulators with s/s hose and outlet tip attached. Up to 10psi out. (btw,clearance price at HD > 19.00)
• 2 needle valves from an extra cutting torch I had.
• a box full of pipe fittings and such.
• I'll get the firebrick when I know exactly how much I need. The size is still up in the air !

I ordered all of this :

• 3/4 inch SS Burner Flare (I will need another 1 if/when I go 2 burner in the future)
• 1 square foot of 1 inch Insboard 23 HD (forge doors)
• 5 Pounds Bubble Alumina Refractory Coating (to coat the firebrick)
• 2 Pounds Satanite Refractory Mortar (for coating blades to heat treat etc. later)

I'll spread everything out on the floor and start taking pics when the building begins! You know. the exploded parts list thing :<0)
I don't think I am forgetting anything

Depending on where you'll use it, be sure to think of adequate ventilation.

good reminder . I like my fires and flames outdoors. I may attract a gabby neighbor or 2 but they will have to talk between the pounding :<0) Which reminds me,,, I did forget something that I can wait on while I build. An anvil. I thought I posted something about this but I sure can't find it now. I may have started and canceled. Anyways.... I was thinking of getting a Cliff Carrol but I read more against than for them. I know it is designed for farriers and the posts I have looked at are forge guys mostly. I know there are many alternatives but I am dead set on having an anvil that looks like an anvil. I was going to go for a 35lb. but have decided a 70lb. would let me grow some. If I need a 200 or 800lb. later then so be it. I have also looked at NCs and I do like the look of the Calvalry model ,but same kind of reviews. I think it is because of where I am reading the reviews. I just want to be sure I am not wasting 300+ on something I will kill in a couple of months if I make my own tools on it. The usual tongs, some hammers and such. I am not new to hammering iron and have used other things as anvils. I even made a huge vise that I mounted on a rather large gluelam/workbench I made. 10 pound slugo hammering. :<0). I was young once. Finding a used anvil around here is as hard as finding that post i could of sworn I made on this anvil thing. If anybody knows of a good anvil in or around OC Ca. let me know. If you find that other post and send me a link and I'll kill it.