OT- Crude forge. Very crude.

[Andrew]

Well I was sitting inside thinking about stuff when the thought came to mind that this would be a good day to try out building a mini "forge". It was raining a bit last night and sprinkling off and on today so the ground was nice and moist. I went to the local hardware store and picked up a couple 6½" flower pots, in case I broke one. After getting back home I procceded to dig a little hole in the ground just bigger than the pot and tested it for fit. It was good. I then dug a trench away from it a couple feet and made another hole. So good so far. Next came the strip of drywall, which happend to be laying on the carport, to cover the trench as a "ceiling" for the chamber. Then I put some rocks at the bottom of the flower pot hole to set the pot up off the bottom aways. Packed some dirt around the pot and covered the drywall "ceiling" and I was good as gold. All I had to do then was lay a round fan on top of the second hole and viola!



I got the idea from YouTube video I watched but I changed all the componets to fit what I had. The principle is the same though: HEAT.

That's grade "A", genuine, generic charcoal flaming away there. A super fancy bolt that was laying in my garage was the first test subject. I sucked. Next, pictured above, was a larger bolt that slowly but surely started looking like a knife.

I didn't get to finish it 'cause the coals were filling the bottom of the pot and no more air could get in. It's kind of done now 'cause, as you can see, the pot broke. I shoved the bolt down into the bottom and covered the whole shabang with a bunch of dirt. I should be cool enough to dig up in a couple of hours now and I will get to grinding on it.


Don't worry, I'll get some pics up of the bolt-knife when I'm done with it.
I've been rambling a bit but I'm just excited about getting to smack some red steel for the first time. I didn't know how addicting it was gonna be.

[mescalero1]

Andrew,
Keep going, you have to crawl before you can walk.

[dr walker]

There you go!

looks like it would work for small projects, S hooks and stuff.

Good job.

[Hobie]

That idea could come in very handy...

[Chuck 100 yd]

Looks like fun. Should be in a darker area so you can see the colors when you forge it. Have fun!!

[20cows]

Cool!

[JReed]

Cool deal man! I may have to try it out maybe I can come up with some improvements. I'll have to play with it to see what I can come up with. I'll share with ya what I find out.

[O.S.O.K.]

Getcha some fireplace bricks - you can set em up and use em over and over - can increase the size as needed with more bricks....

just a thought

[gundownunder]

Whats crude about an electric fan?
You should be applauded for your skills as a "post technical, iron age, modernistic, caveman"

[claybob86]

Way to go, Andrew! Keep us posted!

[Ysabel Kid]

That idea could come in very handy...

Agreed. Could be a skill in high demand shortly...

[hondo1892]

Andrew try making your own charcoal. I have heard from other knife makers that the generic stuff is bad for making knives. Something about the glue in it. I have been playing at a forge for over fifteen years but have always used coal it last longer and you get a lott of heat from it. The set up that you have is close to the antient ones you just added some electric to it. A good knife is hard to make but a serviceable one is fairly easy. Keep your blades short and blows even on both sides as you work. This will keep worpage down.

[Hobie]

Coal cokes and gives a better forge fire. Still, you use what you got. A hair drier could provide the air flow. This looks like a McGyver project!

[mklwhite]

If I may... go back to the hardware store and get a 2 inch pot. Clean out your old forge pot and place the 2 inch upside down in the pot. Maybe even glue it in place with the 2 inch pot hole above the other. That way the ashes from your coals will have more room to collect. Also; we use to use walnut shells with our coal. They seemed to work out pretty good.

If it wasn't raining here I'd go outside and give it a go myself.

[Travis Morgan]

Take the grill from and old smoker to use as a bottom, then dig your hole a foot or two deeper than necessary to collect ashes. Have fun!

[Gobblerforge]

That is very near how some of the first forges were built. Good thinking. If you are serious about learning about blacksmithing, I would recommend Iforgeiron.com and anvilfire.com. Both are wonderful references and you can spend hours reading on every topic at any level. What ever you have to ask has been asked before and the answers are there. Personally, I can ramble on for hours about blacksmithing but it is easier if you have specific questions.
Gobbler

[JReed]

Well had a chance to play with this project this evening. I did a few things different. For the air I used a 12" section of 2" pipe laid in the bottom of the trench. Also in the bottom of the pot I laid a piece of broken pot over the hole in the bottom just like when you put dirt in it when planting this kept the ash from plugging the bottom of the pot. Unfortunately My pot also cracked. I thought buy leaving it completely below ground that it would prevent this but no such luck. I think I should be able to get 1-2 more uses out of it. All told I have $6 invested and it was plenty hot enough to work tool steel.



Old rusty allen wrench


Here it is my new patch knife and yes I used a big rock as an anvil.


I dont have a grinder so I cleaned up the edge with a file and sand paper then sharpened it on my diamond stone. It aint pretty but it will cut patches for my front stuffers just fine.


Andrew thanks for the idea.

[mescalero1]

Wow!

[Andrew]

That's awesome JReed, you even got the right fan! I went to Wally-World and got some all natural harwood coal for next go around and I already have the other pot. If I were careful I could salvage the old pot because all said and done it was only in four big peices, but for $2 why bother. I have an 8' section of PVC but I didn't want to cut it to make my air tunnel; that was my first thought though 'cause, as you probably seen, it worked much better.

[C. Cash]

Very neat fellas. Thanks for sharing those.

[Blaine]

Very nice, Gentlemen........

[Gobblerforge]

....and thus the flames of creativity are fanned...
Try using an old brake drum for your fire pot. It is cast and perfect for heating and cooling with out cracking. If it did, so what, keep using it. And they're free at most garages. Now for an anvil, stop using a rock. We evolved past that a looong time ago. What you need to realize is your anvil is simply a backing device on which you are hitting your work against with the hammer. Think and scrounge for any piece of metal to hammer against. the heavier the better up to a hundred pounds or so. Any thing with a flat area as big or bigger than the piece you are forging will work until you can upgrade. A piece of old railroad track, a single track off of a dozer, an engine block, the back of some vices have little anvils, any chunk of steel. Remember that the surface of your "anvil" will show in the surface of your work so smooth is preferred.
Good luck and keep posting your progress.
Gobbler

[Travis Morgan]

A short pice of railroad track is easily found, and works well for an anvil.

[2ndovc]

You guys never cease to amaze me!

Pretty slick!

jb

[Leverdude]

Pretty neat! I bet the bell end of a 4" iron pipe would make a good firebox, or better yet if you can find one a single grill hibachi body. I have one in my shed I been wondering what I could use it for.

[JReed]

Gobblerforge I had been thinking the same thing about the break drum. I registered on the one Iforge.com site you posted and saw several plans that I will have to look into. Thanks for the tip on the RR track I will have to look around for some. The rock was just something handy at the time.

Andrew that fan worked great just the right amount of air flow to build some heat. Once I had the cole's going good and hot it took no time to heat up the steel to a nice bright red. I will have to make something a bit more substantial the wife is not liking the holes in the yard.

[mescalero1]

J.Reed,
my rr track I want to keep, but I have a couple pieces of crane track ( slightly smaller )

[JReed]

mescalero1 I will look around here first if I don't turn up any rr track I will get back with ya on the crane track. Up here in NE Indiana there is lots of track just have to find some not in use.

[mescalero1]

OK, let me know

[JReed]

Will do thanks for the offer.

[Travis Morgan]

mescalero1 I will look around here first if I don't turn up any rr track I will get back with ya on the crane track. Up here in NE Indiana there is lots of track just have to find some not in use.

DEFINITELY get some that's NOT in use! The government takes a dim view of that, even if there's not a train sitting on it at the time! Salvage yards generally have some. I need to pick up some heavy plate for steel targets.

[Gobblerforge]

JReed. Since you are in Indianna, try contacting the Indianna Blacksmiths Association, www.indianablacksmithing.org. Big club and they no doubt have members and events near you from time to time. I know a handfull of their members. Great folks. This goes for everyone. We have a national blacksmithing organization, www.abana.org. They have a listing, by state, of local clubs. Guests are always welcome at hammer-ins and events. Find a smith near you and I'll bet he'll invite you into his shop and show you anything you want. Someone showed him. This is the mantality that keeps the blacksmith community growing. Then, if you really get the bug, meet me at the Quad State Roundup, north of Dayton, Ohio, in late september. It's about the best blacksmith event of the year and is sponsored by Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil (sofa) for three days, so bring a tent. I won't miss it for anything. Last year over a thousand registered for this event. Yea baby, we aint no closet cult no more.
Gobbler

[Travis Morgan]

JReed. Since you are in Indianna, try contacting the Indianna Blacksmiths Association, http://www.indianablacksmithing.org. Big club and they no doubt have members and events near you from time to time. I know a handfull of their members. Great folks. This goes for everyone. We have a national blacksmithing organization, http://www.abana.org. They have a listing, by state, of local clubs. Guests are always welcome at hammer-ins and events. Find a smith near you and I'll bet he'll invite you into his shop and show you anything you want. Someone showed him. This is the mantality that keeps the blacksmith community growing. Then, if you really get the bug, meet me at the Quad State Roundup, north of Dayton, Ohio, in late september. It's about the best blacksmith event of the year and is sponsored by Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil (sofa) for three days, so bring a tent. I won't miss it for anything. Last year over a thousand registered for this event. Yea baby, we aint no closet cult no more.
Gobbler

You wanna shoe my horse?

[Gobblerforge]

Travis. I wouldn't know how. I'm a Blacksmith, not a Farrier. But I'm guessing you already knew that.
Gobbler

[Travis Morgan]

I know; I think it's funny that the smiths wear those "I DON'T SHOE HORSES!" pins.