Home made gas forge??

[patmac]

Hi all. I have heard around of designs for a home made gas forge using an old brake drum. Has anyone tried tried to build one or indeed succeeded????
Spent a lot of time around a real Blacksmiths forge in my childhood and would love to take it up as a hobby again.
Failing that does anyone have designs for a coal fired forge???????????

 

[e3pres]

I built a casting furnace from plans I found at http://backyardmetalcasting.com/

Many people use the same or similar propane burner for a forge. It's just a few pieces of black iron pipe. Very simple, very cheap, and very very hot.

 

[patmac]

Thanks for that one.

 

[Burgy]

http://www.hybridburners.com/products.html

this guy probably makes the best atmospheric torches money can buy, I have one in my own homemade forge, works pretty damn well. As for making the forge itself there are many plans out there depending on the application, most people use and old gas bottle (propane, oxygen etc.) cut it down to about 2-3' long, make flip up doors on both ends, and if using the rex burners, usually 2 torch mounts, lay fire brick on bottom, line rest with refractive batting, and coat with a refractive clay coating.

 

[ibedayank]

http://www.artistblacksmith.com/articles/coal_forge_plans.htm

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/metalworking/4303543

http://www.beautifuliron.com/forge.htm

MR. Google rides again!!!!

 

[Lotek]

Brake drums make adequate coal forges, mine is made with a rear rotor from a Chevy truck that I cut the rotor off and used the park drum as the firepot, it's set in a 2x3' table with a Champion forge blower from the 20's. My gas forge is made from an old portable 5 gallon air tank, lined with kaowool, with a piece of kiln shelf on the bottom. Two Zoeller style burners heat it.

 

[kmacht]

Take a look at Lindsay Technical Books. There are a ton of inexpensive books that you can buy detailing how to make all different types of forges / ovens out of common parts. i have built the Gingery charcoal foundry to melt some aluminum and it worked pretty well.

http://www.lindsaybks.com/


Keith

 

[Lippyp]

http://www.artistblacksmith.com/articles/coal_forge_plans.htm

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/metalworking/4303543

http://www.beautifuliron.com/forge.htm

MR. Google rides again!!!!

My (unfinished) forge is almost identical to this, made from a kit bought from a blacksmith here in the UK. I added legs etc myself and still need to build a hood and chimney. Mine also has a sliding valve to regulate the air and an electric blower that I still need to wire up to the speed controller. I went on a course with this guy and he has a bank of about eight of these forges back to back in one big unit. They work really well.