Subject: Building a forge

From: "Joe B. McGlynn (415) 855-5707" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 1996 16:40:09 -0800 (PST)

I have been thinking about building a coal forge for some time and finally made
up my mind to do it.  I have plans from Lindsey for the "Dave Wimberly Forge",
which is basically a 4" by 9" by ~15" firebrick trough set in morter, in turn
set in a metal drum.  (Dave used part of a scrap water heater tank)  Air is fed
through a 1" pipe at one end of the trough.

The current plan is to build a simmilar forge and use my air compressor for the
air source.  I believe that I can adjust the regulator to a low pressure and
fine tune the flow with a gate valve on the forge.

Questions:

1. anyone have any comments, experienced or otherwise, on this forge design?

2. is there a better way to go?

3. anything I should know before I start?

---

From: Chris Kilpatrick <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 1996 19:57:13 -0800

Be careful when using your air compressor for an air source.  The 
tendency is to use more air to get the fire hot fast and keep it hot.
The problem is that then you use too much fuel and you oxidize your 
steel very very quickly.  This not only robs you of layers of steel, 
but also it decarburizes your steel, robbing it of hardness and 
strength.  It also can burn your steel, turning it into a puddle of 
iron in the bottom of your forge. Lastly, it can be a fire hazard 
when your back is turned.  I personally, made my own great bellows
from some plywood, rubberized cloth, plumbers tape, a 2x4 (for a foot
peddle) and a defunct hard drive (as a counterweight!).

---

From: "Dr. Mark E. Williams" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 1996 07:29:15 -0500

On Mar 14,  4:40pm, Joe B. McGlynn (415) 855-5707 wrote:
> Subject: Building a forge
>

Seems to me that an air compressor is both overkill and more trouble than it's
worth. A small blower like one from a car's heater or an old vacuum cleaner
would be more practical and more controllable.

Keep the list informaed as to what you finally do and, then, how it works. I'm
going to use a truck rear brake drum for the firepot and a Buffalo blower.
Mark

-- 
Dr. Mark E. Williams

Bldg N-159, Rm E-215
NASA/GSFC/WFF/EG&G
Wallops Island, VA 23337
804-824-1744

[email-masked]

Self-confidence is walking barefoot through a cowpasture at midnight on a moonless night.