[TheForge] Forge Question

[Phlip]

By any chance, are you SCA? Oso is the name of one of Master Atar's students, and a Master in his own right....

Paul Amschler wrote:

> Being new to the list I have maybe a dumb question about how I want to make a forge.
>      I want to take an old water softner tank cut off maybe the top 10 inches (the part with the threaded holes) and then place it in a brick stand for support. THe reason for the two hole top will be one for forced air ant other for cleanout. I will be using coal which is very cheap here in Gallup NM with three coal mines within 20 minutes drives. I will be make small patch knives and other small objects. Nothing large.
>      Any comments will be treated with the greatest respect. I have plenty of these tanks for free and don't have a ton of money to buy a real forge yet. Being a Pastor of a small church doesn't leave me with a bunch of spending money.
>

Well, being pretty broke myself, I can certainly understand ;-) This business of being without an income for almost two years, hurts.

Rather than a water tank, you might consider a brake drum forge- they're pretty cheap, if you can't find one for free, and they're much heavier metal, which you can use as is OR line with fire clay. Also, if you set it up right, one hole below is sufficient, given a reasonably powerful blower- an old blow dryer would work.

How are your welding skills and supplies? Welding can help construction quite a bit.

Or, your masonary skills? If you have the brick, a brick forge might be another possibility.

Phlip