[TheForge] hello

[Jerry Frost]

> Hello Frosty:
>
> Thank you.
>
>
> I was thinking of building a  small to moderate charcoal forge,the size
> of work i do will probably vary from miscellenous things to large and
> small swords and axe's.like i said im just getting into all of this and
> im not really sure of anything yet.
>

Okay, the main difference between a coal and charcoal forge is fire depth
and that's more a matter of fire management though folk who use charcoal
usually make deeper fire pots.

For a first forge I'd build a small one, perhaps a brake drum in a table.
I'm a real champion of having a table on forges as it gives you plenty of
room to rest work, tools and keep fuel handy. It doesn't need to be of heavy
construction, even if you're making a fire brick table 3' square. It can
even be constructed from wood if you line the table thickly enough, fire
bricks for instance. You can ram a couple inches of damp fire or other clay
into the table as well.

Brake drums make fine fire pots and they're cheap. (read free) Don't get
carried away and use a big truck brake drum it's really unlikely you'll be
wanting a fire that big for a while if ever.

My new coal forge has a duck's nest instead of a fire pot. It's a 12" sq.
gap in the fire brick and an air grate centered over the tueyre. I stack
fire brick around the air grate to make whatever sized fire I need.

The forge is easy enough. There are a few other things to consider though:
How much room do you have and how much equipment and tools to fit in it? How
you going to lay it out? Who are your neighbors and will the authorities
mind your new persuit? What other metal working tools and skills do you
have?

None of this is difficult if you already have the tools and skills to fab it
up but if you're breaking in to all of it at once you're in for a few
challenges. Still it isn't rocket science and there're plenty of folk out
here to help.

Frosty
------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.