[TheForge] Forge Trailer Advice

[Ralph Sproul]

	Barry,  You should do alright with the pictures Mike posted to the
metalshapers list of my demo coal forge and the size trailer I'd say works
well.  The trailer weighs about 900 lbs and a small rig can pull it -
placing 1000 lbs of forging gear into it which is about what your forge,
anvil, vice, blowers, stands, tables, stack, cords, samples, story boards,
and rest of the gear weigh will still go down the road fairly well with a 6
cylinder pulling it.  The 6 x 10 cargo trailer is capable of hauling 2900
lbs in NH (and other states) without needing electric brakes on the towing
vehicle - this is another situation you really want to eliminate as the
light plugs are enough of a hassle - to send a member out on the road cuz he
was in a hurry and you couldn't get a different plug to fit their truck can
really leed to trouble.  Just dealing with light plugs and providing about
three different major types (flat four pin, round for pole, and round five
pole - will cover just about 95% of the rigs that will haul it.  I've even
taken mine to having a set of spade inserts that pull apart down the wire
loom a bit - so you can change the wire pattern if necessary rather easily.
Considering a jack, spare tire already on the rim, and a 4 way lug wrench
can also be a good investment for the members of your club (or yourself if
you do one of these on your own).

I do still sell the plans for the demo coal forge - but look at the pictures
and see if you need them.  If this is for your club - I'll send along
answers to your questions to save your club money and provide education on
smithing ........that's something I enjoy doing.

If you have a copy of ABANA's "Coal Forge Handbook" - my portable forge
built with the help of 18 friends during a workshop for such a task - is
depicted on pages 26 - 30.  Stephen McGeHee did a real nice job illustrating
that project.  One note is the bearing he shows on page 27 is not how we
built our units.......we found hooks so the axle can be removed and set
firmly on the ground works much better - and if your on a slight grade - it
doesn't tend to roll when you use the post vice.  Stephen also depicts the
forge as a coal forge basic table - the group of us added many "accessories"
to this forge table.  Those include a post vice on one corner, a tool tray
on another(shown in coal forge book), a hand crank blower on a back corner,
and a hand crank drill press on the opposite rear corner.  About 12 guys in
the Northeast have copied this forge built by a cooperative effort of smiths
at my shop.  I had the first one as I'd purchased the trailer and didn't
want to pull my shop forge apart for demos any more - and that is what
originally inspired the workshop on the "ultimate coal forge".  You will see
these accessories in the pictures Mike Graf posted on the Metalshapers list.

Hope this helps and if you have questions - fire away........others will
benefit from what your going thru.

Ralph

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of
bmyers647 at comcast.net
Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2005 10:40 AM
To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [TheForge] Forge Trailer Advice


Thanks for the advice, Mike, Dan and Ralph.

I think that the single forge/single trailer idea might be the ticket.  Lots
of things to think about.  The thought of the trailer being at the wrong
place all the time was a worry.  Along with the insurance, where to store
it, how to get it there, and all the rest.

Ralph, do you still have your plans for the rolloff?

Thanks to you all.
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