[TheForge] Forge Trailer

Mon Nov 21 06:09:39 EST 2005

Thanks Bob, I really liked hearing this about the larger trailer because we
kicked it around for months before going how we did.

That's another good point on the trailer tools and equipment.  We built a
shelf in the front of the trailer so it is obvious when something is
missing - it either goes in the box or on the shelves we have and you don't
have to do a point  by point inventory for each user when it returns.

We only allow the NEB trailer to go out on NEB Sanctioned events - but the
opportunity still arrises when the person has it to do two or three demos
during harvest season, or sell something out of the trailer set up - we
decided that did not fit the "non-profit" criteria - so we made up the rull
about only passing out business cards and folks have stayed good with it so
far.

We also developed a "trailer committee" in the club - (I'm on it) and so are
five others........we get together once or twice a year and fix anything
needs fixing, and rework or build anything we find could be improved after
we've had the unit out working for the year.  This is year three for the
club's trailer ...........and year six for my portable forging station
(pretty much both are the same - mine doesn't have the storage shelves or
boxes for tool sorting - as I use it for installations as well as lend it to
friends who want to sell items at a demo and we don't have to worry about
the non-profit things.

In going with your gas forges - I thought that to be a really wise choice -
as blowers, stacks, extension cords, fire tools, coal, buckets, slag
catches, newspaper, etc........is all stuff that adds up.  What do you do
for propane storage and use on the trailer?? Do you have a 100 lb tank? or a
100 gallon to run all those forges and not ice up?  Do you keep the fuel in
the back of an open truck? or inside the cargo trailer?.........or am I
assuming you are using a closed trailer and it is really an open deck
concept - or open walls and a roof?

Just a rough guess on my part - but is your BAM trailer about 8 x 12 to
carry all six forges, 10 anvils, stands, and tools?  What type of vice
mounts do you use? - are they part of the trailer? or modular?

Is this like a farrier's truck where the sides fold up and each station is
already in tact? or do you set up all the gear on stands each time?

I'm asking because I have four gas forges and a spare trailer and five
anvils..........and could easily put something like this together if you
find it works well.  Part of any demo, conference, or workshop as you well
know is getting folks willing to comit to coming, bringing gear, and taking
it home to put it away one more time!

Thanks for any input.

Ralph

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Bob Ehrenberger
Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2005 8:53 PM
To: theforge
Subject: re: [TheForge] Forge Trailer

BAM has a moble teaching station trailer.  I didn't set it up but am a
regular instructor.  Our set up has 5 gas forges 10 anvils and enough hand
tools for 20 students.  We went with the gas forges because we wanted to
teach forging techniques not fire management (that's a hole nother subject).

As Ralph said the big trailer is a pain to haul, and we are finding that
most of the time we don't have 20 students in a class so a lot of the
equipment goes unused.  We also used a cast refractory in the forges which
are heavy.  We are looking at going to a lighter forge to make them easier
to haul.

One thing we did that you may find usefull is build boxes for the tools that
have slots or holes for just the right number of tools.  That way when we
are packing up we know at a glance whether or not we have everything.  The
guy that set up our trailer did a good job of making racks and boxs for
everything so the trailer stays neet an organized and the stuff doesn't
shift while in transport.

After three years use we are ready to take another look at how well it fits
our needs.  We are thinking of modifying it for fewer students and then
having extra equipment available for the few big classes.

We also don't just loan it out to our members to use for demonstrations.  It
is only used for BAM sanctioned events (conference, state fair, classes).

BAM also has a pair of coal forges that are used for conference and state
fair where using coal is important.

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net

----riginal Massage ----

Subject: [TheForge] Forge Trailer

I am beginning to plan for a forge trailer for our Guild.  I am looking for
advice from those of you who have built or used them.  Things like how many
stations, size and style of trailer, single blower for the whole trailer or
individual blowers, etc.  That sort of things.

Thanks.   Barry Myers, Philip Simmons Artist Blacksmith Guild

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