[TheForge] Induction Forge?

Sat Aug 19 06:47:37 EDT 2006

Something I don't understand about the picture in the link Ries sent:
http://www.anvilfire.com/news/  page 2

It looks to show a red hot bar inside a bare coil. Why doesn't the bar 
short out the coil?

Steve

Steve Kayne wrote:
> We have been using the induction forge in our shop for a few months now 
> and it is magic.   We forgeweld with it and it is an experience to see 
> the process taking place before your eyes and having total control over 
> it. Teaching someone to forge weld using the I. F. is light years ahead 
> of using a coal or gas forge.  They can see the process taking place and 
> you can explain what is going on and there is no thing between you 
> preventing you from seeing everything that is going on.  The transition 
> of the steel being heated from magnetic to non magnetic is very dramatic 
> and the I. F. indicates the transition very clearly.  We heat everything 
> from 1/4" round to 1/4 x 2 1/2 so far in the I. F.   It is very quick.  
> 30 seconds is a long time.  A lot happens in 5 or 8 seconds.   The heat 
> is very localized and this permits certain forging operations to be done 
> much easier than they have ever been done in the past, since the steel 
> reacts in the restricted heated area and not in the unheated area, the 
> area is heated so quickly that there is very little travel beyond the 
> area under the coil.  We have not fully found out the limits and 
> possibilities of the I. F.  as our jobs have not taken us into enough 
> varied areas.   What its limits are will be determined in time, but it 
> is a fantastic tool and we enjoy finding out what it will do for us each 
> day as we tackle that day's projects.   Like any new tool, you have to 
> think about it and determine if it has the capabilities to do that day's 
> work.  So far we have found few times that it was unable to do the job 
> better than and quicker than coal, gas, etc.  We solder with it,  we 
> braze with it and of course forge weld with it, or maybe it is not 
> called forge welding but magic.  As we test it further,  we will be 
> happy to pass along our findings as I know Grant will and is.   The 
> coils are very easy to make.  We use 3/16 and 1/4" copper tubing.  It is 
> easy to form and we use the I. F. to solder it.  It is really done very 
> quickly and reminds me, for some strange reason, of making dies for the 
> fly press.  Perhaps because like the fly press, without its dies or 
> coils, it is useless and its limitations are limited by what we dream up 
> in the way of coils.   Sorry we are so long winded, but as you can tell, 
> we are very much enamered with I. F.    Where has it been all our 
> lives.  It saved us a great deal of time and made our task easier so far 
> and certainly a lot more fun.
> 
> Steve Kayne
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ries Niemi" <rniemi at fidalgo.net>
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 6:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Induction Forge?
> 
> 
>> Grant Sarver, who is the Tong King of North America (he has personally 
>> made and sold over 30,000 pairs) is importing an induction heating 
>> inverter- its not exactly a "forge" although it will do what a forge 
>> will do for some things.
>> It is a small inverter power supply, about the size of a Miller 
>> inverter welder, like a dynasty.
>> It runs on 220, and needs a hose hookup or a tig welder type radiator.
>> It comes with a few copper coils, but they are easy, quick and cheap 
>> to make your own- copper coils, that is.
>> It will heat 6" of 1/2" square in something like 30 seconds.
>> It will heat steel to forge welding heat, easily.
>> He has already made a few special coils for edge heat treating blades, 
>> and once a few knifemakers get their hands on these, I am sure they 
>> will evolve much better ways of doing tempering and hardening with this.
>> For production blacksmithing, which basically means most any 
>> architectural work, this thing is amazing- it will heat pieces faster 
>> than you can forge them- so there is no longer any need to let pieces 
>> soak in a forge- you heat them to order as you need them.
>> Will do up to maybe 1 1/2" round or so.
>> I have seen Grant demo it, and it is truly like magic- you know the 
>> old quote- "any sufficiently advanced technology"- well this is 
>> sufficiently advanced.
>> Its quiet, quick, and will heat exactly the area you want, and no 
>> other- need a heat in the middle of a bar? or just a 2" piece at the end?
>> Its amazing.
>> Kaynes, which is Grants exclusive retail rep, is selling them.
>> They go for about $3800.
>> Not cheap, but for what they are, and the fuel, time, and waste they 
>> will save, they would pay for themselves quickly in a working shop on 
>> paying jobs. Its tough to do any totally handforged railing or fence 
>> job these days for under 10 grand- so in a couple of jobs, I think one 
>> of these would pay for itself.
>> They are very efficient in electricity use, so they are cheaper to run 
>> than propane forges most places- and they dont heat the shop at all, 
>> which might not be so good in Alaska, but in most places, thats a plus.
>>
>> Jock reviewed them- http://www.anvilfire.com/news/
>> and go to page 2.
>>
>> ries
>>
>>
>> On Aug 18, 2006, at 11:32 AM, Jerry Frost wrote:
>>
>>> Induction forge Steve?
>>>
>>> Details? pics?
>>>
>>> Frosty
>>> -------------------------------
>>> If it ain't forged
>>> it ain't real.
>>> Wrought iron is.
>>> The FrostWorks
>>>
>>> Meadow Lakes, AK.
>>>
>>> http://www.artmetalradio.com/
>>>
>>> From: "Steve Kayne" <skayne at charter.net>
>>>
>>>
>>>> We will not be coming to Tannehill this year. Perhaps next year, we 
>>>> may be able to make the blade symposium and demo the induction forge.
>>>> We will be sending something for the auction
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Steve.
>>>
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>>>
>> Ries Niemi
>> Industrial Artist
>>
>> http://www.RiesNiemi.com
>>
>>
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