[TheForge] Chip Bed Forge

[Rick Korinek]

Michael,
I contacted one of the English Mfgrs last summer.  They do not make an
export version because of electric power standards compatibility.  They
would ship/sell the ceramic media.  I did not pursue this further.

Where are you getting the media?

I am very interested in your experience with this combustion approach.

-Rick

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Michael Horgan
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 11:36 PM
To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [TheForge] Chip Bed Forge

Some years ago I made a gas forge for use at the Renaissance  Faire, 
hiding the hot box under some black lava rock. It worked pretty well 
, at least as a nail forge, but you could only heat one end of the 
bar, with no pass through. Last year we used a Whisper Mama, tucked 
away in a faux-brick forge.  Still pretty obviously a gas hotbox.  I 
wanted a coal or charcoal fire, but the Faire site, regulated by the 
Army Corps of Engineers and the local county Fire Inspectors wouldn't 
allow the "Open Fire"

This year we are putting together a ceramic chip forge, basically a 
gas burner feeding the bottom of a pile of heat resistant 
"rocks."  I've been looking at the past postings on the forge, and 
talking off list with Paul Boulay , Rex Price, Frosty and Mike 
Porter, about the ins and outs, advantages and disadvantages of this 
type of forge. Whether it can be made to work with a venturi burner 
or if a blower is needed, what type of media to use  for best heat 
transfer to your steel, and so on. I've also been looking at the 
"expensive" commercial versions available in England as used in the 
school systems,as shown in the graphics page here,  and some slightly 
different types available in Germany,
  http://www.angele-shop.com/catalog/index.php?cName=gas-forges-gasforges .

There have been some great ideas pop up, not to mention the usual 
kludges I'm apt to come up with. <GRIN>

Mikie in particular has a great idea for a recuperative forge that 
looks great for a commercial forging station, if perhaps a bit more 
than I was looking to do as a portable forge at the Faire

Seems like there's some interest in this, so I'll be summarizing in 
later messages some of the stuff we've been talking about, as well as 
the results from some experimentation I'm doing.  I've got some 
refractory media due in this weekend so I can try to produce some 
results to share.


Michael D. Horgan , lughaid at earthlink.net
http://members.aol.com/lughaid/
posting from
  A BRAZEN FORGERY
Blacksmithing and Metalwork
Claremont, Ca.


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