[TheForge] Coal Forges - lets try this again

[xlch58 at swbell.net]

John Husvar wrote:
> Just wondering: Why would you want to use 1/2 inch plate for the table? It
> shouldn't experience any significant heating and would be heavy as all Hell
> to move around.
>
> I can agree with wanting to do it only once, but that seems like major
> overkill. :)
>   
My personal belief is to build something light, cheap and quick to 
construct.  Then use it, use it some more, abuse it and THEN build 
another based on what you learned.  Repeat the process.  There are a lot 
of common forms of coal or gas forge out there that work for people.  I 
was on my fifth or sixth one when I went to gas (and I have a few more 
of those in my future as well) They are all compromises, no matter what 
their pedigree.   The trick is to determine what compromise works for 
you, and that takes some experience.  It largely depends on what you 
like doing.    I have a brake drum forge (using a truck drum) that is 
excellent for what I use it for.   I use the drum as the main body, and 
welded a ducks nest below it out of a section of steel pipe, below which 
is a tee, with the bottom having a reverse tractor exhaust pipe door.  I 
cut two doors in the drum and welded pin hinges on them.   Three legs 
that slip into sockets.   I welded a curved bar support that wraps 
around the forge and forged shorter fire tools that hang on the bar 
appropriate to the size of pot I have.  The design means that as I add 
coal to the top, it cokes itself as teh coke below burns down.  I can 
shove a poker with a barb on the end up the exhaust door in the bottom 
of the ducks nest to  clear clinker at couple of times before I have to 
clean out the clinker in the pot and rebuild the fir.   I have a 
matching three legged anvil stand and an 85 pound acme anvil to fit it. 
  I have a five gallon steel bucket with a bucket boss liner for 
tooling.   I have several hand cranked grinders with hard wheels and 
buffing wheels and had a light post vice on a three legged stand( I 
converted it to four legs later for concrete, as I had to stake the 
three legged design).  This set up is great for boy scout campouts.  
Light, and breaks down easily, so that it can fit in a trunk.  Three 
legged means that everything can be set up on uneven ground without 
rocking around.    The forge has its limitations, but does a great job 
on spike and horseshoe knives, skewers and such that the scouts want to 
make.  

Charles