[TheForge] Converting a propane tank to a gas forge

[Paul N]

Thanks Roger (and others)
I presently have been using the forge for "general" stuff, and only days 
where I may have to put things away quickly (threat of rain) or if I 
only have an hour or so available to me. But I prefer my smoky coal 
beast, despite the having to move it.

But my "shop" is the area just outside my garden shed, so I have to move 
  things in and out. I just moved my canoe out of there, so I can at 
least  keep my vise and anvil "inside" for now. Maybe a new building 
sometime soon.

Anyway, what I did when I made my forge was opt to NOT put a hinged door 
on it (mistake #1), my (atmospheric) burners need to be closer together 
to avoid a cold spot in between them. I''ll also add some sort of 
door/gate that I can keep more heat INSIDE the forge. I fired it up 
sunday ( 80 degree temps) and it was too much heat, too close to my 
anvil. Even with the idler circuit, I had to take some breaks away from 
it. (I'm still getting acquainted with using gas)


Also, I need to add choke plates to my burners, as I'm getting excessive 
scale. I'm also not getting enough heat to forge weld, but that may just 
be an indication that I need to keep more heat inside, or tune the 
burners further.

I'm also wondering if maybe a 20lb bottle might be a better choice. I've 
found that for somethings, the big bottle heats too much material, and I 
end up quenching to do things like a bar end upset. Or better yet, I'll 
keep the 30lb forge, and just move the burners between a small/larger 
forge if I need a longer heat.

thx,
**paul

Roger Degner wrote:
> Can not help with the valve as the only ones I have removed are 100# ones.
> Some say to add dish soap to the water
> 
> As for the forge are you building a knife forge or larger opening for
> general blacksmithing.
> This year at Batsons Knife symposium I watched Ken Swartzer make a Don Fogg
> style upright knife forge.
> 
> This only had two small openings to put the knife in and out the back if
> necessary.  He said they once welded a long length of cable by putting the
> forge next to the press.  Heat a piece to welding pull it out weld, heat the
> next area and then slide it back and forth leaving it in the forge.
> 
> He poured castible refractory in the bottom but left a hole for flux and
> gunk to drip out then lined the side walls with Kaowool.  He stuck a piece
> of wool on the top and placed a lose piece of steel on top of that.  He said
> that was the insurance so when you open the gas then light the forge and it
> goes boom it only rains kaowoll and not steel shrapnel.
> 
> A couple of other things he preached is mount the blower outlet pipe so it
> slides on and off the outer shell of the forge.  He welded a 1/2" round rod
> bent into a 90 on the outer shell then had a collar that slipped on this to
> hold the blower in place.  The advantage to this is you can have one blower
> set up and 50 different sized forges.  Another thing he said was to have a
> needle valve for gas adjustment.  According to him a ball valve is too gross
> of adjustment.
> 
> UMBA does have a DVD of this but it is not listed on the web site yet.  I
> keep saying as soon as I finish the next DVD I will send in the new list but
> then I keep signing up for class.  I have a 3 day with Kirsten Sikes on
> chasing and reposse.  Just finished a 3 day with her husband Bill Fiorini on
> Japanese stamping tech.  The new list now goes to RD151 and Salt7
> 
> Roger R Degner
> 
> 
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