[TheForge] Equipment for a newbie

[mike shpeley]

Matt;
I am on my second charcoal forge. The first one was a biggie and hogged way to 
much fuel to my liking for small work. The second one evolved from a rivet forge 

and I am tickled pink with it. Felt like I had re-invented the wheel at the 
time. I posted a picture under my name to simplify the explanation. Basically I 
am using refractory bricks in the tray with a two inch squirrel cage fan plumbed 

into the inlet on the crank blower. There is a makeshift gate on the suction 
side of the fan. 

I have welded three eighths round and heated  3/4  inch stock  to a good yellow 
heat in it. From what I have found, you want high volume and low pressure air 
into the fire if you are going to avoid the fleas. A quiet blower is nice also 
as you can hear the fire better to prevent burning your metal. If you got good 
hardwood, this fuel comes up to heat super fast. Cedar is not. For most of my 
bending, I find 

the longer heat in the propane forge is better than charcoal. Right tool for the 
job is what it boils down to and I seem to have missed what your project plans 
are.


Mike



----- Original Message ----
From: Matt Gallagher <fudgumz at gmail.com>
To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
Sent: Sat, November 6, 2010 12:26:05 PM
Subject: [TheForge] Equipment for a newbie

I'm looking for some new or used equipment, such as a blower, forge if
possible, and some hammers. Some of you might remember my post a while back
asking for an anvil for a project. Ive found one, and now all i need is more
equipment. I can make the forge, thats not a problem. (although it would be
nice to get one pre-made (: ) I just need, at minimum, a blower. If anyone
has one, knows where i can get a cheap one, or has instructions on how to
make one, I would be happy to compensate. I have a sufficient hammer, its a
fairly large ball-peen.My first project is to make a more suitable hammer,
for which I have found several places where i can get instructions. So my
only problem really is an air-source. I contemplated making a blower, even a
set of bellows, but then remembered this forum and decided to give it a try.
Christmas is coming up, and my family has been dogging me for a list of what
I want. Something like this would both make an awesome gift, and make their
lives easier.
(PS.- I have around 100-150 lbs of charcoal, which i believe will work
sufficiently for fuel. I made it myself from hardwood [oak, cedar, and
maple] and some pine. I have been able to get steel to working temperature
with this in an outdoor fire pan with a blow pipe, but I would like a blower
so I don't have to inhale as much smoke or waste my oxygen. Any comments or
suggestions are welcome.)
(PS v.2.0- I have several designs for forges which I would like to share
with all of you out there for feedback, but my scanner is broken at the
moment. when I get it fixed, I will send out the best of these plans. I will
try to make them as understandable as possible. [I tend to use the
engineering side of my brain, and in doing so, forget about
understandability to others] Also, if anyone has designs they would like
feedback on, I would be glad to oblige. If anyone would like to revamp my
designs they are welcome to, provided they send me a copy of the final
draft.)

~Matt Gallagher, your friendly teenage smith :)
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