[TheForge] Equipment for a newbie

[Andrew Vida]

With charcoal you probably want a hand cranked blower.  Charcoal burns 
quite a bit more rapidly than coal.  Waste not want not.

mike shpeley wrote:
> 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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