[TheForge] Crowdsourcing Question

[Jeff Wilson]

The forge you linked to will undoubtly get the job done.  Seems spendy 
though.  Have you completely rejected building your own?  If you haven't 
already, I suggest you review the work that Ron Reil and others have done. 
The "Bean Can Forge" (look it up) will be adequate to start with hooks, and 
other small work.  Ron's Mini freon can forge is much larger and is 
comparable to the one you are looking at.  It looks to use the "Derry Cook 
burner" or a modification there-of.  This link will take you to one design 
and if you follow all of the links you'll find many options.
  http://ronreil.abana.org/minifor1.shtml

Son started with a piece of railroad rail for an anvil, a ball pien hammer 
and vice grips for tongs. Made a forge of a drilled out soft fire brick and 
a Burnzamatic torch. With that he made and sold hooks, skewers, letter 
openers, and such. Earned enough to buy the toolss he could't make, which 
wasn't much except a decent anvil.  He was 10.  A few years later he bought 
a Little Giant, coal forge, and a very respectable anvil.  All paid for by 
him with the little stuff he made as he learned the craft.

Good luck in your endever.

Jeff
My Son is a Professional Blacksmith
on the wet side of Puget's Sound