[TheForge] Advice on making a side blower forge with a wood or metal box.

[Vincent Nakovics]

Hi All,
    I find myself having to build a forge for Charcoal and with the available materials I believe the use of a side blower would be best. I will not be 
able to obtain a cast fire pot. The thickess of material reasonably 
obtained will be about 1/4" x 2" to make a pot out of. I know with a coke forge I had that material get to hot in the past. That is why I am thinking a side blower.  This is a more primitive unit than I have made or used in the past so I have a couple of questions.  

1. Does the insulating material in the forge have to be sand or can it be dirt? 
2. Clinker forming at the nozzle is just raked off as all forges?
3. Depth of insulating layer of sand and dirt? I plan on using a metal pan, but may have to resort to a wooden box. I do not have any building enforcement codes to contend with here, but I do want a safe forge. 
4. Any other advise please greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!!!

Vince Nakovics
 
Blacksmithing; “Making exquisitely simple items extraordinary and tremendously complex items understatedly simple”.