Blacksmithing and forging

[bigb]

By the way, I messed around with the copper today, this is a single piece of #2 solid wire slit two ways and hammered into a cross.

[DSW]

Blowers aren't only for coal forges. A lot of larger gas furnaces like kilns and glass blowing furnaces use high volume blowers in the 50-75 CFM range. Many of the commercial blowers for forges I've seen are for Johnson GAs forges and run in about that range of output. With bituminous you should be fine on the lower end of the scale you found, but I don't have an exact figure to suggest to you. If anything it's always easier to turn down a fan that's slightly too large. You can't use air flow you don't have. If I had to take a blind stab, I'd look at 20-25 CFM myself, though that's probably still way more than you need. I don't have an easy way to check CFM from a shopvac.

[DSW]

Cross is nice. I may have to be on the lookout for some heavy wire to try a few myself. I bet they'd sell well at the fair.

[bigb]

I got about 20 feet for free. As an electrical contractor I get a fair amount of scrap copper wire, bus bars, lugs etc. If you were here I'd give you some. Sad part is most bus material now is tin plated aluminum.

[DSW]

I'd have to do some digging, but I remember someone posting up on IFI that bus bars had something in them that made them a bad material for hot forging. I want to say beryllium.

My neighbor is a licensed electrician, so I may hit him up and see if he has anything solid in that size. I've also got a friend here who works for a company that does nonferous scrap. I'm sure he gets some in from time to time. I got about 16 lbs of scrap heavy copper flashing from him last month. PLan is this winter to play some with that and maybe make a few roses or copper dishes. I may have to ask him to keep an eye open for heavy gauge solid wire as well.

[bigb]

Well I just took a crash course on forge blowers, seems pressure is the name of the game, a CFM rating in free air doesn't mean much.
http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/4878...uch-is-needed/

[Lis2323]

Okay I'm new to smithing and recently found a 4.5" jaw (100 #) post vice. It was missing the spring and mounting bracket which is apparently quite common. Other than that it only required dismantling, wire brushing and lube.

I replaced the original thrust washer on the adjusting screw with a bearing insert out of a pillow block I had sitting around. This allows for easier tightening and loosening of the jaws under pressure.

I'm certain the mod I did is old news, but I hadn't noticed any mention of it. My apologies if it has.

Terry

[bigb]

Went to a local Open Forge event today. The owner of this shop (Holy Hammer Iron works) Harold graciously gives his time and materials several times a year to host the events. Many who show up are AABA members and many are there to help beginners get started. This time I took my son and my 11 year old grandson. They made candle stick holders. The little one got his first burn today when he dropped his work on the floor on the way back to the forge and reached down to pick it up with his hands. I told him he was very lucky that he got that out of the way on his first smithing experience!

Here is Harold's shop, pics are of the inside shop and the outside shop. 2 coal forges, 2 propane, power hammer, shear, Ellis 1600, planisher, several presses, drill presses, tons of hand tools and a lineup of welders and OA.

[bigb]

Here are some pics of my son and grandson working on their stuff, and a pic of some of the work

[whtbaron]

Great pics...nice to see the next generation getting involved. All the cheap junk in the market just might cause blacksmithing to make a comeback.

[Equilibrium]

bigb> "Went to a local Open Forge event today." Sure does look like everyone attending had a really good time. I wonder if there are listings of Open Forge events by state somewhere?

[Lis2323]

bgb. Gotta love that top pic of your grandson 'goin at it'!

Terry

[bigb]

. I wonder if there are listings of Open Forge events by state somewhere?

Check here:

http://www.abana-chapter.com/

I joined the Arizona chapter (AABA) and I get the newsletters. It was only $35.

edit: I just checked some of those links and a lot of them seem to be broken, you'll probably have to locate the name of one near your area and just google it.

[BD1]

Saw this on Craigs list tonight. Massive '' 640 '' pound anvil!! - $2100 (Milwaukee) http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/tls/5353314582.html
Dimensions are as follows;

-height: 14.5"
-overall length: 41"
-face: 7"
-footprint: 17" X 14.25"
-hardie: 1.5"
-pritchel: 7/8"

Attachment 1287381

[Thats Hot]

I am going to try and make my first forge this week, here is the start. Any tips would be a big help..

[Thats Hot]

More pict. The last two pict are the wife's new cook top..

[shortfuse]

That cook top looks neat, but if your wife cooks anything on the forge, you better be using charcoal!!

If you use coal, you'll have the blackest, dirtiest pot in the country, not to mention the grimy-est, foul-est tasting food anywhere!!!

[DSW]

That's hot, I may move this to it's own thread if your build discussion takes off, just to keep things simple here.

[DSW]

That's hot, Some more info on the size of your rotor ( diameter and depth) as well as what you plan to use as fuel would help. Charcoal needs a deeper fire than say coal/coke does, but a really large diameter with charcoal means you burn up a ton of fuel for little purpose.

If need be you can clay up the rotor to reduce it's volume.

Is the plate we are seeing going to be your grate, or is it just to attach your air piping?

A table around the rotor will allow you a place to have extra fuel. With coal that can be important as you move green coal in towards the fire, it automatically cokes. With Charcoal it will allow you to have a taller fire if need be.

[Thats Hot]

That's hot, Some more info on the size of your rotor ( diameter and depth) as well as what you plan to use as fuel would help. Charcoal needs a deeper fire than say coal/coke does, but a really large diameter with charcoal means you burn up a ton of fuel for little purpose.

If need be you can clay up the rotor to reduce it's volume.

Is the plate we are seeing going to be your grate, or is it just to attach your air piping?

A table around the rotor will allow you a place to have extra fuel. With coal that can be important as you move green coal in towards the fire, it automatically cokes. With Charcoal it will allow you to have a taller fire if need be.

That is the plan at this point, I am going to cut out the center and get the flange for the bottom and the other parts today, ( tee, nipples ) For fuel I will use coal, and I will have wheels on the table to move it in and out side as needed.I will get you the size of the rotor and depth ect today. the center piece I had laying around and i just hit with a grinder a few min. and it just dropped right in.

[Thats Hot]

That's hot, Some more info on the size of your rotor ( diameter and depth) as well as what you plan to use as fuel would help. Charcoal needs a deeper fire than say coal/coke does, but a really large diameter with charcoal means you burn up a ton of fuel for little purpose.

If need be you can clay up the rotor to reduce it's volume.

Is the plate we are seeing going to be your grate, or is it just to attach your air piping?

A table around the rotor will allow you a place to have extra fuel. With coal that can be important as you move green coal in towards the fire, it automatically cokes. With Charcoal it will allow you to have a taller fire if need be.

The depth is 3", and the diameter is 8" 1/4" inside..

[bigb]

Lately I've seen some side draft forges, some of the guys in the local AABA swear by them. I've seen two that are built of solid adobe brick with a fire pan about 2 or 3 inches deep and the air fed in from the side. Spanish style, like this (very good book by the way):

[Thats Hot]

I got her fired up today, and made the rod for the flapper. It turned out nice I think ( it works)..I punched the hole for a bolt for the flapper.

[DSW]

That will work nicely. Only thing I see that you might want to do is cut a slot or hole in the back, so you can pass long stock thru if you want to heat the middle of a bar, say for baskets in a spindle.

The repurposed grill should work nicely. You might add a few tool racks around the side/front to hold tongs, fire tools etc.

[bigb]

Where exactly does the air come in? Looks like you are feeding it into the bottom but your pics show a solid bottom. And is that just a hair dryer?