This section is called "The Smithy," so I've decided to add some pictures of the forging equipment that I use most often.
Both forges shown are made from popcorn tins that are available around the holidays (and maybe the rest of the year, too). I
used them on the advice of several people who've used them for their homemade "flowerpot furnace" for metal casting work.
A word of caution: they are not only painted but galvanized as well. If you use the tins please do so in a WELL ventilated area
(outside is ideal). There are several ways of removing the paint and zinc and I recommend that you try one or all of them
before using the tin.
Both forges shown are made from popcorn tins that are available around the holidays (and maybe the rest of the year, too). I
used them on the advice of several people who've used them for their homemade "flowerpot furnace" for metal casting work.
A word of caution: they are not only painted but galvanized as well. If you use the tins please do so in a WELL ventilated area
(outside is ideal). There are several ways of removing the paint and zinc and I recommend that you try one or all of them
before using the tin.
This is the horizontal forge.
It is lined with "Superwool," a non-ceramic refractory blanket. The
manufacturer claims the fibers are supposed to break down readily in the
lungs if they're breathed in. I coated the wool with ITC-100, a metal-salt
refractory coating. It both keeps the fibers from becoming dislodged
(then airborne) when the forge is blowing and it reflects heat back into
the forge. Compared to a "castable" refractory I've noticed hotter temps
and the forge comes up to working temp faster.
I have it up on legs, about 6" off the table. There are shelves front and
back for hard fire bricks. The bricks help keep the heat inside the forge
body .This picture shows "keepers" for the bricks, but they have been
removed. The shelf has been extended so another brick can be placed in
front of the opening like a wall. This allows me to places larger and
irregular pieces in front of the forge for heating. There's also a "work
rest" that's adjustable for longer pieces.
The floor of the forge is made by mixing wood ash with water to give it
a doughy consistency. I used this primitive fire clay to fill that void,
leaving a flat surface. I then applied a kiln brick mortar called sairset for
further heat resistance.
It is lined with "Superwool," a non-ceramic refractory blanket. The
manufacturer claims the fibers are supposed to break down readily in the
lungs if they're breathed in. I coated the wool with ITC-100, a metal-salt
refractory coating. It both keeps the fibers from becoming dislodged
(then airborne) when the forge is blowing and it reflects heat back into
the forge. Compared to a "castable" refractory I've noticed hotter temps
and the forge comes up to working temp faster.
I have it up on legs, about 6" off the table. There are shelves front and
back for hard fire bricks. The bricks help keep the heat inside the forge
body .This picture shows "keepers" for the bricks, but they have been
removed. The shelf has been extended so another brick can be placed in
front of the opening like a wall. This allows me to places larger and
irregular pieces in front of the forge for heating. There's also a "work
rest" that's adjustable for longer pieces.
The floor of the forge is made by mixing wood ash with water to give it
a doughy consistency. I used this primitive fire clay to fill that void,
leaving a flat surface. I then applied a kiln brick mortar called sairset for
further heat resistance.
The vertical forge is based on Don Fogg's design and is lined
similarly to the horizontal forge. Its main function is for blades and
tools. The bottom is lined with old firebricks that have been
crushed, that layer is coated with wood ash from the fireplace then
that layer has a thin coat of ITC 100. Ash is a decent insulator and is
cheap to use (read: free). The drawback is that at welding
temperatures it can (will) turn to glass. It then stops acting like a
refractory and becomes a heat sink, reducing the temperature in the
forge.
The top is a round kiln shelf, also coated with the ITC 100 on the
side that contacts the heat. Like the horizontal, it has an adjustable
work rest with a weight that goes over the top to hold the piece in
place. It is also on a stand to keep it off of the table. The flame
enters the forge on the bottom left, finishes combustion mid way up
the chamber and the heat reaches the piece through the window.
There's another opening on the other side so longer pieces can slide
through, heating only about 8" at a time.
To cut the windows I used my acetylene torch. The blanket is only
rated at 2300 deg F, so the nearly 6000 deg F flame vaporizes most
of what it comes into contact with and turns the rest to glass. No
torch? Use a drill to perforate the tin where you want the windows
to be, use snips to cut the windows out and then use a knife to
(carefully) cut the wool.
similarly to the horizontal forge. Its main function is for blades and
tools. The bottom is lined with old firebricks that have been
crushed, that layer is coated with wood ash from the fireplace then
that layer has a thin coat of ITC 100. Ash is a decent insulator and is
cheap to use (read: free). The drawback is that at welding
temperatures it can (will) turn to glass. It then stops acting like a
refractory and becomes a heat sink, reducing the temperature in the
forge.
The top is a round kiln shelf, also coated with the ITC 100 on the
side that contacts the heat. Like the horizontal, it has an adjustable
work rest with a weight that goes over the top to hold the piece in
place. It is also on a stand to keep it off of the table. The flame
enters the forge on the bottom left, finishes combustion mid way up
the chamber and the heat reaches the piece through the window.
There's another opening on the other side so longer pieces can slide
through, heating only about 8" at a time.
To cut the windows I used my acetylene torch. The blanket is only
rated at 2300 deg F, so the nearly 6000 deg F flame vaporizes most
of what it comes into contact with and turns the rest to glass. No
torch? Use a drill to perforate the tin where you want the windows
to be, use snips to cut the windows out and then use a knife to
(carefully) cut the wool.
This is my 156# Peter Wright anvil. It's a little
beaten up, especially on the edges. I believe
the former owner was a farrier.
The base is currently 4x4 pressure treated
cedar screwed together with framing strips to
make a box 12x16". The face of the anvil
comes up to the knuckle where my thumb
meets my hand.
beaten up, especially on the edges. I believe
the former owner was a farrier.
The base is currently 4x4 pressure treated
cedar screwed together with framing strips to
make a box 12x16". The face of the anvil
comes up to the knuckle where my thumb
meets my hand.
My Harbor Freight 4" x 6"
bandsaw. Though HF has
a reputation for poor
quality, it works and I like
it a lot. I've marked on the
side how often I've
changed the blade. I
recently realized that I've
had this tool for nearly 5
years. It's my second
bandsaw because I
mis-diagnosed the
problem with my first one
(I should have just tried a
new blade instead of
trying to "fix" the wiggle in
the joint.)
bandsaw. Though HF has
a reputation for poor
quality, it works and I like
it a lot. I've marked on the
side how often I've
changed the blade. I
recently realized that I've
had this tool for nearly 5
years. It's my second
bandsaw because I
mis-diagnosed the
problem with my first one
(I should have just tried a
new blade instead of
trying to "fix" the wiggle in
the joint.)
This is the drill press that I'm
currently using. It's a Harbor Freight
unit that can be picked up for about
$40 on sale. I needed something that
would accommodate longer drill bits
and long handle material. I used
about 3 feet of black iron pipe and
sanded it down using my little belt
grinder. It's not perfect but it's 100%
better than before.
currently using. It's a Harbor Freight
unit that can be picked up for about
$40 on sale. I needed something that
would accommodate longer drill bits
and long handle material. I used
about 3 feet of black iron pipe and
sanded it down using my little belt
grinder. It's not perfect but it's 100%
better than before.
Hammers and tongs...
I call this my "pizza box forge"
and was designed to do items
that are wide but not thick-
specifically 7-10" rings made
from 1/2" or 3/4" round stock.
Bottom and sides are made
from 2800degF hard kiln bricks,
the top is made from 2300degF
kiln bricks. Top and bottom
are mortared with sairset kiln
mortar. The base is made from
an old bed frame (apropriately
cut and welded).
Yes, that's all there is to it.
and was designed to do items
that are wide but not thick-
specifically 7-10" rings made
from 1/2" or 3/4" round stock.
Bottom and sides are made
from 2800degF hard kiln bricks,
the top is made from 2300degF
kiln bricks. Top and bottom
are mortared with sairset kiln
mortar. The base is made from
an old bed frame (apropriately
cut and welded).
Yes, that's all there is to it.
This is my Delta 1x42 belt sander. I had the chance to use a real, professional sander and I was a little sad to have
to come back to this one. It's a good machine for the $100 I paid for it, but a true professional machine (upwards of
$2200) was so much nicer (yes, $2100 nicer).
My main complaint was that I couldn't do longer pieces, like the flats on knives. So I took my angle grinder with a
thin metal-cutting blade and removed the cast iron that was in front of the lower wheel. Be careful to not cut
though the plastic wheels or other bits that you might want to keep.
to come back to this one. It's a good machine for the $100 I paid for it, but a true professional machine (upwards of
$2200) was so much nicer (yes, $2100 nicer).
My main complaint was that I couldn't do longer pieces, like the flats on knives. So I took my angle grinder with a
thin metal-cutting blade and removed the cast iron that was in front of the lower wheel. Be careful to not cut
though the plastic wheels or other bits that you might want to keep.
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