Just fired up my first forge last night.!

Jan 20, 2004 5 Replies
S

I bought a non-working ceramic kiln for $25. Removed the electric heating coil and took all the bricks apart. Using the kiln's disk shapped cover upside down as the base, I created a 1/2 brick high (~



2x2x6) elongated diamond shape out of 4 bricks with one end open for the burner and the other end closed for heat reflection. In the next layer of brick I left an opening at what I guessed was a 'sweet spot'. This opening is from side to side. The next layer goes across the top to cover it. The burner is a Harbor Freight $17.95 weed burner. It runs directly of the propane tank. (I also have a BBQ regulator that I might try.)

I placed a piece of reBar in the forge, fired it up, and in under 5 minutes had the center 4" section red hot.



I am thinking of using a piece of the kiln's SS band as a base to catch the flux and to protect the bricks below.



I can best describe the forge as a horizontal forge with a crosswise opening.



Photos to come.



BoyntonStu


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P

If you got a kiln shelf in the deal, use that over the bottom bricks.

I have frozen the propane inside a 20 lbs tank, so be on the lookout for that problem. Solution?? 100 lbs tank, or put the 20 in a water bath. Les

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D

Good start, but I'd search the web for some more info on forge/burner design, esp. if you are going to be trying to weld (flux comment indicates such). Ron Reil has a very nice site which is often referenced in such matters. Also, google archives are full of helpful tips.

I think that the weed burner/BBQ regulators are going to be running at a very low pressure, so you might be limited in your heat and welding abilities. (I like a BBQ pressure is around 10x lower then common forging burners run at, and maybe 20x for welding).

don

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A

You can also connect the forge across 2 or more 20# tanks so it draws equally from all of them.

Andy

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E

How long does a 20# tank of propane tend to last with a small forge? thanks! Iron Ed

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R

I get through a kilo or two in an hour. I started with a 6-kilo tank, but that was just annoying - now I have a couple of 20-kilo tanks, so I have something to swap to when I run out.

Richard

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