setting up a forge

Hi i just recently went to a blacksmithing "camp" for 2 days where i turned a "railroad" spike(was actually an abandoned mine track spike)
and made a pretty nice dagger out of it. The website for the camp is www.house-of-steel.com Now im back and i want to make the same type of forge. The forge burned coal and he called it a hollow forge because the coal made a cave where the burning coal is, i want to know what and how to make this same forge, the cheaper the better, i will attach a link here to a picture i drew in paint of what it looked like
heres some pics of it too
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0377.jpg
to the left of the red shirt guy
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0370.jpg
behind the green shirted kid and the guy in black was our teacher
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0350.jpg
bassiclly in the middle, we were using the smaller forge that day because its easier for the things we were making
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0348.jpg
me, left forge is the one i want, the right one is the small hand crank one
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0397.jpg
my first blacksmith product
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Can't say I've ever seen a forge like that. Looks like they must use up a lot of coal; those fires look huge to me.
Pete Stanaitis -------------------
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0377.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0370.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0350.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0348.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0397.jpg
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he called it an open forge
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snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Never heard the term before, but if it works who cares. Regards Charles
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spaco wrote:

This is a similar concept :-
<
http://members.optushome.com.au/charlesanderson/img/100_0697.JPG
This was one of my earlier charcoal forges, and it looks iddy-bitty in the picture. I've come a loooong way since then.
The forge in the picture is 6" wide, and has a true iron running along the base.
Recently I made a much longer version of this so I can heat treat blades at home, the new one doesn't look as dinky.
And it chewed up charcoal like no ones business, but it worked... I gave it away to my cousin who uses it when he's in the mood :-)
Regards Charles
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That forge is as simple as dirt to make, you could even make a V shaped groove in dirt, that would work just as well.
Okay the above is the simple way to do it.
If you want to make a steel frame feel free, but a wooden frame will suffice, just use relatively thick wood and ensure that the wood doesn't come into contact with the hot coals.
It looks like standard BBQ bricks to me, and not even secured, just a piece of angle at either end to make sure the bricks don't slide off.
Definitely not rocket science.
A good blower will make the forge "work" well though.
If you wanted to use about 6 fire bricks the whole setup (minus the blower) would set you back about $68 AUD. If you use recycled materials it could cost less although the bricks cost about $8 AUD each.
Regards Charles
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0377.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0370.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0350.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0348.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0397.jpg
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should i just weld the steel frame together or bolt them or does it not matter?
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also umm how big doe the air holes need to be and how do i get them at the bottom of the coal with the holes being steel?
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I would really like to see the line drawing, but it didn't come across with your previous links.
Anyway, air can be provided in two directions, from the side or from the bottom.
If you made the forge side blast then it's a simple matter to attach a pipe with a valve.
If you made the forge with a bottom blast, then any pipe (square tubing will also do), with an end cap. A valve is still necessary to adjust the air flow.
The hole size depends on your air source. If the air source is weak then smaller holes might make it work, and only if you can't get a decent air source. If you have a very powerful air source then larger holes can be used.
Regards Charles
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

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It doesn't matter :-)
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

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why would it not matter wouldnt the holes get melted or does coal cover them and the air go up thru the holes?
also is it a v shape or a v shape with at the base in the middle a flat part?
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Bolting or welding doesn't matter, and if you're getting temperatures hot enough to melt steel, that's way too hot for forging.
It looks V shaped, I don't imagine there is a flat part with that forge (from what I can see in the photos).
It looks like a side blast from what I can see.
Regards Charles
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

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snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

SNIP
Most coal forges can be set up to form an "oven" or cave. There really is nothing special about that. The only real important requirements for the forge is its' ability to withstand the fire. You need an air source to get up to good working temperature. Look around you and see what you have available.
Ron ps - Please tell me the guy in the first picture isn't swinging that flatter like a hammer.
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r payne wrote:

Sure looks like it doesn't it :-\ Regards Charles
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I am sure glad someone finally noticed that flatter. I am glad you said you went to a "camp" and not a school or class. :-)
You may want to check out this web site. It has a number of coal forge designs. If you are going to jump in and build a forge, don't do it until you have at least done enough research and learning to know what you want and need. Your questions tell me you have a lot to learn. There are a huge variety of forges out there, both coal and gas, and most of them work quite well. You may as well build one that will best suit your particular needs and goals. I assume you live in a location where good smithing coal is available.
http://www.beautifuliron.com/smithforge.htm
Ron Reil (The other Ron)
On 7/2/07 7:33 PM, in article snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com, "r payne"

Golden Age Forge http://ronreil.abana.org/gallery.shtml http://ronreil.abana.org/newshop.html Garden Valley, Idaho Phone: (208) 462-4028
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Okay, let's start all over. Tell me if I'm off base and I will stop, but it seems that you want to build a forge that will work for you, a begining blacksmith. You have been to a training class and want to get going yourself. From the questions you have been asking, it appears that you didn't get a set of Plans for that forge in the pictures. So----- let's assume for a moment that you don't HAVE to have that exact design, but you do want something that works, and you don't want to spend a lot of money on it. Go to this link:
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0377.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0370.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0350.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0348.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0397.jpg
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Sorry, I pushed the wrong button------ Here's the rest of it:
Okay, let's start all over. Tell me if I'm off base and I will stop, but it seems that you want to build a forge that will work for you, a begining blacksmith. You have been to a training class and want to get going yourself. From the questions you have been asking, it appears that you didn't get a set of Plans for that forge in the pictures. So----- let's assume for a moment that you don't HAVE to have that exact design, but you do want something that works, and you don't want to spend a lot of money on it. Go to this link: http://www.anvilfire.com/21centbs/forges/brkdrum1.htm It shows how to construct the basic "brake drum forge". Even if you don't build it, or if you modify that design to your liking,you will learn a lot about what you DO need from just reading the article. And, the parts should be readily available.
Now that I think about it, that forge is similar to forges used in Africa, where they just build two side shields out of clay (actually ant hill material) and feed the air from a bag made from goat or dog skin in from one side through a river-clay pipe (the "tue-iron" or "Tuyere".
DO keep asking questions of this group. There is a lot of expertise here and you sound like the kind of person we want to support as you grow into this craft, Pete Stanaitis ------------------------------
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0377.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0370.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0350.jpg
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/Cyprosss/?action=view&current=IMG_0348.jpg
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Yep African forges are pretty simple, basically a forge is something that holds your fuel and has an air blast supplied.
A hole in the backyard with a pipe supplying air is probably the simplest forge I can think of.
Wayne Goddards $50 Knife Shop is a good book to get for a burgeoning smith :-) It also outlines the 1 brick forge which is a cheap gas forge.
Regards Charles
spaco wrote:

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When I googled "brake drum forge" I got 1120 hits. Do look around on the web for different forge designs. There's a lot of material available to you.
Pete Stanaitis -------------
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ok thanks so much everyone spaco thanks for the link i enjoy links cause im a step by step guy and you guys will probably be hearing alot more questions from me lol
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