Metal Forge

[Caveman]

I need a little help with a how to on making a cost efficient, homemade forge. I need some sort of blueprint on how to make one at home, any ideas?

[radius]

you tube it...lotsa stuff

[radius]

http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=CfkppiIxztg&feature=related

[nugget]

There is a video out by Tim Livley I think that shows how to make a forge out of an old washtub and some kitty litter or clay. Takes like a day to make it but works great.

[nugget]

Youu could also make one out of an old grill.

[boo]

Nuggets right, the washtub forge is easy to make and very cheep also. My first forge was in the ground using lung power, wasnt to bad. My second and favorite to date was the washtub forge with a hair dryer for air. I gave mine away after i bought a gas forge and a real blacksmith coal forge, but still wish i still had mine. been thinking about making another, Hands down the best forge for knife making you could have. You can make your own charcoal or you can just burn scrap wood, just let it turn to charcoal first. Ill see if i can find a picture and post it here.

[boo]

This is it.Lowes sells the tubs, Just add a air source to the pipe and you have it. If you have any questions let me know.

[Caveman]

What all does your forge consist of? I see the washtub, a pipe of some sort with holes drilled in it(for air I assume) what is the white stuff? It looks like concrete. Clarify if you can.

[boo]

The insulating material is clay. I use the cheapest cat litter i can buy and mix with water to make clay. You can also use wood ashes to to the same thing, its just not as sturdy. Pore a bag of cat litter in a five gallon bucket and add water (a little at a time) till you get a semi thick slurry that is smooth. If you can, order Tim's video. He shows how to make one form start to finish.

[Bob-Hur]

Squire Boone (Daniel's brother) was a blacksmith by trade, and a traveling blacksmith at times - on horseback. When I asked our local 18thC expert how he did it, he said Squire carried a few tools, maybe a hammer or two and a pair of tongs. He would find a place with a fairly consistent wind and dig a narrow trench with a funneling flare on the windward end, roof it using the sod he'd removed, and build a fire at the downwind end. Find a big rock for an anvil and he was open for business. Of course, he was working with wrought iron and his work didn't have to be pretty, just functional.

That's about as cheap as you'll get, I think.

[Caveman]

Wouldn't the rock fracture when he struck the iron? How could make a primitive bellow? I may just go for the ground forge. Any ideas on how to smelt primitively? I know I ask alot of questions, but that's the only way to learn, ya'know?

[radius]

well questions yes, but also learn by doing, caveman!  Get in there and take some pics and show us what you come up with!

[Wiggy]

My forge cost me about $35 to make. It's not really "primitive" as we think about it though, but it is more primitive than most other forges.

The main body of it is a 16" aluminum feed pan, lined with adobe. There's a copper pipe, about two feet long, with a piece of pepsi can on one end so I can put my blower in (which is just a small hair blow dryer) and an elow on the other end, that goes up through the bottom of the feed pan and ends in a "t" section. The top of the "t" section has some holes drilled in it, and that makes up the tweer. The whole thing is set on a small stand made out of spare pieces of wood I had laying around. You can see it in action (along with a more primitive design that uses a trash bag as bellows) here;
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=60630824

You don't really need a "forge" as we usually think of it if you want to go really primitive with it. A hole in the ground with a fire in it, and a way to induce air into the fire is really all you need.

[rkeltner]

look up a book titled "the 50 dollar knife shop". there is extensive imformation on inexpensive forges and forging. there's a chapter on 'tribal' forging that talks about using large rocks for anvils....it seems they are better in some ways than iron anvils. go figure!

[Caveman]

My forge cost me about $35 to make. It's not really "primitive" as we think about it though, but it is more primitive than most other forges.

The main body of it is a 16" aluminum feed pan, lined with adobe. There's a copper pipe, about two feet long, with a piece of pepsi can on one end so I can put my blower in (which is just a small hair blow dryer) and an elow on the other end, that goes up through the bottom of the feed pan and ends in a "t" section. The top of the "t" section has some holes drilled in it, and that makes up the tweer. The whole thing is set on a small stand made out of spare pieces of wood I had laying around. You can see it in action (along with a more primitive design that uses a trash bag as bellows) here;
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=60630824

You don't really need a "forge" as we usually think of it if you want to go really primitive with it. A hole in the ground with a fire in it, and a way to induce air into the fire is really all you need.

That still leaves me with one question, which trees are the best conductors of electricity(for my hair dryer) lol!!! just messin with ya, I like the basic setup, and will be messaging you in the future