We built a wood fired forge.

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Tirediron

Tirediron

Seasoned HillBilly
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Rural western Canada, Sunrise side of the Rockies
a couple of years ago my nephew and I built a wood fired forge, using materials that were handy, it went together fairly easily, and works fairly well, we never got it hot enough to forge weld, but the flip side of that is you don't burn the carbon out of you iron if you leave it in too long, my favorite thing is the lack of toxic smoke. we used aspen, I know not even remotely the best wood for heat, but it is clean.
 
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A few years back I was looking for coal to forge weld with. I'm in northern mi, not exactly coal country. I called a old blacksmith from the western upper peninsula to see if he had any suggestions. He told me there is a coal yard in Green Bay Wisconsin. He also mentioned his father was a blacksmith for the logging companies back in the early 1900s. His dad used hemlock bark to weld with. I have never tried it but if enough hemlock bark comes along I will try it. Hemlock bark works great to make a purpilish brown dye and to cook on.
 
It is difficult to forge weld using coal. Charcoal works better and Propane is a dream.
 
Tirediron said:
Lady Locust, nice Forge pics, I have a hossfield iron bender too
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My goal is to one day find him a nice swage block. The mandrel was a fun find.

randyt said:
one thing about coal, not all coal is created equal
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I said coal (oops) he uses lump charcoal. And you are very right - some of it 'spits', some doesn't want to burn, and whatever other issues are possible.
 
hiwall, that looks like an interesting piece of equipment, my only concern would be that it appears to have a worm gear to overdrive the blower fan, that could be a high wear point, and of course it might not be worm at all, just what it looks like in the pictures. the price seems very good.
 
LadyLocust said:
Me thinks you are a pretty clever sort - have you considered making your own and just purchase the blower? Not sure if the cost/price would be worth the hassle.
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Yes, I have thought about making my own. I know I can, but you see, I am getting lazy :) so I might just buy one.
Also I wonder if my money will be worth much a year or two from now. I freely admit my wife and I are really being more free with our money now compared to our lifetime of frugal living.
But some habits are hard to break so I might just stop in at a junk yard and buy an old brake drum and make my own forge.
We'll see and I might just not have a forge because I feel I am getting a little old to be slinging a big hammer all day.

Our youngest son just got a gift of 20 hours of one-on-one teaching from a well established blacksmith in his area. He is really excited. His first class is the 28th.
 
hiwall said:
Yes, I have thought about making my own. I know I can, but you see, I am getting lazy :) so I might just buy one.
Also I wonder if my money will be worth much a year or two from now. I freely admit my wife and I are really being more free with our money now compared to our lifetime of frugal living.
But some habits are hard to break so I might just stop in at a junk yard and buy an old brake drum and make my own forge.
We'll see and I might just not have a forge because I feel I am getting a little old to be slinging a big hammer all day.

Our youngest son just got a gift of 20 hours of one-on-one teaching from a well established blacksmith in his area. He is really excited. His first class is the 28th.
Click to expand...
That is quite the gift!
 
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