Hello, my little blacksmiths, today we’ll talk about the main part of the forge, that is, the forge. It is here that the workpiece is heated to the required temperature before forging, hardening or other heat treatment operations. And our forge, by the way, is capable of producing up to 1100 degrees Celsius! We will use coal as fuel. The forge will be easy to both make and use.
Needed to make a forge
So, we will need:Fire brick. I used red and fireclay. In total you need about 12 bricks.
- Fireclay fireclay. You can find it in a hardware store, and it is usually used when laying stoves. I bought forty kg of fireclay three years ago, and this package will last me for a long time.
- Steel pipe with a diameter of 2-6 cm.
- Construction sand.
- Steel plate, approximately 20 cm by 15 cm and 4-8 mm thick.
Making a forge
Down Cam
Air will circulate in it and ash will also accumulate. A chamber of eight red bricks is laid out in two rows. Moreover, in the second, it is necessary to leave space for the pipe. We insert the pipe at an angle, and cover all the cracks with fireclay from the inside and outside.
As for fireclay, we dilute it with sand 1:1 and water. Knead the clay until it reaches the following condition. You need to roll a small ball, put it on one palm, and start pressing it with the other. Cracks should appear when it is squeezed halfway. Fireclay clay is already quite cheap (I bought a forty kg bag for about 300 rubles), but in principle, ordinary clay, which can be found, for example, near rivers, is also suitable. All the same, the fireclay will crumble over time due to temperatures, and the furnace will have to be covered again.
On top of the lower chamber we place a steel plate in which lines were cut with a grinder through which air will be supplied. And again we cover everything with fireclay.
Main camera
It will be laid out of only two fireclay bricks. I deliberately made this forge narrow, since I have to work with long and narrow workpieces. The width of the forge, as you understand, can be adjusted. All cracks between the bricks must be covered with fireclay so that the precious heat is retained as long as possible.
The remaining bricks – the back wall and the “roof” – will be removable, which allows you to work with different types of forgings.
The air supply is carried out by a Soviet vacuum cleaner. A bag is taped to its back side, and a hose is attached to the bag, which is inserted into the forge pipe.
Using the forge
To light the forge, I use wood shavings, wood chips, or just paper. I set them on fire, pour coal on top and turn on the vacuum cleaner. Also, if your forge is located outdoors, then the forge should be covered with something from the rain.
I have used the forge to melt non-ferrous metals - aluminum cans, brass plumbing faucets, and even some coins (the ones that are not magnetic are made of non-ferrous metals, like brass).
Nor, of course, forging. I have already forged pincers and several blades.
Also, if you also decide to learn this difficult craft, and I would even say art, then I advise you to get some kind of apron. The first time I forged in only shorts, and something hot, for example, scale, was constantly flying into my body.
Well, here is the forge in all its glory:
