having a bash at a homemade forge...

[PaulSanderson]

Hi guys...I am thinking of trying my hand at making a small forge, and was just wondering if this small beer keg would be up to the job. There are no indications what it is made of so I was wondering if anyone has made a forge with this kind of thing?? It was once used to hold about 10 pints of ale so its not on e of the bigger, heavier kegs...many thanks...

 

[Dave Budd]

assuming it is steel and not aluminium, then yes you could turn it into a small forge. Are you thinking solid fuel or gas? would work either way, there are lots of pics online for inspiration

 

[PaulSanderson]

hi dave, thanks for the advice. i was thinking solid fuel, then fitting an airline into the bottom to acheive temperature. The walls of the keg are relativly thin, say 1.5/2mm max, is this sufficient? cheers...

 

[Everything Mac]

Hi Paul. I had one of these left over at a party last year. I considered using it as a forge but made it into a stove in the end.


I think it would work pretty well. I think they are steel but don't quote me on that.


All the best
Andy

 

[PaulSanderson]

hi andy...

a stove will be what the next one will be turned into...just the job of emptying it! oh well...

how is your stove holding up to the heat?

cheers,
Paul.

 

[NathanG]

hi paul,

ive made a forge out of a cylinder very much like this and it works very well with charcoal. what i did was cut it in the middle length ways and then put the two back together with a hinge on one side, much like a barbecue. Then i drilled a hole in the bottom half big enough to accept a 2 inch pipe which i had drilled holes in, the pipe went right the way to the end of the keg and stuck out the front about 12 inches. I built up fire cement underneath the pipe and up around the sides to hold the heat in and stop it buirning though the sides, i went for a sort of rounded "v" shape on the inside. then leave it overnight to dry and light a small fire inside it to help it dry out.

it worked really well! i gave it to my friend as a birtthday present, i'll see if he can get some photos for you.

nathan

 

[Everything Mac]

hi andy...

a stove will be what the next one will be turned into...just the job of emptying it! oh well...

how is your stove holding up to the heat?

cheers,
Paul.

Only used it a few times. My nephew tends to play with it, so it gets all sorts put in there. I put a pipe in the hole at the bottom to act as a chimney. Then cut the top off.

It copes with the heat perfectly well as far as I can see. It is back in Dorset so no pics I'm afraid.

All the best
Andy

 

[Dave Budd]

the hot bit of the fire will be concentrated in the middle of the vessel, so it should be OK from that point of view. Just build the bed from something refractory like castable refractory from a pottery kiln suppliers, clay with ash/sand in it, etc. The tuyere is the most likely bit to burn away forst since it is in direct contact with high temperatures and excess oxygen, but they are always consumable.

 

[PaulSanderson]

thanks for all the advice...pics would be most appreciated!

 

[ickyan]

for a simple forge a biscuit tin or bbq would work
personally i would make a wood burner
however there may be a good way to make it into a forge

 

[Whittler Kev]

hi paul,

ive made a forge out of a cylinder very much like this and it works very well with charcoal. what i did was cut it in the middle length ways and then put the two back together with a hinge on one side, much like a barbecue. Then i drilled a hole in the bottom half big enough to accept a 2 inch pipe which i had drilled holes in, the pipe went right the way to the end of the keg and stuck out the front about 12 inches. I built up fire cement underneath the pipe and up around the sides to hold the heat in and stop it buirning though the sides, i went for a sort of rounded "v" shape on the inside. then leave it overnight to dry and light a small fire inside it to help it dry out.

it worked really well! i gave it to my friend as a birtthday present, i'll see if he can get some photos for you.

nathan

Is the "lid" to keep the heat in as I like to see the steel while it's heating, or so it looks better when not in use?

 

[gregor-scott]

read this thread then made it myself, really easy to make. different type to the one you want to make but thought it may be of interest.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65368&highlight=two+brick+forge+spoon+cement+gas