my first small garden forge

[Paddytray]

started with a cast iron bbq like this one
£15
http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/bbqs/landmann-cast-iron-round-charcoal-bbq.asp

brought a big tub of Refractory cement as I'm going to line my outside fire/bbq as well as the cast iron Bbq
£34.97
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230856477436?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I won this ladle
£0.99 + £2.20 postage & packaging
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330841162645?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

coated the inside of the bbq leaving a hole for the intake of air.
And as this perticular bbq has a sliding air door already I just made sure its track was kept clean.
And coated the rest with a good 1 .5 inch of cement all round .
Except for the 2 screw holes at the top for the cast iron neck/top .
I got everything tidy and left it till lunch to slowly harden some .
Then i put the screws in place bolted end up and filled the voids.
Returned this evening to see how it's going and cleaned it up a little checking it all over .
See how it looks in the morning .
This is my first attempt Let me know how I'm doing as I'm clueless and just playing with this

 

[the interceptor boy]

is the handle wood or hard plastic?
cheers the interceptor boy.

 

[Paddytray]

wooden . this isn't the finished article , there's a cast iron neck to go back on .
Why my friend can you see a error ?

 

[oldtimer]

I hope you post more as you progress. My daughter-in-law has taken up smithing and wants to set up her own forge and workshop.

 

[Dave Budd]

difficult to tell from the picture, but I think you have the pot way too deep and the lining doesn't look very thick. Where is the air coming in?

be interesting to see how it works

 

[Paddytray]

thank you i will However i've never done this before and I'm mearly trying my luck based on what Ive read on here . I want to do some glass smelting and molding . recycling our old bottles etc. followed by knife making , tool making . on a larger forge.

ALL ADVICE WELCOME / NEEDED

 

[Paddytray]

air comes in at the front and will be fed by hair dryer and there is approx 1.5" of lining cement . Will I be needing more Dave ? .

 

[abominable_scouse_monster]

difficult to tell from the picture, but I think you have the pot way too deep and the lining doesn't look very thick. Where is the air coming in?

be interesting to see how it works

Dave at the moment I am using a pair of large dog bowls and the heat section has about 15mm of this stuff and seems to be holding up well to the heat not perfectly but very well for version 2 I an the one I am going to be doing a tutorial for I am going to do about a 1in coating. my Goal is forge for £15 the most costly bit is the thermal Cement.

 

[Paddytray]

here is a few more pictures after I've had to fill in a few gaps and clean off a bit of excess .
I plan to bolt it together again then coat another layer of Refractory cement this time coating the inner rim of the neck.
And making the base a bit thicker.

how's it looking ?

 

[Dave Budd]

do you have a grate that fits in above the pot? if not then you've basically made a furnace that may work OK for heating a crucible but you'll burn an awful lot of fuel to heat a piece of metal for forging. It's tricky to tell from photos though

 

[Paddytray]

Thanks for helping me with this Dave :You_Rock_.


how's she looking

 

[Paddytray]

 

[Paddytray]

I gave it a good burn with just coals to make sure the cement had set without further cracks .
then loaded it back up for a heat test .
I put 3 bottles of broken glass in the ladle and left it for a hour or so .
the glaas had melted till running and red but I can see some changes are needed.
I'm going to direct the air fow a little diffrently by addding more cement to the base causing a funnle straight up to the fuel.
Also I think i'll shorten the air supply funnel hopefully that will raise the temperature a little higher.
can and one point me to a good source of decent coals (hampshire u.k ?)
or help direct me with this build ?

 

[Angst]

yo...cant help with coals sorry m8 but i am watching this keenly as i intend to do this myself at some point...Sir Daves fault, fell in love with it all at last years W.G. Seeings i'm just down the road i'll let you come round and build me one when youve mastered it lolol!

respect,

a

I gave it a good burn with just coals to make sure the cement had set without further cracks .
then loaded it back up for a heat test .
I put 3 bottles of broken glass in the ladle and left it for a hour or so .
the glaas had melted till running and red but I can see some changes are needed.
I'm going to direct the air fow a little diffrently by addding more cement to the base causing a funnle straight up to the fuel.
Also I think i'll shorten the air supply funnel hopefully that will raise the temperature a little higher.
can and one point me to a good source of decent coals (hampshire u.k ?)
or help direct me with this build ?

 

[Paddytray]

Ha ha . If only I can master it . I'm. A complete beginner myself. Hopefully this will be a successful venture.
If not I've got a empty gas bottle a tub of refractory cement a gasman in the family and a angle grinder. So I'll just try again

 

[Dave Budd]

good work, sounds like you're getting somewhere with it

Adjusting the angle of tuyere may help, but its such a small area inside the fire pot I doubt it will make any real difference (niether will shortenting the pipe, unless you have very little pressure to begin with). What are you using for fuel? You say 'coals', which to me refers to embers from any fuel source. Charcoal will be your best bet and in a small furnace like that maybe break it into 1/2"- 1" lumps, that way you have lots of surface area to get oxygen to and there will be less wasted (cool) space between pieces and whatever you are heating.

I described it as afurnace rather than a forge because that's what it looks more like in the pictures. The only real difference is that a fuirnace is normally deeper than a forge and you use it for melting stuff Any chance of some pictures of it in use, preferably from a bit further away so we can get some perspective of the wholeset up?

Seriously though, it's looking good and I reckon the project has legs


Angst, You will have to get yerself down to my place for a course some time Lots of different forges to see and play with (I think I'm up to 7 forges and a couple of furnaces at present! All get used for different things)

 

[woodspirits]

PT, exellent stuff mate i know absolutely nothing about smithing, but i admire your perseverance.

 

[Angst]

yo....i will do dave....thats a definite...just as soon as my son stops eating all my money i'll be there....as long as i can nick loads of your oak, ride on ya tractor and stroke ya keyring!!! we'll have to try and organise something with c da c too! though dont let him near me with anything hot....the mans a liability lolol!

Angst, You will have to get yerself down to my place for a course some time Lots of different forges to see and play with (I think I'm up to 7 forges and a couple of furnaces at present! All get used for different things)

 

[Paddytray]

good work, sounds like you're getting somewhere with it

Adjusting the angle of tuyere may help, but its such a small area inside the fire pot I doubt it will make any real difference (niether will shortenting the pipe, unless you have very little pressure to begin with). What are you using for fuel? You say 'coals', which to me refers to embers from any fuel source. Charcoal will be your best bet and in a small furnace like that maybe break it into 1/2"- 1" lumps, that way you have lots of surface area to get oxygen to and there will be less wasted (cool) space between pieces and whatever you are heating.

I described it as afurnace rather than a forge because that's what it looks more like in the pictures. The only real difference is that a fuirnace is normally deeper than a forge and you use it for melting stuff Any chance of some pictures of it in use, preferably from a bit further away so we can get some perspective of the wholeset up?

Seriously though, it's looking good and I reckon the project has legs


Angst, You will have to get yerself down to my place for a course some time Lots of different forges to see and play with (I think I'm up to 7 forges and a couple of furnaces at present! All get used for different things)

I was thinking that i needed bituminous coal although i ran it on house fire coals because i cant find bituminous coal atm .
to be honest I know p** all even had to stop and think about what level to put the coals .
I'm just trying to inspire my kids a little and learn something myself while I recycle our wasted bottles and cans etc .
Hoping to make myself some palm chisels and maybe some knives for my boys .
Possibly smelt some glass molds of our hands joined together few orniments etc.
I love to tinker and do things and throw myself in learn as I go even if it c**ks up .
Its all a learning curve !.
Thank you Woodspirits You & me are in the same boat then lol .
Dave one day the kids will let me out of there sight and I'd love to go on one of your courses The Blade I got from yourself will have a handle soon as I get 5mins .
Ive brought some copper sheet 1mm i was thinking of using as a layer then camel bone that I have in my man cave followed by some nice wood that i'm yet to harvest & give that a go too lol all these hobbies THANK YOU BCUK

 

[Dave Budd]

making c**k ups is exactly how I have learnt, so I can't knock it (though learning from others' mistakes does help shorten the learning curve). Give up on coal completely mate, its messy, smelly and we don't really have much of the good bitumous stuff in this country. You can use anthracite (small house coal) but again, its messy and nasty. Also, if you are going to start playing with glass then the gases given off will cause you problems with the glass.

Your best bet is charcoal,proper lumpwood NOT briquettes. Coke as sold for blacksmithing is what most of us use in modern forges, but it requires a fan not bellows to burn. Coke is fairly clean (compaired to coal!) and cheaper than charcoal, but get what you can find between the two.

Looking forward to seeing the knife finished too