Heat forge

Rey

Well-Known Member
I have a round heat forge lined with ceramic and coated with refractory cement hot bricks on bottom. Question: is it better to use a round forge or the square type?. I was told that a round forge with the burners at the inside edge will not cause steel to be unevenly heated thus causing hot spots that can mess up carbon on steel or alloys as the other forges do with the burners at the center of forge. Comments?...............Rey:
 
Ray
You want a round forge because you want the swirling fire to evenly heat the steel.Square forges have hot spots that don't matter when making horseshoes or other iron work,but not what you want for knife steel.
Stan
 
Thanks for the comments gentlemen, and that's a great tutorial Indian George many thanks everyone. Rey
 
Super Swirl

Ray
You want a round forge because you want the swirling fire to evenly heat the steel.Square forges have hot spots that don't matter when making horseshoes or other iron work,but not what you want for knife steel.
Stan
Don't underestimate the swirl effect! When I made my first forge the angle of the flame was all wrong. The flame blasted the opposite wall creating one big hot spot. I had to to remount the torch but once I got the flame to roll around the chamber it was a thing of beauty. I can literally throw a blade in any place in the forge and the heat is evenly distributed.
 
I have a round vertical forge, works pretty good but was thinking about a square one, now not sure I need to look at how my flame comes out and I think I may be running to hot, I actually dont see the flame rowing but my opening for the flame is at the bottom of the forge (mind you not complaining cause was lucky a friend gave it to me for free)
 
I have a round vertical forge, works pretty good but was thinking about a square one, now not sure I need to look at how my flame comes out and I think I may be running to hot, I actually dont see the flame rowing but my opening for the flame is at the bottom of the forge (mind you not complaining cause was lucky a friend gave it to me for free)

If the gas is rolling and combustion is good you probably wont notice the swirl to much but if it is not you will know right away by the multicolored interior at full heat. At least that has been my observation.
 
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