Coal Forge

Jerry Bond

Well-Known Member
I want to make a coal forge out of an old 100# propane bottle. Cut apro
10" off of the bottom, put a pc of pipe in the bottom and fill around it with red clay. The top of the clay will be hollowed down apro 4" Rig up a small fan
with an off/on switch.
Now my question is--What is the safest way to prepair the tank to cut it with a A/O torch? Don't want to get blown away.
Jerry
 
Look at my thread in the tutorials about building a gas forge. The thread is about building a gas forge but it tells about cutting a propane bottle. That is not the way I would suggest building a coal forge but..... Come to the Tannehill conference in Alabama September 10-12 and see about picking up a forge at the tail gate sales and enjoy a good conference too. I will have the Knife Dogs Hospitality Tent set up.
 
Jerry, if you'll quit tryin to take the lazy way out, I'll give ya a good deal on an old "Champion" hand crank blower for your coal forge. Of course, I have no idea why you want a coal forge. You have a gas one. Tryin to re-live the old days, aren't ya?
 
Yeah Murph, them good old days were the best. I would say a lot about them but its too much typing and my typing finger would run hot--Jerry

BTW that hand blower sounds good, think up something you would like to trade.
 
Jerry, if you'll quit tryin to take the lazy way out, I'll give ya a good deal on an old "Champion" hand crank blower for your coal forge. Of course, I have no idea why you want a coal forge. You have a gas one. Tryin to re-live the old days, aren't ya?

ahhh if he dont want it I take it!!!

hehhahahaahaaaaaa


I need a gas forge
 
I think that you would have a bit of a problem with an abobe liner with a coal forge; it might not hold up to having clinkers moved around in it. Most coal forges that I've seen are unlined, which shouldn't be a problem if the wall of the forge is thick enough. You might also need a steel table of some sort around the ducks nest to hold the green coal as it is coked before it is added to the main fire unless you plan to start off with coke anyway. It should be easy to rig a screen, and tuyere with a dump shoot to the bottom of the tank. Give us a picture when you're finished. I think most of us would like to see it.

Doug Lester
 
I think that you would have a bit of a problem with an abobe liner with a coal forge; it might not hold up to having clinkers moved around in it. Most coal forges that I've seen are unlined, which shouldn't be a problem if the wall of the forge is thick enough. You might also need a steel table of some sort around the ducks nest to hold the green coal as it is coked before it is added to the main fire unless you plan to start off with coke anyway. It should be easy to rig a screen, and tuyere with a dump shoot to the bottom of the tank. Give us a picture when you're finished. I think most of us would like to see it.

Doug Lester

Yeah, Doug,I plan on putting a cap With 1/4" holes in it on the air supply pipe then a grill over that. All this will be setting in box with a door on the bottom. All this[ about 4-5" high] will be packed with red clay leaving a 3-4" concave on top.
I grew up using one like this back in early 50's
Somehow, just seems like that's the way its suppose to be done. Anyway, will be fun-Jerry
 
Nother thing Doug, sometimes we burned oak or hickory. Took a lot of wood but it worked. Papas forge was bigger was made from an old barrel.
 
I envy you in a way. I tried my best to hang in there with a charcoal forge but I got tired of all the fire tending and not being able to actually see if I has heating the right spot. Gas is a lot easier to use but it's just not as appealing as a charcoal fire. I guess that I understand now about Ed Caffrey's comment in his knife forging video about having to burn a chunk of coal every so often just to get the smell. I almost chunked a piece of charcoal into my heat treating forge just to get a taste of the fire.

Doug Lester
 
Well, if I want to get something done ,than I have the gas forge. But on those mornings that I get up around 1 or2 am and there is nothing to do I can fire it up and make something, if nothing more than a screwdriver or chisel.
I'm out in the country and nobody cares how much noise I make.
Just getting old, I guess. Jerry
 
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