Forge types

Mark Andrews

Mark Andrews

Well-Known Member
Hi

I'm going to be building a new forge. I am not an expert so I am seeking advice on the two forges I am considering.

1. a basic round forge with a venturi burner

2. Vertical forge with ??? burner

I won't be using this for heat treating just for the forging process. I would just like to know the what most people
use and why. It will not be a big forge so I should be able to get by with one burner. I don't see damascus in my
near future because I have a lot of the basics to deal with for now.

Any advice would be helpfull. Thanks Mark
 
I have used a horizontal for several years but am building a vertical as we speak. As for the burner I am going blown.
 
Great questions. I too am looking at getting a forge. I personally am thinking about starting with the atlas mini from the midwest knife makers.
 
I have two horizontal forges. One is about 17" deep built in the body of a large mailbox. I started out using it as an all purpose forge but now it's used mainly for heat treating larger blades. My main forge is cast from castable refractory, Cast-O-Lite to be specific, and is only about 7" deep. I use it for all my forging and heat treating smaller blades. It sets in an metal frame and has pieces of Insboard as doors. Both have blown burners and pass through ports.

Doug
 
Thanks , Are the blown burners better on fuel and or get up to temp faster than venturi or is is a matter of taste ?
 
Blown burners are more adjustable. I find that my blown burners are are more fuel efficient also. Their down side is that they need a blower which means a source of electricity. They are also probably easier to obtain welding temperature with, though this also depends on the forge itself.

Doug
 
Well I just got done forging a small blade on my new and improved atlas forge. I bought the forge last year and after using it for a bit I started to get frustrated with the slow heats so I decided I was going to build a new forge. Well I got to thinking. Would be a shame to let the platform go to waste with the atlas as it is a compact little unit. So I gutted it of the soft fire brick and relined and coated it. Then I cut out the tube that held the burner enlarged it a bit and put a Shorty hybrid Rex burner in it and now I know what it feels like to move metal with proper heat. I will say the burner may be a bit over kill for this small unit but I bought enough material to do one slighty bigger when I feel I have the time. I am pretty happy with the way things worked out.
 
Keep the space being heated as small as you can. Small spaces are quicker to heat cheaper to heat and easier to control. The more you insulate the cheaper the fuel bill.

Just my 2cents.
 
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