I cant even imagine doing a 2 ft blade let alone anything longer. My specialty is hunting knives or knives for meat production and for that I have length and to spare in this forge.Never say never. As soon as you don't think you will need that rear port, you are going to need that rear port.
When i bought my first CNC mill I agonized over buying the rigid tap option...allows you to put a tap in a collet and tap like a maniac....I was tight on money...but eventually went for it....it was a few thousand upgrade....The second job I got in the shop had many tapped holes per part...I went from feeling like a spend-thrift to having amazing insight the day i quoted that job....lol.Never say never. As soon as you don't think you will need that rear port, you are going to need that rear port.
That is a beauty. I’d like one like tha sitting in my shop. I suspect it’s going to like propane.I got the ports welded in today but when I went to assemble the gas hoses etc it was to find that I have been sent the wrong parts so I got in touch with the supplier in Australia and he is sending the correct parts over with this weeks delivery I should get them about friday next week.
Not necessarily so OP. My preent one has a hinged heavy steel plate over the rear opening but it is always closed. There does need to be some free opening at the front though but that is controlled by the fire brick that I use to close off the heat loss.