My forge build.....WIP......it's going to take a while!

J

jaxxas

Well-Known Member
Trying to do a WIP of my new forge build. It's going to be a 30# propane tank with a blown single burner.

I bought a near new but decommissioned 30# propane tank from a propane dealer. He said it had some issues, I told him that would be fine as I also have issues. $20


The paint was new or fresh, really tenacious powder coat. I tried a couple brands of stripper and oven cleaner but it wasn't budging. Angle grinder wire wheel worked but it was kinda of smearing. So I stuck it in the back yard and went after it with a weed burning torch. Skip my dog wasn't too happy to say the least!


Tank in it's burnt state...
drive.google.com

burnt.jpg

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Tank after wire brushing
drive.google.com

wire brushed.jpg

drive.google.com drive.google.com


Pretty sure I have most of the materials I need to continue the build except time....

Will post more as I can.....
 
jaxxas said:
Trying to do a WIP of my new forge build. It's going to be a 30# propane tank with a blown single burner.

I bought a near new but decommissioned 30# propane tank from a propane dealer. He said it had some issues, I told him that would be fine as I also have issues. $20


The paint was new or fresh, really tenacious powder coat. I tried a couple brands of stripper and oven cleaner but it wasn't budging. Angle grinder wire wheel worked but it was kinda of smearing. So I stuck it in the back yard and went after it with a weed burning torch. Skip my dog wasn't too happy to say the least!


Tank in it's burnt state...
drive.google.com

burnt.jpg

drive.google.com drive.google.com



Tank after wire brushing
drive.google.com

wire brushed.jpg

drive.google.com drive.google.com


Pretty sure I have most of the materials I need to continue the build except time....

Will post more as I can.....
Click to expand...
I never thought about burning the old paint off. Following with interest
 
Wayne Coe said:
Check out the Build a Gas Forge and the Ribbon Burner attachments on the Forge Supplies page at www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com.

Let me know if I can help you.

You really might want to consider a Ribbon Burner.
Click to expand...

Thanks Wayne! I've probably read over your site more times than you have!

I briefly considered a ribbon forge but then decided on a blown forge based on extended reading of this site as well as others. Just simpler to my way of thinking and I'm better off advancing slowly! The ribbon burners continue to fascinate me and I will probably graduate to one sometime in the future.
 
jaxxas said:
Trying to do a WIP of my new forge build. It's going to be a 30# propane tank with a blown single burner.

I bought a near new but decommissioned 30# propane tank from a propane dealer. He said it had some issues, I told him that would be fine as I also have issues. $20


The paint was new or fresh, really tenacious powder coat. I tried a couple brands of stripper and oven cleaner but it wasn't budging. Angle grinder wire wheel worked but it was kinda of smearing. So I stuck it in the back yard and went after it with a weed burning torch. Skip my dog wasn't too happy to say the least!


Tank in it's burnt state...
drive.google.com

burnt.jpg

drive.google.com drive.google.com



Tank after wire brushing
drive.google.com

wire brushed.jpg

drive.google.com drive.google.com


Pretty sure I have most of the materials I need to continue the build except time....

Will post more as I can.....
Click to expand...

o_O

You have a dog named "Skip," too?!
75608F51-8BED-42B9-A977-43C921EC54D9.jpeg
 
What are the rings for? You sure gonna have a NICE looking forge with all the prep work you're doing. I'll be following this thread.
 
The rings will tack onto the main body and the two end caps will (hopefully) recess into them.

Thanks Ken!
 
Shucks, I wasn't even thinking about using the ends for doors. That will work just fine. What I did was leave the "front" end open for ease of lining the forge. I use firebricks for the end doors. Your forge is going to be a cadillac compared to my forge. What size burner tubes are you planning? OR, have you got that far yet?
 
Oh I will be using firebricks for the end doors, I just want both end caps removable for relining too.Not sure about a Cadillac, maybe a Yugo! :(

I'm going for 1.5" burner tubes, sound about right?
 
A bit more progress today...

Made the base or cradle...top view....
drive.google.com

base or cradle.jpg

drive.google.com drive.google.com

The center notch allows clearance for the factory weld around the circumference of the tank. The 8 slots are for the large hose clamps I plan to secure the forge to the cradle with. The holes on each of the four ends are to be used to bolt the cradle to my yet to be built forge cart.


Underside view of the cradle. I tacked some 3/8" hot rolled between the slots so as not to have too sharp a transition with the hose clamps...
drive.google.com

bottom of cradle.jpg

drive.google.com drive.google.com


Just a shot of the bottom clearance between the tank and the cradle....
drive.google.com

cradle bottom clearance.jpg

drive.google.com drive.google.com

A bit of warp in the cross bars, not too bad, I think when I bolt it down it will pull it out, if not there's always the torch!


And finally I got the rings tacked on the main tank body....
drive.google.com

rings tacked on.jpg

drive.google.com drive.google.com


The next update may be a few days as I have a bunch of personal hooey to take care of, life always get's in the way!
 
Looking good.

That's a very good question about burner size. Some folks have recommended 1.5" burner pipe, and on a different size a knowledgeable perhaps recommended a 1" pipe. I wound up using a 2" for the blower section to the 90 degree fitting, then a 1-1/4" pipe for the final burner tube. Which blower do you plan? I used this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071NQDNRK/ for $78 when I ordered it Nov, 2019.
 
So you are happy with your 1.25" burner? More than adequate for forging? Your burner is just straight pipe? No special orifices?

Well at this point I guess I will stick to the 1.5" burner as I have the materials. Unfortunately or fortunately (depending) a friend of mine gave me a little Dayton electric blower with a 2" opening, so I have a bell reducer from 2" to 1.5" that goes through to the burner. I understand that it's the wrong blower per conventional wisdom but I'll just re-work the blower end when it craps out or proves inadequate. At this point I'm doubting myself, beginning to wish I had geared up for one like yours. I definitely plan on a single 90 deg elbow.

So a question on the forge lining. I plan on 2 layers of kao-wool then coating with castable and then finally with the ITC 100. Do you rigidize both layers of kao-wool separately on only once in the dual layer form? I have a 55# bag of castable and if I end up with a roughly 6"x6" chamber I'm a happy camper.
 
Ed is the real expert here, his health might be preventing him from chiming in just yet on the forge build. Ed really helped me with my build. Here are a couple of threads on my forge build, the first thread has lots of older info, but Ed has given me LOTS of good advice in this thread.
https://knifedogs.com/threads/forge-question.50521/

This next thread shows what I wound up building. The pipe from blower to 90 is 2", while from 90 to forge is 1-1/4" pipe. Yes, your 1.5" should be just fine, I think that was Ed's recommendation.
https://knifedogs.com/threads/new-forge.50681/

Only use the rigidizer on the final layer. You mention "castable" - which are you using? Kast-o-Lite or a different castable? My understanding is koawool next to metal (1 or 2 layers, doesn't matter), with Kast-o-Lite (or other castable) that builds up perhaps 1/4" or so, maybe even less? Then a final coat of ITC-100 that's a thin layer - paint coast thin.

A good source is http://hightemptools.com/castablerefractory.html and the FAQ http://hightemptools.com/faq.html has lots of good info

You gonna LOVE the new forge.
 
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jaxxas said:
No special orifices?
Click to expand...
I forgot to comment on the orifice.

I currently am using a .070" size orifice in the nipple with tip located about mid point of the 2" blower tube. I removed the needle valve and adjust the flame with gas pressure and blower choke. With closed blower choke and about 5 psig it holds fairly well in the 2,000F to 2,050F range. Open blower chock and crank gas pressure up to 7 or 8 PSIG it will exceed 2400F easy. I just did this other day and still need to play more with forge welding temps. I did some forging yesterday is why I can comment on the 2,000F settings.

My first setup was using a needle valve to adjust flame with an 1/8" nipple injecting gas at edge of 2" blower pipe. That works good also, but decided I'd try the orifice in an attempt to get better gas/air mixing. It seems putting the gas thru the orifice under pressure into mid blower pipe gets better mixing that I was before. I'm not prepared to say which is best, either way works good. My burner was made using stuff in scrap pile so I didn't have to purchase anything for burner. I'm cheap that way {g}
 
Last edited:
KenH said:
Ed is the real expert here, his health might be preventing him from chiming in just yet on the forge build. Ed really helped me with my build. Here are a couple of threads on my forge build, the first thread has lots of older info, but Ed has given me LOTS of good advice in this thread.
https://knifedogs.com/threads/forge-question.50521/

This next thread shows what I wound up building. The pipe from blower to 90 is 2", while from 90 to forge is 1-1/4" pipe. Yes, your 1.5" should be just fine, I think that was Ed's recommendation.
https://knifedogs.com/threads/new-forge.50681/

Only use the rigidizer on the final layer. You mention "castable" - which are you using? Kast-o-Lite or a different castable? My understanding is koawool next to metal (1 or 2 layers, doesn't matter), with Kast-o-Lite (or other castable) that builds up perhaps 1/4" or so, maybe even less? Then a final coat of ITC-100 that's a thin layer - paint coast thin.

A good source is http://hightemptools.com/castablerefractory.html and the FAQ http://hightemptools.com/faq.html has lots of good info

You gonna LOVE the new forge.
Click to expand...


Thanks Ken, lots of good info there, take me a bit to assimilate! :)
 
KenH said:
I forgot to comment on the orifice.

I currently am using a .070" size orifice in the nipple with tip located about mid point of the 2" blower tube. I removed the needle valve and adjust the flame with gas pressure and blower choke. With closed blower choke and about 5 psig it holds fairly well in the 2,000F to 2,050F range. Open blower chock and crank gas pressure up to 7 or 8 PSIG it will exceed 2400F easy. I just did this other day and still need to play more with forge welding temps. I did some forging yesterday is why I can comment on the 2,000F settings.

My first setup was using a needle valve to adjust flame with an 1/8" nipple injecting gas at edge of 2" blower pipe. That works good also, but decided I'd try the orifice in an attempt to get better gas/air mixing. It seems putting the gas thru the orifice under pressure into mid blower pipe gets better mixing that I was before. I'm not prepared to say which is best, either way works good. My burner was made using stuff in scrape pipe so I didn't have to purchase anything for burner. I'm cheap that way {g}
Click to expand...

I think at this point I'm going for straight injection as I think I have all the parts required. A question why did you inject through a tee? Wouldn't the gas have more time thus better mixture by injecting right above the blower?

I've been noodling on the burner and have a half baked idea of ovalizing the the burner and its support tube. Thinking maybe it would give better coverage in the forge? I don't know? It keeps popping up over and over in my head. Anybody ever did an oval burner? Any results or thoughts?
 
Worked a little on the forge today. Didn't get a lot done today though I did cut my kaowool to size, nice to get the ugly stuff out of the way. No pics but I can do that later. My burner support tube is galvanized so I have that soaking in vinegar to strip the zinc, going to give it 18 hours or so to do it's stuff. Tomorrow I'll try to wizard out where and how that's going to fit. But if I decide to try an ovalized blower all bets are off.
 
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