I am new to blacksmithing and have recently built a new forge(Pictures attached) the burner I bought on Ebay to help get higher temperature. The forge has Kaowool all around it except the top. I run the burner with 8-10 PSI and it takes 10 mins of cold steel to get to an orange temperature the max I can heat steel to(picture attached). So I have several questions:
Is they any way to get my forge hotter?
What PSI do you run your regulator at?
Do you only forge when steel is yellow meaning I shouldn't worry about getting my steel hotter?
How long does it take to heat steel to a yellow temperature in your forge?
Also any other tips?
Here is my forge burner: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Propane-Foundry-Kiln-with-Regulator-0-20-PSI-48-Hose-with-Forge-Burner-U-S/162583922905?hash=item25dac1c8d9:g:ducAAOSwqztZYmdk
Sorry for all the questions but I am new to blacksmithing and I need to work on hammering skills and I don't want to be wasting time not hitting hot enough steel. Any help would be much appreciated, Thank You!
Is they any way to get my forge hotter?
I see a lot of inefficient things with that forge. First, a "square" design on a forge tends to produce significant hot and cold spots. Particularity with the burner placement being what it is. I don't think that with that particular design/style that you'd gona do much better on heat.
Propane forges don't need to be tightly enclosed, in fact just the opposite....they need to "breath" to be efficient. However, they do need to be well insulated. That one is somewhat lacking.
I think the biggest issue I see in the pics is a burner that is undersized for the application. That's evident from the hot spot the pic shows, and how relatively cool the surrounding area is. There's also the fact that the front is wide open....you might try standing a fire brick upright on each side of that front, and sliding them together, leaving only enough open space to insert whatever you're working on.
I don't think fuel pressure is going to help much.....I think the burner is just too small for the interior area you're trying to heat. My mindset when it comes to burners for any forge is to always use larger then required...... you can always "dial" a burner down, but once you reach it's max output, you have nowhere you can go, except to a larger burner.
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
Thank you very much for your help, when I took those pictures I did have a leftover blanket of kaowool in front of the forge. I think it's primarily the burner and it's placement. However in your opinion should I try to fix the forge adding a new burner and replacing that small one or should I just buy a forge such as https://www.majesticforge.com/2-Burner-Knifemaker-Deluxe.html (Or another forge you recommend) as I am trying to have a very efficient forge.
If you're wanting an efficient bladesmithing forge, find or build one with a round design. "Square" forges will always produce hot and cold spots. What you have to realize about commercially available forges is that the majority of them are designed/built as cheaply as possible, and so they are easy to assemble.....and in the process leave a lot to be desired.
Where most producers of round forges goof up is burner placement. ANY forge that uses burner placement that directs the flame at a work piece should be avoided in my opinion. Again, they place the burners the way they do because it's easy, and they let that take priority over usability.
I also prefer forges with a single, properly sized burner versus multiple burners. A single, properly sized burner is simply easier to use and maintain. The old saying of KISS....applies doubly to forges. Almost on a daily basis I get calls or emails from people who try to build forges with 2-3 burners (usually against my advice) who are having all kinds of troubles with them.
I honestly don't know of any commercially available forge that I would recommend.....everyone I'm aware of has serious issues with either shape, or burner/burner placement.
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
Alright ironically my first forge I made was circular (here is a picture) but I made the burners myself and I personally think they were "Okay" but the insulation I did kinda bad and the burner placement wasn't the best unless you think it was. Regardless I still struggled to get steel yellow and if I did it took over 10 mins. So I think I am going to continue to struggle with building a forge mainly due to my burner placement so I looked at a few online, what do you think
Is the side burner what you meant with the KISS flame?
If you truely think it's not worth looking at buying an already made forge what so ever just say it and I'll focus on building a new round and efficient forge.
Thanks for all your help Ed I am being swayed on building a new round forge but I am still deciding but to ask you even more questions is the angled or vertical burner placement and do you think its better to buy or build a burner as you said its always better to have a big burner. Thank you very much you have been a Great help and I can't thank you enough.
Also I got you an old picture of my last forge which was round it was made out of an old oxygen tank. If only I knew sooner I've been going through a lot of trial and error and joining this Forum and you have been a tremendous help.
Picture didn't go through the first time
