Dan

Thank you for your generous offer. We would appreciate a WIP "Work in Progress" on building a forge.

Our mission is education and I am sure that everyone will learn a great deal from your WIP and our members will also be able to ask questions during the construction process.

Dan, I second the wish for a WIP on the vertical forge you will be building. I have plans to build one as well (soon) so it will be good to see yours so I have a better understanding and to get some good tips on if I am doing it correctly. Have fun. Thanks, Josh.

I too would like a WIP on one. I have a small 2 brick size gas forge and would like to build a larger vertical one for my shop.

Dan,

I would really appreciate your doing a WIP on something I need to get up and do myself in the near future.

Thank you in advance,

Mike

I think that means, "Yes". <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//biggrin.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

OK, great. I’m glad this will help some folks.

This forge will have a shelf at the entryway, and an adjustable work rest. It will also have a temperature monitoring system. I will mount the forge on a portable stand, and supply propane through a by-pass system, whereby I can instantly shut the gas down to a preset idle flow.

This build is best done outdoors, or in a shop that is very well ventilated. Planning is the only part of building this forge that doesn’t require safety gear.I wear an appropriate respirator/dust mask, gloves, safety glasses, long sleeve shirt, and a hat. I don’t want kaowool fibers anywhere on, or in me, if I can help it. The same with abrasive dust particles from grinding. I add hearing protection for the angle grinder work.

If I do this right, this forge should maintain a controlled atmosphere, from below austenizing temps, all the way through the welding ranges. I should be able to evenly heat and weld a 2”x2”x 5” billet, or forge and heat treat a 5-6” W-2 Hunter with clay(without doing the wiener roast), with a nice 20 min soak at temp (with the pyrometer I am installing). In order to get this performance, I have to make sure of a few important things.

First, I have to make sure the fire chamber is the right volume for the burner. This ¾” T-Rex burner is rated for a 350 cubic inch heat chamber. The rating, of course, varies with different insulation treatments. However, it has already been proven many times (why I got it), that the appropriate chamber size for the nozzle, plus 2” of kaowool, plus satinite, and/or tcp100, gives the forge that potential. I won’t get the chamber sized perfectly. A little small perhaps, but we’ll see. I could probably take out an inch of ins. on the top to get closer if I had to, but, I think the problems start when you go over the rated chamber size.

I am using a 10”x14” pipe about 1/8” thick. It cost me $10 cut to length at the local weld shop. Inside dimensions will be 6” diameter x 10” tall w/insulation.

According to the online calculator I called up, that amounts to 283 cubic inches.

Second, I have to make sure that the front and back openings are big enough to allow the expanding gases to escape, while preventing too much back pressure, yet small enough to keep the heat in.

I am making the entry 3-1/2” tall x 2-1/2” wide, and the back opening will be 1” shorter than the front. I think this size should prove adequate for gas exit, and the shape adequate for the billet dimensions the forge can handle.

Third, the burner must be held securely in the correct position, relative to the forge chamber.

I have to put the flared tip through 1” of the 2” of ins., on a tangent, continuing the flare shape through the second inch of insulation.I need to plan ahead enough to have the flame go into the chamber freely,causing a swirl,and not aimed into the back insulation.I will need to fabricate a holding devise for this.

Ok, planning over, and time for the safety gear. I'll have some pics coming. Dan

This is the LPG manifold that I have built, along with the regulator and hoses to connect to two 100lb tanks. You can disregard the red handled valve at the bottom, unless you want to run two different forges off of it. I can't recommend you use a barbed fitting like I have for a hose and clamp, so please use an appropriate fitting. I have been using it this way for a long time, and now is the perfect time to change it.

Well, for some reason I can't make one photo small enough to be accepted so just the Idle Manifold right now.

Sorry folks, just not having any luck with uploading pics. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//blink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':blink:' />

This info on the forum may help you. I found it very helpful. This resolve my issues with photos that were to large.

http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/index.php?/topic/115-editing-photos-for-the-internet/

Thanks George, but it's a website issue. A unique one according to the Webmaster. Hope to get it resolved soon. Dan

There is no problem with the website or the Forum. We talked yesterday on the phone and if you need more assistance I am just a phone call or email away. I am also looking forward to editing and uploading the video that you are filming at my request for this WIP project and thank you for taking the time to share your information .