Just got my first mini forge and have been trying to soak in all info I can.... the few videos I have watched from you have been incredibly informative and still entertaining I appreciate what you do I’ll keep watching and learning.
Respectfully I'd have to say that both side blast and bottom blast have their pro's and cons Trent. I wouldn't say a bottom blast is significantly superior to a side blast in use though. If that was truly the case then nobody in the trade with half a brain would still be using side blasts anymore and the fact is they are still the most common forge in the UK and many countries in Europe and around the world as well. Hereford College of Arts, where you can get an Artist Blacksmith's degree (equating to a Journeyman qualification with the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths) use them almost exclusively for teaching solid fuel work. Surely all those boys and girls can't be missing this trick if what you say is completely right? I have to admit that I didn't see anywhere near as many side blasts when I was out in the States. Perhaps that (continued) popularity is down to their simplicity to build and their portability considering America was and to some extent still is a frontier culture? A bottom blast design is the ideal forge for those circumstances rather than the cast iron (comparably cumbersome and therefore static) water cooled side blasts available from Europe at that time. Perhaps it's also down to charcoal and coal being the most common sources of fuel for Smiths in American history rather than coke? Neither produce as much solid clinker as coke and therefore have less of an impact on a bottom blast forges operation. A bottom blast forges simplicity is definitely a boon to the beginner looking to build their own forge but I'm just leery of such a blanket statement about their respective worth's in perpetuity. I worked with a very experienced guy (50+ years over the anvil and a 6th generation Master Blacksmith) in the Netherlands while I was on my Journeyman-ship and he would've argued just as passionately regarding the superiority of the side blast. It's what works best for you under your own circumstances I guess. I've used bottom blasts myself for nearly 15 years in my own shops for what that's worth (they were quick and simple to make, did the job and haven't broken yet) but the quality of coke I can get these days has prompted me to start building a water cooled side blast instead. The clinkers from the stuff is so bad now that even with a breaker I'm having to clean out the fire every couple of hours and pulling out ridiculous sized solid donuts. Love your content, keep up the enthusiasm and humour.
The draft fan from a wood pellet/ corn stove would be ideal. The one on my corn stove has the same design of blades as the hand cranked blower on my Champion rivet forge. If it can keep corn burning, it will have no problem with a fuel that actually likes to burn like coal or charcoal.
if you want too, a vacuum motor works too i think. i see many vacuums thrown away {because they clog up} on the side of the road when i am delivering pizzas.
Brake Drums and Rotors: in the bottom of the 'pot', Line it with clay or refectory to a cone.... problem solved. Big truck or semi drums are really deep so in that case is where you need to make a mold of wood, (like an upside down funnel), to press down in the center to form the cone and tube to the air inlet.
ive been useing an air compressor for my air source only thing i have availble right now and it was easy to hook up even attached a valve to adjust the air flow but alot of people on the blacksmithing for beginners page says that air compressors are bad because its too much pressure not enough volume and in this video ur basically saying the exact opposite i do plan on switching to a squaril cage or something in the future but for now is there really that big of a problem in useing an air compressor?
From a pressure standpoint, its great but its the efficiency. You will most likely burn three or four times the electricity to run a fire off a compressor.
Hey Trent, would there be any benefit to lining the brake drum with refractory? Also, I had pretty good success in making a brake drum forge using a 50 gallon drum. I just cut a hole in the center for the drum and in the side for a hair dryer. After sealing around the drum I did not even have to run any kind of piping to get the air to the fire. Plus it has the added benefit of all the clinker, ash etc falling into the 50 gallon drum. No trap doors to mess with or anything. Thanks for the videos, they have been very informative.
I'm a beginning Smith and was wondering how to control the oxidation on metals heated with my coal forge. I understand that it can come from to much oxygen but I'm also assuming it also comes from the coal itself? I know the size of clinkers I get are very large as well. Is it a safe bet to assume that I'm not using the best btuimius coal?
What's the reccomended width for the fire pot? Say i'm making a rotor forge do I want the rotor of a 1978 Datsun or the rotor of my 93 Bronco? If the heat is coming from a centra point in the upblast does it affect the flow or maximum fire width to go wider?
yeah I figured I wasn't asking right but I think you answered. I also have access to several semi-truck brake drums. Free. I've seen some people use those. worth experimenting do you think?
Ion-plasma. Not overly high tech (but still ridiculous for a blacksmithing forge) might be carbon arc. It would produce *WAY* more than enough heat, and would not require a blower.
High pressure is a great way to watch coal float in air! If the velocity is too high use a larger pipe to the forge. Bit if high pressure is all you need use the refrigeration pump. Just drain the refrigeration oil from the pump and get ready for a high pressure pump that can reach 30,000 LBS of air pressure. Go big or go home! LOL!
Do you mean 30,000psi? If so you must be inhaling refrigerant. Refrigeration compressors don't use nearly that high of pressure. A HIGH PRESSURE air tank for SCUBA or an SCBA only runs 6000psi max. Refrigeration compressors might run in the 200psi range or a little above.
I would advise you to research this before you criticize someone. There are youTube vids out there on this subject. I was teasing a little, but it is based on fact.
LOL! I don't need to be told that, but when I see it first hand I tend to take notes. I saw the refrig rework back in the 1970's. It is not anything new, unless you are new.
tek413 Nice! I hope to get a chance for solid fuel one day! I work at a power plant so coal isn't a problem but I'm not sure the neighbors would like it lol. I'm using propane. I built my burners and forge from scratch.
If you're already forging with gas, going to solid fuel is generally considered taking a step backwards. Unless you just really want the experience of solid fuel smithing, I wouldn't bother with it.
purgatoryironworks What I'd give to see one of your demonstrations in person..if I lived anywhere near my distant kinfolk in GA, I'd definitely make it a point to do so.
Hey Trent you big old bung hole. So what would be the best vehicle to make a brake rotors forge out of. I had a drum lined out off of a Peterbuilt then I saw this video
Just got my first mini forge and have been trying to soak in all info I can.... the few videos I have watched from you have been incredibly informative and still entertaining I appreciate what you do I’ll keep watching and learning.
This is incredible information and presented well with the beginner in mind. Much appreciated. Keep it up learning a lot from these.
I Like How You Make Your Videos Funny Too. They Are Very Informative and Inspiring.
That intro was hilarious! 😂
This is phenomenal information. Thank you so much for taking the time to help us wannabes :-)
You should do a video on tips for the best way to forge certain kind of steels/iron or what ever , great vid !
Great presentation. I'm loving It THANKS!
Respectfully I'd have to say that both side blast and bottom blast have their pro's and cons Trent. I wouldn't say a bottom blast is significantly superior to a side blast in use though.
If that was truly the case then nobody in the trade with half a brain would still be using side blasts anymore and the fact is they are still the most common forge in the UK and many countries in Europe and around the world as well. Hereford College of Arts, where you can get an Artist Blacksmith's degree (equating to a Journeyman qualification with the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths) use them almost exclusively for teaching solid fuel work. Surely all those boys and girls can't be missing this trick if what you say is completely right?
I have to admit that I didn't see anywhere near as many side blasts when I was out in the States. Perhaps that (continued) popularity is down to their simplicity to build and their portability considering America was and to some extent still is a frontier culture? A bottom blast design is the ideal forge for those circumstances rather than the cast iron (comparably cumbersome and therefore static) water cooled side blasts available from Europe at that time. Perhaps it's also down to charcoal and coal being the most common sources of fuel for Smiths in American history rather than coke? Neither produce as much solid clinker as coke and therefore have less of an impact on a bottom blast forges operation.
A bottom blast forges simplicity is definitely a boon to the beginner looking to build their own forge but I'm just leery of such a blanket statement about their respective worth's in perpetuity.
I worked with a very experienced guy (50+ years over the anvil and a 6th generation Master Blacksmith) in the Netherlands while I was on my Journeyman-ship and he would've argued just as passionately regarding the superiority of the side blast. It's what works best for you under your own circumstances I guess.
I've used bottom blasts myself for nearly 15 years in my own shops for what that's worth (they were quick and simple to make, did the job and haven't broken yet) but the quality of coke I can get these days has prompted me to start building a water cooled side blast instead. The clinkers from the stuff is so bad now that even with a breaker I'm having to clean out the fire every couple of hours and pulling out ridiculous sized solid donuts.
Love your content, keep up the enthusiasm and humour.
Clinker breaker: what stops coal and coke from falling through and therefore being wasted?
The draft fan from a wood pellet/ corn stove would be ideal. The one on my corn stove has the same design of blades as the hand cranked blower on my Champion rivet forge. If it can keep corn burning, it will have no problem with a fuel that actually likes to burn like coal or charcoal.
if you want too, a vacuum motor works too i think. i see many vacuums thrown away {because they clog up} on the side of the road when i am delivering pizzas.
you forgot the ruderalis, mainly found in central america, its what makes autoflower automatic
The best squirrel cage on the cheep for those of us without money is a bathroom fan at any home improvement store $14.
I'd love a hand crank tho!
Brake Drums and Rotors: in the bottom of the 'pot', Line it with clay or refectory to a cone.... problem solved. Big truck or semi drums are really deep so in that case is where you need to make a mold of wood, (like an upside down funnel), to press down in the center to form the cone and tube to the air inlet.
Nope, bad idea as clinker sticks to the refractory and makes a mess!
You can use an old mettle oil drum as a table for a forge
This kind of makes me wonder if I could build a blower out of an old turbo from a diesel engine.
As always great job
Aha. Little stoner humor....
ive been useing an air compressor for my air source only thing i have availble right now and it was easy to hook up even attached a valve to adjust the air flow but alot of people on the blacksmithing for beginners page says that air compressors are bad because its too much pressure not enough volume and in this video ur basically saying the exact opposite i do plan on switching to a squaril cage or something in the future but for now is there really that big of a problem in useing an air compressor?
From a pressure standpoint, its great but its the efficiency. You will most likely burn three or four times the electricity to run a fire off a compressor.
that is a really good point never even thought of that ill look harder into geting something else thank you
Hey Trent, would there be any benefit to lining the brake drum with refractory? Also, I had pretty good success in making a brake drum forge using a 50 gallon drum. I just cut a hole in the center for the drum and in the side for a hair dryer. After sealing around the drum I did not even have to run any kind of piping to get the air to the fire. Plus it has the added benefit of all the clinker, ash etc falling into the 50 gallon drum. No trap doors to mess with or anything. Thanks for the videos, they have been very informative.
I'm a beginning Smith and was wondering how to control the oxidation on metals heated with my coal forge. I understand that it can come from to much oxygen but I'm also assuming it also comes from the coal itself? I know the size of clinkers I get are very large as well. Is it a safe bet to assume that I'm not using the best btuimius coal?
What's the reccomended width for the fire pot? Say i'm making a rotor forge do I want the rotor of a 1978 Datsun or the rotor of my 93 Bronco? If the heat is coming from a centra point in the upblast does it affect the flow or maximum fire width to go wider?
Its a bit of fuzzy logic on that but in general, a full size pickup has been the standard for rotors
yeah I figured I wasn't asking right but I think you answered. I also have access to several semi-truck brake drums. Free. I've seen some people use those. worth experimenting do you think?
Air mattress blower good...?
What's the most ridiculous and high tech forge you could think of? Like pull out all the stops
Ion-plasma.
Not overly high tech (but still ridiculous for a blacksmithing forge) might be carbon arc. It would produce *WAY* more than enough heat, and would not require a blower.
Thanks man!
water columns? do u have a video of what you mean?
and a sativa.....I see what you did there
Indica and sativa? Was that to get our attention?
it got my attention!
It was a noodle
Building 7
Thanks! I didn't see the kittens lol!
Exhaust in breathable air or exhaust smoke wise?
High pressure is a great way to watch coal float in air! If the velocity is too high use a larger pipe to the forge. Bit if high pressure is all you need use the refrigeration pump. Just drain the refrigeration oil from the pump and get ready for a high pressure pump that can reach 30,000 LBS of air pressure. Go big or go home! LOL!
Do you mean 30,000psi? If so you must be inhaling refrigerant. Refrigeration compressors don't use nearly that high of pressure. A HIGH PRESSURE air tank for SCUBA or an SCBA only runs 6000psi max. Refrigeration compressors might run in the 200psi range or a little above.
I would advise you to research this before you criticize someone. There are youTube vids out there on this subject. I was teasing a little, but it is based on fact.
Thanks for the advice I really needed it obviously. I would advise you to take things you see on the internet with a grain of salt. I know I do.
LOL! I don't need to be told that, but when I see it first hand I tend to take notes. I saw the refrig rework back in the 1970's. It is not anything new, unless you are new.
I wonder how a cheap electric leaf blower would work?
Broadhead76 better then a hair dryer, and I've done both
tek413 Nice! I hope to get a chance for solid fuel one day! I work at a power plant so coal isn't a problem but I'm not sure the neighbors would like it lol. I'm using propane. I built my burners and forge from scratch.
If you're already forging with gas, going to solid fuel is generally considered taking a step backwards. Unless you just really want the experience of solid fuel smithing, I wouldn't bother with it.
how about a bath room fan?? you know the cheapie from the homeless despot
Starts video with huffing some marker
When did you come to Louisiana and do you plan on returning?!?
I used to do a show in Ocean Springs, MS and then Lafayette waaay back in the day
purgatoryironworks What I'd give to see one of your demonstrations in person..if I lived anywhere near my distant kinfolk in GA, I'd definitely make it a point to do so.
Hey Trent you big old bung hole. So what would be the best vehicle to make a brake rotors forge out of. I had a drum lined out off of a Peterbuilt then I saw this video
Big rig drum are way too deep, something off a 1500 is far better to use
...HAPPY PENS!! And Inda-couch FTW.
Did I hear you say brake drums are bad? Why is that?
Matt Spring s if I understand properly, the sides are too straight up and down, and they are too deep.
Not bad, just not ideal. The square bottom collects clinker and ash like crazy
I disagree....kinda. I would love for you to see my set up I think you would find it interesting.
More............