@@TylerHicksWright Came here to say exactly this ^^^. Flair fittings seal by using the flair mating surfaces not from the threads. Flared fittings don't use tapered pipe threads. Tapered pipe threads require tape or pipe dope as the mating surface isn't 100% sealed without it. Teflon tape also assists in providing lubercation so the threads can mate as tightly as possible and the tape can seal any interface differences. Flared fittings, (that are not damaged, of course) have a precise angle on the mating surface that DOES create a 100% seal but ONLY if the male and female mating surfaces are pulled together fully. Pipe tape inhibits the threads from pulling tight and compressing the internal mating surfaces in addition, a fringe piece of tape can get between the mating interface resulting in an incomplete seal.
I like the fact that you critique your own work as you go along, giving us the benefit of making the correction in instances when you would have done things differently but too far along in your project to change. 👍
Great video. Just one idea. Remove the strap on the back so you can remove that brick to fit longer pieces through. So you can heat the middle part of a bar.
I remember when as a little boy seeing blacksmiths working and it always fasinated me but never pursued. Thats been 60 years , or more, and watching on utube makes me want to try now
Blacksmithing is so much fun! Thank you for including all the details with the nozzle assembly. I'm in the middle of making my own gas forge and I will definitely be referencing this. And you have to love the satisfying "THOOT" sound as the gas gets ignited!
I am the regional technical trainer for the oldest Propane propane company in the US. I have been in the energy trades since 1980. You did a very nice job on the gas parts. Putting Teflon on a flair fitting was a bit of a rooky move but, worse things have been done. Over all a very nice job. I have the #1 video on converting a range from Natural gas to propane. I hope to see more of your stuff.
I have been watching your videos for more than a year and I have been waiting for your work day after day. What I like about your personality is that you love people and you love your family and children in particular ، This is what makes you a very special person and this is what we miss in the world of TH-cam and I wish you success in your work and in your life
Hi Bob, also another good tip about sealing NPT threads in really hot environments. If you use Teflon tape to seal, Teflon will offgas nasty gases at high temperatures, so I might suggest graphite sealant! It's used in high temperature applications often.
Someday I want a shop like Bob. Right now I'm 15 and 364/365 (16 tomorrow lol) I have a drill press and some hand tools I love making things thanks for the tutorials Bob!
Do not use Teflon tape on the flare fitting. That fitting does not seal by the threads, it seals by the flare fitting firmly in its seat. The reason you had a leak, is from your Teflon taping interfering with this fit. This is a huge mistake lots of people make with these fittings, and it can cause large leaks.
Correct! I have worked on several shipyard in SE Asia, and the plummers there loves to put teflon on every type of connection there is, with leaking systems everywhere as result.
Hey Bob, glad to see you finally picked up a hammer! One note I would make is that, like you said, you used hard fire bricks designed for a fireplace. This type of brick insulates by absorbing the heat and dispersing it. Instead, your burner would get the chamber of your forge up to temperature if you used soft ceramic bricks made for pottery kilns instead. They are more expensive but can be cut with woodworking tools and instead of absorbing the heat, they reflect it which means the energy being put in the forge by the burner stays there. (P.S. build my forge using the exact same burner design)
Just finished forging and wanted to chill on youtube :D I really appreciate that you show everything that you make with some many details. I dont know a lot about even simple things to do in home like changing something in bathroom or laying floor and I am really glad that you are here to teach us. Love your videos :)
One of the best features of this channel is admitting you may have done something wrong but see it as a lesson rather than a failure. I’m not in the field of “making stuff” but it’s still inspiring.
Great job trying something new. One of the big things keeping me from moving forward with a home forge was the burner. Thanks for showing how simple it is
I've made similar forge few years ago, I still have some videos on my channel. I used my for quite a long time and have some observations. First the hole for the burner could be made with the same disc for angle grinder if You plan out the hole to be in between the bricks. Second the burner nozzle should be flush with the firebrick - it tends to corrode overtime due to heat so it would slow down the process. For the forge to heat quicker You can lay it out with a layer of ceramic wool. Also if You decide to mount the burner from the top remember the heat rise so it's best to remove the burner after work so the valve and hose won't melt from residual heat - or skip the valve and add some metal fittings to attach the gas line in more heat proof manner. Last thing, I don't know if You can buy those in US but here in europe I was able to purchase a flame arrestor to mount just after regulator so in case of failure and flame going up the hose it would stop before the gas tank - explosions are rare and allmost impossible but it's better to safe than be sorry :) Good luck with blacksmithing! I used mine mainly for heat treating knives but it's good thing to have around if You work with steel.
Makes me want to go to my grandpa's place. He had a full set of blacksmith tools except the forge. His dad and/or grandpa were blacksmiths. Horseshoes, wagon rings etc. Thanks for a great video
Space saving idea... turn everything so that the rectangle's long edges are up and down. that way the burner will now be pointing directly at the metal and the burner will take less space in smaller shops! Thanks for the video!!
Just a friendly FYI. Flare fittings seal on the 2 tapered edges pressed together not at the threads. The tape you used likely prevented you from getting the 2 peices to come together. Love the video, thanks for sharing
I got started watching Alec Steele when, after watching your wooden Katana video, was recommended his forging a meteorite video. Been watching both ever since
really informative. One thing I would Highly recommend you do before anything bad happens is placing a backfire stopper (I do not know its english name) basically it is a checkvalve that stops fire going back to the tank... It is always used on oxy aseteline but adding one here would be an extra safety...
This comment along is worthy of updating this video. Great catch and I’m glad I read this before proceeding with the project. I’d also recommend that people take a simple introductory blacksmith class. I didn’t think I would need one but I found a three hour class which was worth it alone for the safety tips that I’m sure one day will save my tips!
Overall, great video! THANK YOU for calling attention to the toxic fumes created when heating galvanized parts! I've seen multiple other videos where galvanized pipe fittings were used throughout, and would not want to be anywhere near those things the first few times they're fired up. One other tip, I saw multiple people leave comments about using Teflon tape and the direction it's wrapped. TFE paste is rated for propane (and a lot of other things), and I've had better luck with it than Teflon tape. Kudos also for leak testing the burner.
Just a suggestion; In which ever way you eventually have the bricks stacked, might I suggest that you weld (then grind the weld down, of course) a couple of bolts to the sides (or top) of your angle iron where you have your pipe inserted into your bricks. That way you can cut a piece of flat stock, drill some holes in the ends of it (to place over the previously mentioned bolts) to use for the bracing (and even connect your pipe). Always enjoy watching your videos. Keep'em coming and stay safe!!!
Bob, you rock! I've seen several similar videos, but your design sense makes it better and I like the way you frequently tell how to make it even better the next time. SAFETY COMMENT: I once tried to make one with a crab boil burner and red bricks. It worked kind of OK, but had a serious flaw. I had the hose connect directly to that burner. Unfortunately, the hose got too hot and failed. You're probably ok with that extra 5-6" of pipe, connectors, and valves, but something to be aware of.
Just in case you want to watch for fun but still learn about smithing, forged in fire is an amazing series on the history channel PS I like that Tron shirt
With my last name being Smith I've always found the idea of becoming a blacksmith amusing, I've since built a foundry for metal melting and have recently built a gas forge for forging, my next step is going to be a charcoal forge so I can impregnate iron with carbon to make steel. Great work I love to see people keeping some of the older skills alive.
"I think nuts and bolts are overkill. I'm just going to weld it." This is funny on a couple of levels, but not least of which is that I remember when you were first learning how to weld. I love seeing how good you've gotten at it, and it is really starting to motivate me to actually get more into making instead of just watching people make. Thanks, Bob!
hey really cool project i build a propane forge recently my self but i think that burner tip or cup or how you call it should be behind those bricks so it doesnt heat up great work tho
You would make a great teacher/instructor. Very easy to follow and you speak clearly. Your videos are awesome too, you know how to present instruction with the right inflection in your voice and know when to pause after something is said. Well done man, earned a subscriber
Another possible option. With welding as a skill, you could design a caddy that allows the burner to be supported on top pointing straight down. You made the bricks removable, make the one in the forge big enough for the burner's flared end, and have a second piece of brick with the smaller hole on the pipe just sit on top to seal up the bigger hole. That would allow you to not lose any of the space inside the forge itself to to the burner.
@@Iliketomakestuff I was actually coming to the comments to say exactly this. I've used it to strip the zinc off of electric fence wire for chainmaille rings. The white vinegar works like a charm.
Great video. It reminds me of the video made by Grant of The King of Random, where I first learned to make one of these. The burner is almost exactly like the one he did. He also used a mig tip and add a cover to control the air flow in the burner
I used to be a mechanic and this is how we used to check for leaks in a tire/rim. Soapy water and watch for bubbles. Or dunk it in a trough full of water.
I built an almost identical forge a little over a year ago, here's a few tips that might help. The thin bricks with the outsides exposed radiate a ton of heat! Make sure you keep it on a heavy steel table or stand. I actually warped one of my thinner work benches when I first set mine up. 2nd, if you wait to start doing work until the bricks are heat soaked and start glowing on the inside, you'll have a much better time. The steel will get hotter faster, if for some reason the flame goes out or you have to momentarily turn it off, the glowing bricks will actually be able to reignite the flame, and having the burning on the side shouldn't matter too much since you're not heating the steel directly from the flame. If you do turn it on its side to get the burner on the top, you need to get that rubber hose as far away as you can. Mine started out with the hose going straight down like yours would be, and the radiant heat coming up caused a lot of issues with it. I ended up just running and elbow and some straight pipe to get past the heat, then connected the rubber hose there. I hope this helps some, and goodluck!
I use a small charcoal grill mounted on a stack of bricks in a V-shape and a fan to drive air up through the bottom vent to get more heat. I replaced the gas tank on my Honda Shadow VLX 600 with a tank from a Honda 750 Aero. I had to make my own mounts for the new tank. First, I heated the parts with a propane torch to weaken the metal. Drilled the holes so I could mount the tank and a solo seat. Before I could mount the tank and seat, I heated the parts red hot in the charcoal grill, and quenched them in used motor oil. Not only did they turn black, they were rust proof. Then put them in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes, that made them less brittle.
I also use a railroad track as an anvil. I will give you the same advice given to me: Stand it up, so you are striking on the side of the cap. You essentially want as much mass on your anvil as possible to return your blow, so by going up and down, you focus all of that mass directly under your hammer. It makes smithing much more efficient, and it causes the railroad track to take up less space, though I will admit, it severely limits the space you have to work. This advice was given to me by Sam Salvatti, former Man at Arms: Reforged blacksmith, when he was an instructor at The Foundry in Baltimore. So while I do not claim to be even be an accomplished amateur, I will tell you the information came from a credible source and did help a lot.
When assembling the top and bottom, you put the long side pieces on the smaller ends. The other way, so the long sections of angle were contacting the firebricks their whole length, would have been more supportive on the ends of the firebricks, and may make it easier to remove them if needed. Also, if you want the burner at the top, just turn it onto its side !
Mine Chaser a gas forge isn’t horrible to start with just not this one. There are far better gas forges to choose from. Like the soft fire brick one essential craftsman made
I have watched a lot of videos on this stuff and yours is by far THE BEST. Showing off the safety aspects is what other channels lack. Also, the equipment you have looks awesome to have and spendy. Thank you for this video :)
Just letting everyone know the reason for the pipe coming in from the top is for even heat distribution. From the side means the top will always be hotter then the bottom, this is not what you want. So to combat that you focus on eating the bottom first and the residual heat rises anyway, which then equalizes the space. Still a great video and love watching.
Forgot to mention, there is a whole process of tuning your anvil for the best effect. You probably want to see if you can get a large block of hard wood to support it, and possibly wrap it with chains. I forget the entire process, I was only interested in blacksmithing to make the tools for my foundry, so when I decided to go a different route for the tools, I stopped being interested in blacksmithing as a thing I wanted to do, even though it's still an awesome thing to watch.
I’m an operator at a natural gas plant we use snoop a lot on a day to day basis (which was the soapy water mix) you used to test leaks. Think it was cool to see you use it in the video most videos haven’t let people know to test it just to be safe.
...or just use a bit of brick to make a plug, 'cause you never know when a side port can come in handy... second burner, view port, thermocouple port.....
I have a tip regarding the galvanized parts. I learned it from a video posted on the Suffolk Latch Company channel called "How to Strip Zinc Plating from Screws". You can actually use a solution of water and citric acid to remove the zinc coating. The nice thing about using citric acid is that it's inexpensive and it's very safe compared to stronger acids. After the coating is completely removed and the piece is removed from the solution, you can just wipe it off without worrying about neutralizing it; like with stronger acids. You may even be able to leave it in the solution for an extended period of time without significant negative effects. I tried this and it works very well. Naturally, bigger pieces are going to take longer to finish than smaller pieces, with flat pieces seeming to take particularly long. That being said, I did try it with a 3/8" threaded rod that was around 2" long and it finished in less than an hour; as I remember it.
Though I love Bob and his teams' work, check out Alec Steele's channel. He's been smithing since he was 12, and he's got incredible onscreen personality. And that's despite being a self described introvert on Bob's resurrected "Brainpick" podcast
I like these kind of videos where you learn along the way. Opposed to the videos where you’re building a shelf or something where you just cut and glue wood together and that’s it
Thanks for the video. I made a forge almost exactly like yours, but when I lit it, lots of yellow flames. As this was a project over some time, I had taken the MIG tip out so I would damage it and, of course, now I have to find it again. However, great that your's worked with some adjustments. I am confident mine will be OK!
Decent project, and ok if you just want to get mild steel hot and bend it or beat it into another shape. But some simple improvement can even be made for that purpose. 1. You need to move the nozzle out of the interior space. If you don’t, you won’t have a nozzle left in a short time. Even then, you will eventually have to replace what you have because the gas nozzle is too close to the end. Install a piece of replaceable pipe on the end and have that stop just outside the interior wall. Then that is not difficult to replace as needed. 2. Even after that, you have a “carborizing flame”, which would not be ideal if you wanted to do any heat-treating or hardening of simple steels. 3. Fabricate some kind of door and you’ll greatly improve the heating ability. I offer these suggestions from being a professional farrier, knife maker and hobbyist blacksmith. I’ve burned up rebuilt and reclined a forge more than once.
Hi, once you have established the best position for the tip it might be worth drilling some ‘dimples’ for the grub screws to seat in. It should help with positioning if you change the tip.
You could adjust the frame to add a brick vertically on the right to act as your "tray" when you rotate the unit so the burner is on top. You'd form 90 deg with the tray bricks to handle both orientations. Thanks for the informative vid.
@@sjjwf6025 Which from what I understand is far more temperamental than propane, not as widely available as propane, and not as easily adjustable as propane. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using coal, but it does have drawbacks. One of the biggest advantages of it though it's that you could literally dig a hole in your back yard and have an instant forge. Just add coal and a source of moving air.
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. I took some pictures of Bob and Jenny blacksmithing nails with Alex, Joe, and Steve at Makers Central this year, I had a feeling this video was coming.
And over the next few months, we can watch as his hammer forearm develops more of muscle mass and definition. Eventually Bob can become a "mushroom in an apron" per Jimmy Diresta 🤣
I’m sure someone has already said it, but great video, I would have set the bell into the brick a little further, and cut the lip off the bell reducer , it doesn’t seem to affect the flame, having the lip on or off. Also, you do get the convection effect from top or side, but it’s easier to use top as you don’t need to raise the metal to the flame. Overall, great job!! 10/10
Thanks! I was kind of keeping the bell just to stop the burner from being able to slide out, but I guess I could tack the pipe in place as well. Thanks!
A solid fuel (coal/charcoal) forge is much easier to build, and can be done with clay(kitty litter or dirt), sand, and a frame made from metal or wood. Or you can just dig a hole in the ground.
Back the tip from being inside the forge, just to the edge of the hole of the brick. Was going to say that the metal wasn't hot enough, but you figured that out before I could type it😜
That was a very cool video! I just found you channel because im building a propane forge to replace my coke forge. Also to anyone that is building one of these to save a little money call a local brick supplier for the brick instead of lows or home depot. Its way cheaper!! Under 2 buck each instead of 35$ for 6 bricks
when tacking things together, rest the nozzle of the torch on the work piece, this can help make you tacks a bit more accurate and takes the weight off so you can use one hand on the torch and the other on the work piece to properly align it!
Can't wait to get you up to Montana and make something together! Loved seeing you jump right in!!!
This is the crossover I’ve been looking forward to for years!!!!
Can also teach him how to sew!
The real reason you got a new workshop was for Bob
This needs to happen.
Where in Montana are you ?
Forgot another point... The Teflon tape... You used regular plumbing tape. They make a special one that is yellow that is specifically made for gas.
Another great point. Thank you for your constructive help.
Shouldn't be using teflon tape with flare fittings at all...
@@TylerHicksWright but only on the flare fittings. The standard pipe connections should still use the Teflon tape.
@@TylerHicksWright Came here to say exactly this ^^^.
Flair fittings seal by using the flair mating surfaces not from the threads. Flared fittings don't use tapered pipe threads. Tapered pipe threads require tape or pipe dope as the mating surface isn't 100% sealed without it. Teflon tape also assists in providing lubercation so the threads can mate as tightly as possible and the tape can seal any interface differences.
Flared fittings, (that are not damaged, of course) have a precise angle on the mating surface that DOES create a 100% seal but ONLY if the male and female mating surfaces are pulled together fully. Pipe tape inhibits the threads from pulling tight and compressing the internal mating surfaces in addition, a fringe piece of tape can get between the mating interface resulting in an incomplete seal.
Was thinking the same
Huge props to you for giving credit to people who have taught you to make the forge. Really shows what kind of person you are. Great work, keep it up.
I like the fact that you critique your own work as you go along, giving us the benefit of making the correction in instances when you would have done things differently but too far along in your project to change. 👍
Great video. Just one idea. Remove the strap on the back so you can remove that brick to fit longer pieces through. So you can heat the middle part of a bar.
Oooh, Good idea.
I wonder if making a hinged strap would work? That way you have the stability but option to remove the bricks on the back.
I remember when as a little boy seeing blacksmiths working and it always fasinated me but never pursued. Thats been 60 years , or more, and watching on utube makes me want to try now
Blacksmithing is so much fun! Thank you for including all the details with the nozzle assembly. I'm in the middle of making my own gas forge and I will definitely be referencing this. And you have to love the satisfying "THOOT" sound as the gas gets ignited!
I am the regional technical trainer for the oldest Propane propane company in the US. I have been in the energy trades since 1980. You did a very nice job on the gas parts. Putting Teflon on a flair fitting was a bit of a rooky move but, worse things have been done. Over all a very nice job. I have the #1 video on converting a range from Natural gas to propane. I hope to see more of your stuff.
The best part is how you show getting over the “fear” of trying something new, just jumping in and making changes when needed.
I have been watching your videos for more than a year and I have been waiting for your work day after day. What I like about your personality is that you love people and you love your family and children in particular ، This is what makes you a very special person and this is what we miss in the world of TH-cam and I wish you success in your work and in your life
Hi Bob, also another good tip about sealing NPT threads in really hot environments. If you use Teflon tape to seal, Teflon will offgas nasty gases at high temperatures, so I might suggest graphite sealant! It's used in high temperature applications often.
Someday I want a shop like Bob. Right now I'm 15 and 364/365 (16 tomorrow lol) I have a drill press and some hand tools I love making things thanks for the tutorials Bob!
Do not use Teflon tape on the flare fitting. That fitting does not seal by the threads, it seals by the flare fitting firmly in its seat.
The reason you had a leak, is from your Teflon taping interfering with this fit. This is a huge mistake lots of people make with these fittings, and it can cause large leaks.
Correct! I have worked on several shipyard in SE Asia, and the plummers there loves to put teflon on every type of connection there is, with leaking systems everywhere as result.
Yep thats what I was thinking when I seen this.
Wrapping the tape backwards probably didn't help much either.
Lol! I was geting ready to say the same thing!
teflon tape is intended to be a lubricant more than a seal....the tapered threads are what seals the joint..in theory..
Hey Bob, glad to see you finally picked up a hammer! One note I would make is that, like you said, you used hard fire bricks designed for a fireplace. This type of brick insulates by absorbing the heat and dispersing it. Instead, your burner would get the chamber of your forge up to temperature if you used soft ceramic bricks made for pottery kilns instead. They are more expensive but can be cut with woodworking tools and instead of absorbing the heat, they reflect it which means the energy being put in the forge by the burner stays there. (P.S. build my forge using the exact same burner design)
Just finished forging and wanted to chill on youtube :D I really appreciate that you show everything that you make with some many details. I dont know a lot about even simple things to do in home like changing something in bathroom or laying floor and I am really glad that you are here to teach us. Love your videos :)
One of the best features of this channel is admitting you may have done something wrong but see it as a lesson rather than a failure. I’m not in the field of “making stuff” but it’s still inspiring.
Whoa! It's a honor to be linked by such an awesome YT Channel! Thanks and great build!
Thanks for the video and information!! It was super helpful!
Great job trying something new. One of the big things keeping me from moving forward with a home forge was the burner. Thanks for showing how simple it is
I've made similar forge few years ago, I still have some videos on my channel. I used my for quite a long time and have some observations. First the hole for the burner could be made with the same disc for angle grinder if You plan out the hole to be in between the bricks. Second the burner nozzle should be flush with the firebrick - it tends to corrode overtime due to heat so it would slow down the process. For the forge to heat quicker You can lay it out with a layer of ceramic wool. Also if You decide to mount the burner from the top remember the heat rise so it's best to remove the burner after work so the valve and hose won't melt from residual heat - or skip the valve and add some metal fittings to attach the gas line in more heat proof manner. Last thing, I don't know if You can buy those in US but here in europe I was able to purchase a flame arrestor to mount just after regulator so in case of failure and flame going up the hose it would stop before the gas tank - explosions are rare and allmost impossible but it's better to safe than be sorry :) Good luck with blacksmithing! I used mine mainly for heat treating knives but it's good thing to have around if You work with steel.
Great info, thanks!!
Makes me want to go to my grandpa's place. He had a full set of blacksmith tools except the forge. His dad and/or grandpa were blacksmiths. Horseshoes, wagon rings etc. Thanks for a great video
Don't Teflon tape threads of a flare fitting. That's not where it seals. Its a face seal.
I actually came looking for this comment, ;-)
True ... lapping would be more effective ... if only there was a tool ...eh !?
@@KatSeBladEngraving Me too. C'mon son... Classic mistake
Space saving idea... turn everything so that the rectangle's long edges are up and down. that way the burner will now be pointing directly at the metal and the burner will take less space in smaller shops! Thanks for the video!!
Just a friendly FYI. Flare fittings seal on the 2 tapered edges pressed together not at the threads. The tape you used likely prevented you from getting the 2 peices to come together.
Love the video, thanks for sharing
Amazing idea and forge design, but the true star of this video is the Tron shirt. Truly an underrated classic.
Bob and Alec steel collaboration mabye? Hope so would be awesome
Alec is litterally right under your comment and he seems, lets say, mildly interested ;)
I got started watching Alec Steele when, after watching your wooden Katana video, was recommended his forging a meteorite video. Been watching both ever since
really informative. One thing I would Highly recommend you do before anything bad happens is placing a backfire stopper (I do not know its english name) basically it is a checkvalve that stops fire going back to the tank... It is always used on oxy aseteline but adding one here would be an extra safety...
This comment along is worthy of updating this video. Great catch and I’m glad I read this before proceeding with the project. I’d also recommend that people take a simple introductory blacksmith class. I didn’t think I would need one but I found a three hour class which was worth it alone for the safety tips that I’m sure one day will save my tips!
Overall, great video! THANK YOU for calling attention to the toxic fumes created when heating galvanized parts! I've seen multiple other videos where galvanized pipe fittings were used throughout, and would not want to be anywhere near those things the first few times they're fired up. One other tip, I saw multiple people leave comments about using Teflon tape and the direction it's wrapped. TFE paste is rated for propane (and a lot of other things), and I've had better luck with it than Teflon tape. Kudos also for leak testing the burner.
Also your burner end shouldnt protrude into the forge... It should be level with or inset slightly into the brick face
This needs to be higher up, having it that far in can cause issues with the gas igniting to early when the pipe heats up.
this and he need his gas tip way further out of his burner flame is too rich not going to get the temps as easy that way
Again, it's the experimentation and willingness show iteration that makes your videos so enjoyable.
Thanks so much!
I’ve got an old gas forge that needs new bricks. This answered a bunch of questions for me!!!
Awesome!
white soft bricks are better insulators... i got mine at a pottery supply store, and alot easier to cut through
Thank you for mentioning the Heat+Galvanized thing... so many people miss that.
You know you’re a maker when nuts and bolts are more complicated than welding!! 😂👍🏻
Same exact thought!
I'm just too lazy to drill holes in things.
Just a suggestion; In which ever way you eventually have the bricks stacked, might I suggest that you weld (then grind the weld down, of course) a couple of bolts to the sides (or top) of your angle iron where you have your pipe inserted into your bricks. That way you can cut a piece of flat stock, drill some holes in the ends of it (to place over the previously mentioned bolts) to use for the bracing (and even connect your pipe).
Always enjoy watching your videos. Keep'em coming and stay safe!!!
Essential Craftsman is GOAT
He's awesome!
@@Iliketomakestuff I am thoroughly enjoying his spec hous build right now.
Bob, you rock! I've seen several similar videos, but your design sense makes it better and I like the way you frequently tell how to make it even better the next time. SAFETY COMMENT: I once tried to make one with a crab boil burner and red bricks. It worked kind of OK, but had a serious flaw. I had the hose connect directly to that burner. Unfortunately, the hose got too hot and failed. You're probably ok with that extra 5-6" of pipe, connectors, and valves, but something to be aware of.
I love the out-takes at the end. You kinda remind me of the Swedish Chef. 👨🏼🍳
I appreciate you emphasis on safety in this very educational video
Just in case you want to watch for fun but still learn about smithing, forged in fire is an amazing series on the history channel
PS I like that Tron shirt
FORGED IN FIRE IS A JOKE
Just getting into blacksmithing and have been looking at different ways I can put together a forge at home. Very helpful thanks
Dude! Great video! Love the humbleness of your adventure into an unknown territory for you.
With my last name being Smith I've always found the idea of becoming a blacksmith amusing, I've since built a foundry for metal melting and have recently built a gas forge for forging, my next step is going to be a charcoal forge so I can impregnate iron with carbon to make steel. Great work I love to see people keeping some of the older skills alive.
I am seeing in the near future hopefully you will go to Alec Steele shop that would be awesome collab
"I think nuts and bolts are overkill. I'm just going to weld it." This is funny on a couple of levels, but not least of which is that I remember when you were first learning how to weld. I love seeing how good you've gotten at it, and it is really starting to motivate me to actually get more into making instead of just watching people make. Thanks, Bob!
hey really cool project i build a propane forge recently my self but i think that burner tip or cup or how you call it should be behind those bricks so it doesnt heat up great work tho
You would make a great teacher/instructor. Very easy to follow and you speak clearly. Your videos are awesome too, you know how to present instruction with the right inflection in your voice and know when to pause after something is said. Well done man, earned a subscriber
dude, same! i love the essential craftsman. such a great chanel.
Another possible option. With welding as a skill, you could design a caddy that allows the burner to be supported on top pointing straight down. You made the bricks removable, make the one in the forge big enough for the burner's flared end, and have a second piece of brick with the smaller hole on the pipe just sit on top to seal up the bigger hole. That would allow you to not lose any of the space inside the forge itself to to the burner.
drop them galvanized parts in white vinegar for a day strips it right off
interesting! Thanks for the tip!
@@Iliketomakestuff I was actually coming to the comments to say exactly this. I've used it to strip the zinc off of electric fence wire for chainmaille rings. The white vinegar works like a charm.
It's good to hit them with WD40 afterwards so they won't immidiately rust :)
@@PiranOfficial or a smear of oil
not strong enough need muriatic acid
Great video. It reminds me of the video made by Grant of The King of Random, where I first learned to make one of these. The burner is almost exactly like the one he did. He also used a mig tip and add a cover to control the air flow in the burner
For the leak testing you could have added soap them lit the bubbles. Nice build though
I used to be a mechanic and this is how we used to check for leaks in a tire/rim. Soapy water and watch for bubbles. Or dunk it in a trough full of water.
I built an almost identical forge a little over a year ago, here's a few tips that might help. The thin bricks with the outsides exposed radiate a ton of heat! Make sure you keep it on a heavy steel table or stand. I actually warped one of my thinner work benches when I first set mine up. 2nd, if you wait to start doing work until the bricks are heat soaked and start glowing on the inside, you'll have a much better time. The steel will get hotter faster, if for some reason the flame goes out or you have to momentarily turn it off, the glowing bricks will actually be able to reignite the flame, and having the burning on the side shouldn't matter too much since you're not heating the steel directly from the flame. If you do turn it on its side to get the burner on the top, you need to get that rubber hose as far away as you can. Mine started out with the hose going straight down like yours would be, and the radiant heat coming up caused a lot of issues with it. I ended up just running and elbow and some straight pipe to get past the heat, then connected the rubber hose there. I hope this helps some, and goodluck!
Those bricks look like MDF , I saw the thumbnail and was like, " what the heck? "
What if it is MDF in disguise?
medium density forge? :P
There IFB, but yeah they look like MDF.. lol
I use a small charcoal grill mounted on a stack of bricks in a V-shape and a fan to drive air up through the bottom vent to get more heat. I replaced the gas tank on my Honda Shadow VLX 600 with a tank from a Honda 750 Aero. I had to make my own mounts for the new tank. First, I heated the parts with a propane torch to weaken the metal. Drilled the holes so I could mount the tank and a solo seat. Before I could mount the tank and seat, I heated the parts red hot in the charcoal grill, and quenched them in used motor oil. Not only did they turn black, they were rust proof. Then put them in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes, that made them less brittle.
Hi I'm Eric and I like to watch people make stuff! Kidding, I like your wood working stuff. Keep it up.
Hi I'm MaskedRedstonerProZ and I like to read awesome comments like yours
You god damn right Masked RedStoner!
I also use a railroad track as an anvil. I will give you the same advice given to me: Stand it up, so you are striking on the side of the cap. You essentially want as much mass on your anvil as possible to return your blow, so by going up and down, you focus all of that mass directly under your hammer. It makes smithing much more efficient, and it causes the railroad track to take up less space, though I will admit, it severely limits the space you have to work.
This advice was given to me by Sam Salvatti, former Man at Arms: Reforged blacksmith, when he was an instructor at The Foundry in Baltimore. So while I do not claim to be even be an accomplished amateur, I will tell you the information came from a credible source and did help a lot.
That's a great tip, thank you!
Been looking forward to this since you mentioned it on the podcast. This fall this is my project and I’m super excited!!
When assembling the top and bottom, you put the long side pieces on the smaller ends. The other way, so the long sections of angle were contacting the firebricks their whole length, would have been more supportive on the ends of the firebricks, and may make it easier to remove them if needed.
Also, if you want the burner at the top, just turn it onto its side !
What a coincidence I was thinking of making a forge myself and then you uploaded this!
same here
I wouldn't start with a gas forge, I would start with a charcoal one, it's easier to make, and it gets you the feel within 2 or 3 bags
Mine Chaser a gas forge isn’t horrible to start with just not this one. There are far better gas forges to choose from. Like the soft fire brick one essential craftsman made
Wonder if you could revisit this forge. Do you actually use it as I've not seen it used more than once.
I have watched a lot of videos on this stuff and yours is by far THE BEST. Showing off the safety aspects is what other channels lack. Also, the equipment you have looks awesome to have and spendy. Thank you for this video :)
"I think nuts and bolts are overkill, so i'll just weld it."
You should head up to Montana and get some blacksmithing tips from Alec and Will!
Would be a fun colab to watch
I agree you should visit Alec and Will and get a black smithing leason. He could help you make a couple of the tools you need!
I would recommend the show "Forged in Fire" on history channel. You'd probably like it Bob.
That's a meme show lmao
Just letting everyone know the reason for the pipe coming in from the top is for even heat distribution. From the side means the top will always be hotter then the bottom, this is not what you want. So to combat that you focus on eating the bottom first and the residual heat rises anyway, which then equalizes the space. Still a great video and love watching.
Forgot to mention, there is a whole process of tuning your anvil for the best effect. You probably want to see if you can get a large block of hard wood to support it, and possibly wrap it with chains. I forget the entire process, I was only interested in blacksmithing to make the tools for my foundry, so when I decided to go a different route for the tools, I stopped being interested in blacksmithing as a thing I wanted to do, even though it's still an awesome thing to watch.
I'm a small time blacksmith and this video was very informative and fun to watch. Good job bob
you should never have to use Teflon tape on a flared fitting. The flare should be your seal.
I’m an operator at a natural gas plant we use snoop a lot on a day to day basis (which was the soapy water mix) you used to test leaks. Think it was cool to see you use it in the video most videos haven’t let people know to test it just to be safe.
Didn't you cut the inlet hole into a full size brick? So just pull them out and exchange it with one of the full size bricks from the "roof"..
That's what i was thinking. Just move the bricks around.
Came to comment the same thing. Swap the hole brick with a top brick!
...or just use a bit of brick to make a plug, 'cause you never know when a side port can come in handy... second burner, view port, thermocouple port.....
I have a tip regarding the galvanized parts. I learned it from a video posted on the Suffolk Latch Company channel called "How to Strip Zinc Plating from Screws". You can actually use a solution of water and citric acid to remove the zinc coating.
The nice thing about using citric acid is that it's inexpensive and it's very safe compared to stronger acids. After the coating is completely removed and the piece is removed from the solution, you can just wipe it off without worrying about neutralizing it; like with stronger acids. You may even be able to leave it in the solution for an extended period of time without significant negative effects.
I tried this and it works very well. Naturally, bigger pieces are going to take longer to finish than smaller pieces, with flat pieces seeming to take particularly long. That being said, I did try it with a 3/8" threaded rod that was around 2" long and it finished in less than an hour; as I remember it.
Can you please make a small series of you learning how to blacksmith
Though I love Bob and his teams' work, check out Alec Steele's channel. He's been smithing since he was 12, and he's got incredible onscreen personality. And that's despite being a self described introvert on Bob's resurrected "Brainpick" podcast
I like these kind of videos where you learn along the way. Opposed to the videos where you’re building a shelf or something where you just cut and glue wood together and that’s it
I’m excited to see what you do with it!
Me too!
Thanks for the video. I made a forge almost exactly like yours, but when I lit it, lots of yellow flames. As this was a project over some time, I had taken the MIG tip out so I would damage it and, of course, now I have to find it again. However, great that your's worked with some adjustments. I am confident mine will be OK!
Yeeeeees, blacksmithing! Can't wait to get home and watch the video!
Decent project, and ok if you just want to get mild steel hot and bend it or beat it into another shape. But some simple improvement can even be made for that purpose.
1. You need to move the nozzle out of the interior space. If you don’t, you won’t have a nozzle left in a short time. Even then, you will eventually have to replace what you have because the gas nozzle is too close to the end. Install a piece of replaceable pipe on the end and have that stop just outside the interior wall. Then that is not difficult to replace as needed.
2. Even after that, you have a “carborizing flame”, which would not be ideal if you wanted to do any heat-treating or hardening of simple steels.
3. Fabricate some kind of door and you’ll greatly improve the heating ability.
I offer these suggestions from being a professional farrier, knife maker and hobbyist blacksmith. I’ve burned up rebuilt and reclined a forge more than once.
Love your videos! I've learned quite a bit watching you.
Thank you! Glad to hear it!
This would be a great project for a small makerspace to build for a forge for their members to experience blacksmithing.
Check out Torbjörn Åhman, truly a craftsman if there ever was one.
Hi, once you have established the best position for the tip it might be worth drilling some ‘dimples’ for the grub screws to seat in. It should help with positioning if you change the tip.
Visions of crazy old man clagget when I saw him light that forge. Oh boooy
Fantastic work, Bob! 😃
The best part is that you made it in a really simple way. So, if you ever want to change it, it's going to be pretty simple. 😊
Really enjoyed the video. Glad to see blacksmithing gaining more recognition. Have you watched Torbjorn Ahman's TH-cam videos? Thanks for this video
You could adjust the frame to add a brick vertically on the right to act as your "tray" when you rotate the unit so the burner is on top. You'd form 90 deg with the tray bricks to handle both orientations. Thanks for the informative vid.
My forge is a charcoal/ coal forge I don’t have to mess with the gas
@@sjjwf6025 Which from what I understand is far more temperamental than propane, not as widely available as propane, and not as easily adjustable as propane.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with using coal, but it does have drawbacks. One of the biggest advantages of it though it's that you could literally dig a hole in your back yard and have an instant forge. Just add coal and a source of moving air.
I like charcoal more, I've got a nice design thats gonna be made in a few months. For me, it's easier to run
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. I took some pictures of Bob and Jenny blacksmithing nails with Alex, Joe, and Steve at Makers Central this year, I had a feeling this video was coming.
I've found that the wrong tools are always the right tools when they are the only tools you have.
Good build, easy to follow. This will be very useful for making custom tools.
Whey I am early, hey you're the best and I really understand your concepts, especially on TH-cam.
I truly love the pragmatic style of your builds. No miters on the angle iron... who needs them anyway?
Next weeks' video will be Bob with no eyebrows after playing with the forge.
And over the next few months, we can watch as his hammer forearm develops more of muscle mass and definition.
Eventually Bob can become a "mushroom in an apron" per Jimmy Diresta 🤣
I’m sure someone has already said it, but great video, I would have set the bell into the brick a little further, and cut the lip off the bell reducer , it doesn’t seem to affect the flame, having the lip on or off.
Also, you do get the convection effect from top or side, but it’s easier to use top as you don’t need to raise the metal to the flame.
Overall, great job!! 10/10
Thanks! I was kind of keeping the bell just to stop the burner from being able to slide out, but I guess I could tack the pipe in place as well. Thanks!
How to make a simple forge
Get some firebricks, cool I can do that
Get some metal, cool I can do that
Now start welding...... hol up
A solid fuel (coal/charcoal) forge is much easier to build, and can be done with clay(kitty litter or dirt), sand, and a frame made from metal or wood. Or you can just dig a hole in the ground.
Back the tip from being inside the forge, just to the edge of the hole of the brick. Was going to say that the metal wasn't hot enough, but you figured that out before I could type it😜
"It's a tiny spoon."
*There is no spoon.*
That was a very cool video! I just found you channel because im building a propane forge to replace my coke forge. Also to anyone that is building one of these to save a little money call a local brick supplier for the brick instead of lows or home depot. Its way cheaper!! Under 2 buck each instead of 35$ for 6 bricks
“Today we’re going to make **casually sets on fire** a forge.
when tacking things together, rest the nozzle of the torch on the work piece, this can help make you tacks a bit more accurate and takes the weight off so you can use one hand on the torch and the other on the work piece to properly align it!
"This video is LIT yo!" Sorry it had to be done, the balance has been restored to the universe.