DIY Forge

Is it your dream to be a Smithy? The hardest thing to come across is a forge. Check auctions, yard/garage sales, recycle area at the local tip / dump for tools etc.The following is how to make your own forge:

You will need:

1. A truck wheel rim, or one of the cast-iron cover assemblies that the council put around the fire hydrants to stop valves in the road -- these are ideal, except for the block of cement they sit them in is b!!!!! heavy?

2. Enough 25 mm ( 1 inch) water pipe for three legs.

3. 50 mm (2 inch) pipe for for the air inlet to the fire.

4. A plate, of either 5 mm or 6 mm (3/16 inch or 1/4 inch) steel, with a 50 mm (2 inch) hole, to go in the bottom of the wheel rim.

5. A vacuum cleaner that will blow air, or a blower designed for the job.

6. Charcoal, coke etc for fire.

Weld your three kegs to the wheel rim and your 50 mm pipe to the bottom of the piece of the plate. You may not need to have a 50 mm hole cut - many small holes (say 7 mm or 3/16 inch) will most probably do if the pipe is over the holes.

Set this pipe in the bottom of the rim, fit your vacuum cleaner hose onto the pipe and connect the other end to the blower side of the cleaner.

Seal the join with insulation tape or whatever, then light your fire and away you go.

* The old barrel cleaners are best for this type of job and can be bought second-hand cheaply -- even try thrift / op-shop stores.

* There was a proper forge made on similar lines, using a pedal driven blower.

* Instead of 6 mm steel plate, you may find a brake drum of a car that will fit in the holes in the bottom of the truck wheel rim and use water pipe of a size that will match up with the holes in the drum.

* Most of these parts can be bought second-hand at recycling areas of dumps or scrounged for free, but even if they had to be bought it would still be very cheap for a forge, if you have the use for one.

* You may find that you need some sort of valve to control the air flow from the blower. Make one out of a large washer (50 mm or so) welded to a piece of 6 mm rod to act as a pivot and handle, and fit as a sort of door in the pipe, like the throttle butterfly in a carburettor. Cut the water pipe, cut two slots, fit the butterfly into the grooves (like the illustration) then weld the other piece of pipe back on again.

NOTE: This is a user submitted plan. Ecobites recommends only experienced handymen build and operate this as a lot of heat is generated to work with red hot steel. If unsure of any aspect of this plan, ecobites recommends you do your own research as to the effectiveness and application of the DIY forge. Ecobites accepts no responsibility in the manufacture and or use of the forge.