Building a forge...

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Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,694
711
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Following on from building a stove from a bit of steel girder and some gas bottles shown in THIS thread, me and a mate realised we had enough bits of gas bottle left over to make a copy (or near enough considering some of our materials were different) of Mad Daves five hour forge.

Here's our materials, an old lorry brake drum, the bottom part of a gas bottle that we had cut up when making the stove, two bits of steel pipe and an old cast iron drain cover.
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Using a grinder we cut a hole in the bottom of the gas bottle, Its not perfectly round but as long as the pipe fits I cant see it mattering...
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We then cut a bit off the height cos otherwise the sides would be too high and we wanted a section of the sides later anyway...
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Which left us with this...
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Remember the bit we cut off the sides?
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We cut it to length, cut a hole in it and welded it on the brake drum, also we cut a hole on the downpipe...
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Drew round the drain cover and drilled hols for the three bolts that retain it...
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The bolts are just tack welded in at the underside to hold them in place.
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Cut the bit of pipe that the hairdrier fits onto down.
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Welded everything up...
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Done...
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I forgot to take any pictures of the valve at the bottom of the vertical pipe but its basically the same as Mad Daves.
Anyway, the weight of the lorry brake drum keeps the whole thing very steady and although we didn't have any lump charcoal and a hairdrier to give it a blast of air its pretty much done now.

Thanks to mad dave for giving us the idea.
All in all, it took us less time to build than we have spent talking about building one and sorry about the picture quality but my camera was struggling with the light in his shed for some reason.
 

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Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,694
711
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Great tutorial,I look forward to seeing what you make on it.

Cheers.
I think making the forge was the easy bit but we will have too see what we can knock up.

We do have a plentyfull supply of old files, a truck leaf spring and various other grades of metal kicking about so the materials are there.

<Now, wheres my daughters hairdrier for the blast of air>
 

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Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,694
711
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stuff daughters hair drier keep a look out for a old but powerful hand drier.

ps. try skips ;) ....

I am quite an acomplished skip diver but am trying to give it up nowdays, being reasonably handy at making things I see every piece of rubish as potential and end up keeping loads of crap for years on end.

Besides, I have got her old hairdrier now;)

If its no good i will see if I can ratch another out.
 

Dave Budd

Gold Trader
Staff member
Jan 8, 2006
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Dartmoor (Devon)
www.davebudd.com
looking good :)

I would block off most of the drain cover thogh, or you will get a huge fire and in no time you will have hot coals dropping through into the pipe (amidst a beautiful spray of white/yellow sparks caused by the cast iron burning) :D
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,694
711
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looking good :)

I would block off most of the drain cover thogh, or you will get a huge fire and in no time you will have hot coals dropping through into the pipe (amidst a beautiful spray of white/yellow sparks caused by the cast iron burning) :D

You were right about the drain cover, the hot coals were no problem till the cast burnt out.

I will cut another out of mild steel next time I have the gas axe out as mild withstands a higher temperature than cast before melting. them maybe put some fire cement over it also.
I'm still pretty chuffed with it although have not really made much apart from a fire poker and rake:eek:
 

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