I have been using a small coal forge to do pattern welding and it works just fine. But I live in a suburban area (darn it!) and although the neighbors are really nice folks and we get along well.....I am begining to find occasion to run my forge more often than is good for local politics. I would like to convert to a gas forge. I have access to all the fire brick I need. And I would like to use a blower as opposed to a venturi system. Have looked on the web and can't find an animal like this. Does anyone have plans or know of where I can just buy something like this that would get hot enough to weld? I am on a very limited budget but I guess getting along with the neighbors is worth something. Help!

I don't know about plans to convert a coal forge to gas, but there a lots of places on the net relating to the construction of gas forges. Two that I know of that are quite popular are at Ron Reil's and Don Fogg's web sites. Here are some links:

Ron Reil's Forge Page (http://netnow.micron.net/~rreil/Forge.htm)
Don Fogg's Forge Page[/lin (http://www.dfoggknives.com/forge.htm)

Hello

I dont use to come to the CKD Forums as much as i should but when I come in today just to take a look I saw your post and it happens that I just finished my EZ-Burner, according to Ron Reil's plans. It 's a very simple burner, besides being incredibly easy to make.
I have a friend who has built one a week ago and is already running his gas forge. Mine is not ready yet as i am waiting for the insulating material, but it should be by the end of the week. From his reports, he couldn't reach welding temperature with it in the first tries and now is thinking about assebling two burners to accomplish this, otherwise he says the burner works great and takes a bar to forging heat in about 4 minutes.

The upright Don Fogg style is a very simple forge to make and excellent for damascus work. I've done everything in mine from pattern welding 1 x 1.5 x 12" billets to heat-treating.

Having just made some Ron Reil burners I can attest that the D.Fogg is the easier of the two.

Good luck!

Hi
I looked at the plans posted on the net for the burners you both mention. They look like they will really do the job. I also found a drawing for a modified "Poet" burner. It looked really simple and I am into simple. So I built one (almost to spec), got my propane tank filled and scrounged a 0 to 35 pound regulator. I didn't have anything resembling a gas forge body so I stacked a bunch of fire bricks on my coal forge work surface into a sort of forge shape. I liberated an old hair dryer from my wife to supply air and fired the thing up. I am relatively new to this hobby (addiction) and have only forged with coal. I don't like pain or incapacitation so I always try to think the safety aspects of a situation through before taking action. I am glad I did because I suddenly had a jet engine going full tilt.
My wife and son both came outdoors and gave me that "you did it again, didn't you" look.
I was impressed! I actually did some welding that day. Now I know that this set up is a jury rig and won't last or be as efficient as I would like so I went back to the butner plans I had downloaded from the net and found the guy's email address. Then I managed to find his site. I contacted him and for $175 he is sending me a forge with the insulation, burner and blower - 4 1/2" i.d. and 15" in length. I could have probably saved a buck or two by building it myself but would rather spend the time making knives than messing with satenite etc.
I was impressed with his web page and the work he does. Nice fella, too.
If you are interested in looking at his work here is the info.

Michael Roth
home.adelphia.net/~mcroth/ (http://home.adelphia.net/~mcroth/)

van I have a Ron Riehl type burner, venturi and I could not reach welding temps either. I enlarged the gas orifice and boosted my propane pressure and can now reach welding temps.

ghostdog

Ivan, we need more Brazilian input around here! Don't stay away so long! :)