New forge, help needed

[David Johansen]

This question is mainly directed at Bob Warner as I am using his plans to build my first propane forge. But anyone else that knows the answer please chime in. Bob, in your plans it calls for quite a few brass pipe fittings (endcaps and such) but I went to several plumbing supply places and no one had any. The plumbing supply place had what I needed in black pipe but not brass. Am I going to run into trouble with black pipe? If so do you have any good ideas as to where I could get the brass parts I need? Any help is greatly appreciated!!!!

[VSMBlades]

I also built my forge from the plans on Bobs site. I dont believe you will have a problem using the black iron pipe, I cannot see why it would matter in this application. I actually bought the brass pipi for mine at NAPA Auto Parts, the one here in town has a fairly good selection of brass.

Joe Bush

[Geno]

I don't want to confuse people, but black pipe will work better for this application.
Heating brass in a NO NO as it gives off zinc fumes that are dangerous to breath.
Zinc poisoning is no fun.
If there is ANY chance that the pipes could get warm, stay away from brass fittings.
In this case, it probably won't get hot, but why take the chance. When I cook all day long, everything gets heated up. Just a word of caution.

[Jeff Higgins]

Gene is right. Don't use brass. Black iron pipe is available everywhere. Besides, its usually cheaper!

[VSMBlades]

While burning brass can release zinc fumes, if the forge is properly constructed and running as it should there should never be any fire in the pipe and the brass has the air from the venturi flowing around it. Also the expanding propane gas should help to cool the brass down, so I dont believe you would have much problems with burning your brass up. I have had a forge like the one on Bob's site for about 6 to 8 months now and have run lots of propane through it and the pipes have never gotten too hot for me to touch at the top where the fittings should be, not saying I hold on for a while but I dont think they are much over 200 degrees.

Just putting forth my opinion, please correct me if I am wrong.

Joe

[Darren Ellis]

David, I find it harder to find 1/8" black pipe around here than brass, so if you found black pipe, by all means go with it! ...I did finally find a source, but it took some serious looking to find a place with a decent selection... btw, I'll get those pictures fired off to you this weekend...just haven't had a chance to do it yet...coming soon...

-Darren

[rhrocker]

What about galvanized guys? I realize the toxic problems if heated, but is it really just black pipe that's coated? Asking cause I used some on my rig.

[Bob Warner]

Any pipe will do. The goal is to shoot gas down the center of the burner pipe. I used brass because it is easy for me to get at the ACE hardware. Black pipe is good and galvanized is ok for the burners because it does not get hot enough to matter. If it is getting hot, something is wrong. I can get my forge to welding temps and grab the burner pipe in the middle and hold on.

Some people seem to think I am immune to heat (I am not) but it is just not that hot. Certainly not hot enough to cause brass to melt or galvanized pipe to start putting off bad fumes.

The only time any real heat hits my brass fittings is when I turn off the forge and the heat escapes through the burner. I used teflon tape on all joints and it has not burned off yet.

My forge is now a couple of years old and has been abused but it still works well.

[Geno]

OK, Both sides of the coin here.
Brass and galvanized should work well, I'm cautious though.Always thinking,"what if".
If the zinc should give up, most of the gasses would be consumed into the flame causing a fuzzy appearence on your work or green tinted flame.Those are your warning signs to watch for.Cigarettes will taste sweet- that means you got it in you.
Drink milk, a lot of it.Milk helps neutralize the effects in your body.

These pipes and fittings "should" not get that hot, true, but what if?

My heat treat oven has run for years, but last month I was annealing some steel at high temps and a long soak time when my wooden walls(behind the oven) started smoking.
This has NEVER happened before, and I had never asked myself,"what if"?
I thought I was safe, but I noticed this driving back into the driveway, coming back home.
This phenominon could have burned my shop down before I could get back home from picking my girls up from school. This is just another example of why you shouls always ask yourself,"what if"?

Murphy says that "anything" that can go wrong, will.It is just a matter of time.
I try to take those chances out of the way before I begin.
Safety is everyone's concern. That's the only reason I brought it up.

"IF" you use zinc products(brass or galvenized) be aware of the dangers- not to say it will happen, but rather it could,OK? We want everyone to work safe and have fun doing this.

There's both sides of the coin, I hope it helps.

[David Johansen]

Thanks everyone for the great info!! Bob thank you again for making those plans available for everyone. I am 3/4 done with building the forge and can't wait to put it to use!!

Darren, thanks for the modification idea of tapping a schedule 80 close nipple for a mig tip instead of using the plug and drilling a hole. I figured out how that will work now. (for some reason when we were talking on the phone is was not quite clicking )

Everyone thanks again for your help!!