MEMBER ITEMS FOR SALE
Custom Knives | Other Knives | General Items
-------------------------------------------
New Posts | New PhotosAll Photos



Go Back   The Knife Network Forums : Knife Making Discussions > Custom Knife Discussion Boards > Knife Making Discussions > The Newbies Arena

The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-28-2020, 09:46 AM
jr46 jr46 is offline
Registered
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Wylie, Texas
Posts: 2
Question convertng charcoal grill to charcoal forge

Good morning all,

I'm a super newb who is trying to convert a cylndrical charcoal "Char Griller" bbq grill into a charcoal forge for bladesmithing and light blacksmithing. Can anyone give me some good advice on lining the bottom to protect it? I've heard everything from dirt to sand to Kastolite 30. I'd appreciate any wisdom you can share.

Jim
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-06-2020, 06:44 AM
Crex's Avatar
Crex Crex is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Acworth, GA and/or Hanging Dog, NC
Posts: 3,592
Jim, might try going over to the ABANA site and look through the tutorial section. Lot of ways to convert many different salvage items to charcoal forges. As with anything there are certain things you have to be aware of and pay attention to in order to fabricate a workable forge. Read a lot before you start and you will get better results.
BBQ grills are usually made from lightweight materials and will take some pretty good lining material to handle the heat without bottom burn out. All kinds of easily found material can be used but will needs to be installed properly - again studying up will save you some grief and time.


__________________
Carl Rechsteiner, Bladesmith
Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild, Charter Member
Knifemakers Guild, voting member
Registered Master Artist - GA Council for the Arts
C Rex Custom Knives

Blade Show Table 6-H
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-06-2020, 03:18 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
Hall of Famer
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Decatur, IL
Posts: 2,612
Remember that a charcoal forge needs to have a deep fire. Like 6" beneath your work and 4" above it.

Doug


__________________
If you're not making mistakes then you're not trying hard enough
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-07-2020, 09:35 PM
jr46 jr46 is offline
Registered
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Wylie, Texas
Posts: 2
Thank you sirs! I do appreciate that.

Last edited by jr46; 08-07-2020 at 09:36 PM. Reason: typo
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-24-2021, 03:48 PM
Frosty Frosty is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 3
Smile

Morning everybody, new guy here by name of Frosty. I subbed on to see what's new with adhesives. The "Testing for the Ultimate Adhesive" thread was linked on Iforgeiron forum and. . . Here I am. Please forgive me if a bunch of smileys post I'm still figuring the site out.

Anyway charcoal has been used since before humans started banging on metal. It has it's own characteristics of course. One that folks unfamiliar get wrong is the air blast. Charcoal doesn't work well in a bottom blast forge, it requires as noted above a very deep fire but it WILL spread to the entire pile.

Charcoal works best in a side blast forge and an old BBQ works a treat. The main design of a side blast is a longish V shaped trench and the tuyere pipe entering perpendicular to the trench. A fire back and another through which the tuyere is directed allows for greater depth.

The following link is the beginning of the subject on Iforge and Charles has made several modifications, cutting a trench rather than a "pot" is one of the latest and works much better.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/448...e-blast-forge/

JABOD stands for "Just A Box Of Dirt", either search term will hit on more posts than a boy can use.

The basics though are a couple inches of packed soil under the fire to dissipate and prevent burning/warping the "box."

A side blast forge works with any solid fuel, or should I say I've never heard of one that didn't work well in one. Coal and coke work well in a bottom blast of course.

Frosty

Last edited by Frosty; 08-24-2021 at 03:51 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-25-2021, 01:34 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
Hall of Famer
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Decatur, IL
Posts: 2,612
Thanks for the link. That should help the newbie trying to get started with a charcoal forge.

Doug


__________________
If you're not making mistakes then you're not trying hard enough
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-27-2021, 11:57 PM
Frosty Frosty is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 3
You're welcome, it's my pleasure.

Frosty
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
advice, art, back, bee, beginning, blacksmithing, bladesmithing, charcoal forge, cutting, design, fire, forge, handle, heat, knife, knife making, made, materials, metal, newbie, post, sand, simple, tutorial, warping


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
charcoal forge Ed Tipton The Newbies Arena 9 09-07-2015 01:04 PM
Charcoal Forge for Sale whitlox General ::: Items and Bargains 0 03-11-2014 11:28 PM
Tips for charcoal forge welding. EdgarFigaro The Outpost 24 06-09-2006 05:04 PM
New Charcoal forge nwknight The Newbies Arena 7 09-01-2004 10:34 AM
Heat treating with a charcoal forge. The Flaming Blade The Outpost 10 03-24-2002 10:47 AM


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:08 PM.




KNIFENETWORK.COM
Copyright © 2000
? CKK Industries, Inc. ? All Rights Reserved
Powered by ...

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
The Knife Network : All Rights Reserved