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 > Heat Treating and Metallurgy

Heat Treating and Metallurgy Discussion of heat treatment and metallurgy in knife making.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-24-2012, 12:33 PM
ricky_arthur's Avatar
ricky_arthur ricky_arthur is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Utah
Posts: 524
Can Anyone recommend a small inexpensive Forge?

Are there any good GAS forges in the 3-400$ range? Does anyone have one they would recommend>

Thanks
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-24-2012, 04:53 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
Hall of Famer
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Decatur, IL
Posts: 2,612
Go to USA Knife Maker Supply. They sell a small forge that runs less than that. It can run off a hand held burner and tank or you could make a small blown or venturi burner for it. Unfortunately, at this time, they are out of stock but you could drop Tracy a line to see when he will be getting more in. It, unlike the others that are featured is made for knife making not general forging.l

The other thing is that you can go to Wayne Coe's site or High Temperature Tools and Refractory and buy what you need to make a good gas forge. I have one that I cast the body from a refractory, made the doors from insulation board, and held it together with aluminum angle iron pop rivited together. I built the burner mostly from parts found at a hardware store and power it with a bounce house blower. I doubt that I have $200 into it total even after having to purchase a tank and the connectors needed for the gas supply.
IMG_0054.JPG
I have done some modifications since this picture was taken. The split soft fire brick on the right side that the burner tube goes through was replaced by refractory and I attached two pieces of aluminum angle iron across the top with a third piece screwed down to them extending over the burner tube. I rigged a hanger to support the burner tube from above and got rid of those blocks beneath the burner tube. The hose from my blower attaches to the bottom of the burner. It's not shown because it was attached to my other forge when this picture was taken.

Doug


__________________
If you're not making mistakes then you're not trying hard enough
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-25-2012, 10:08 AM
Karl B. Andersen's Avatar
Karl B. Andersen Karl B. Andersen is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Warba, Minnesota
Posts: 613
3-400 dollars!!??
You could build two large ones for that.

Here's a 12" round one that I added 6" webs to to make it longer without also increasing entire volume.
Insulated with 2" wool. Blown propane.


Here's a straight 12" round one also insulated with 2" wool and blown propane.
Even including a 50 dollar blower motor, there's no way I have more then $175.00 in either one of these.

And make sure you put everything on wheels so you can roll it out of the way when not in use.
I usually takes me about an hour to forge a blade.
It takes a good 20 hours to then finish the knife. During those other 19 hours, why have the forge sitting in one constant location always in the way?
Roll it up against the wall.



__________________
Blade Show Table 8-Q

What do you do when you see your ex in pain, limping and bleeding?

Relax. Take a deep breath. Reload and then shoot again.

http://www.andersenforge.com/

Last edited by Karl B. Andersen; 12-25-2012 at 10:12 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-25-2012, 11:32 AM
Fulmaduro's Avatar
Fulmaduro Fulmaduro is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 318
Karl, it looks like you built vertical forges? Do you have any more pics? I am interested in seeing how one looks from the top down inside, and what blower and how you attached it, etc.. Any detailed pics would help me since I am considering making my own; I just don't have a good mental picture of a vertical forge in operation unless somebody has some real pics, and I haven't been able to find many detailed pics of the interior of a completed vertical forge from the top. Thanks.

Tony Z
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-25-2012, 05:21 PM
Karl B. Andersen's Avatar
Karl B. Andersen Karl B. Andersen is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Warba, Minnesota
Posts: 613
If you look downward into a vertical forge you won't see anything - there's nothing there.
It's just an empty cylinder lined with ceramic blanket.
My 12" one is just a section of grain elevator auger body with a hole cut in the side.
Look, there's a lot more to it than that.
It would take hours to put together a tutorial on how to build one of these.
I saw a picture like this one, got some materials together and started work on it!
First thing I did was build a small 8 inch diameter one.
Then I took what I learned from that and built a 12" one.
I've refined some thing over the years, but this is the basic fuel/air idea.
First it's important to find some basic materials and adjust your final assembly according to what tools and materials you are able to acquire.
Maybe as awkward as this is to say, is that "knife making" is a process of thinking on your feet.
Find the materials you can and see what you can make from those to suit your needs.
If you just put your mind to it and then build one - you won't need pictures!




__________________
Blade Show Table 8-Q

What do you do when you see your ex in pain, limping and bleeding?

Relax. Take a deep breath. Reload and then shoot again.

http://www.andersenforge.com/
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-25-2012, 06:20 PM
ricky_arthur's Avatar
ricky_arthur ricky_arthur is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Utah
Posts: 524
Thanks for the responses. My first plan was to build one as there isn't much I can't make, but when I started pricing materials I quickly found myself in the 300$ range and that didn't include the coating for the kaowool. Which is like 80 bucks a pint. By the time I add that in, I figure I'm right close to buying one. How do you build one with the kaowool, bricks, coating, and burner parts for under 300$?
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-25-2012, 06:52 PM
Fulmaduro's Avatar
Fulmaduro Fulmaduro is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 318
Thanks for posting some pics Karl! I get the idea now. Obviously you think well on your feet! I have also seen some of your work and it is incredible. Thanks for taking the time to help us out.

Tony Z
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-25-2012, 08:20 PM
argel55 argel55 is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Chandler, Oklahoma
Posts: 238
Check out Uncle Als also for a vertical forge riversidemachine.net
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-25-2012, 11:11 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
Hall of Famer
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Decatur, IL
Posts: 2,612
Where did you price out this stuff. I got my material from the forerunner of High Temperature Tools and Refractory and I didn't come anywhere near $300. My large forge was built inside of a large mailbox but you can go cheaper than that. Even a new 20# propane tank would not have been much more. As I said, I don't think that I have $200 in my small forge even after figuring in the price of the blower, which most people don't.

Doug


__________________
If you're not making mistakes then you're not trying hard enough
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-25-2012, 11:21 PM
Imakethings Imakethings is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Boone, NC USA
Posts: 293
Geeze, for $400 I'll build you one. Or I can just give you some links and you can do it yourself.

First, do some reading.
http://ronreil.abana.org/design1.shtml
http://www.arscives.com/bladesign/forge.tutorial.htm
http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/


Or you can buy you some real fancy ones:
http://www.hybridburners.com/new-ordering.html

If you have any problems locating supplies or have questions about the actual construction, chime in and ask.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 12-26-2012, 08:24 AM
Karl B. Andersen's Avatar
Karl B. Andersen Karl B. Andersen is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Warba, Minnesota
Posts: 613
Coat your ceramic fiber with Satanite, which you can find for 80-90 $$ for a 70 pound bag.
I bought ONE bag about 2003. Have made 4 forges with it, have given numerous coffee cans full away to friends, use it on all of my W1 and W2 knives with hamons, and still have about 1/2 of it left.
I only re-line my forges once over 1 to 1 1/2 years after making lots and lots of Damascus.
You don't need to spend 80 dollars a pint for wool coating.
I bought a full box of 2 foot wide by 20 feet long blanket when I started.
After giving away lots of it to friends and building and re-building my forges, I've just now got to the end.
You've GOT!!! to think differently when knife making.
Build everything you build to last forever.
Buy LOTS!!! and lots of materials at bulk.
Are you going to be making knives five years from now? Don't just buy what will last you for now.
When you buy more - it costs less.
The only thing that's important in this business is the knife.
Forget about what it costs to make it.
I'm going to tell you an ugly truth -
Knife making is a life time of buying tools, and then you die.


__________________
Blade Show Table 8-Q

What do you do when you see your ex in pain, limping and bleeding?

Relax. Take a deep breath. Reload and then shoot again.

http://www.andersenforge.com/
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 07-05-2014, 11:49 PM
donnymac250 donnymac250 is offline
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Kelowna B.C. Canada
Posts: 66
this is my old forge made out of 2 paint cans and a rv 12 volt furnace motor . pretty much the same forge set up that i got from ray rogers site .
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
angle, bee, build, design, fire, forge, forging, hand, hardware, how to, iron, knife, knife making, made, make, making, material, materials, paint, store, supplies, supply, tools, tutorial


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 Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Forge inside a small shop Bob Warner Tool Time 15 11-28-2011 12:59 PM
Small Forge Plans Arccher Moon The Newbies Arena 7 01-21-2010 10:40 PM
Care to recommend a propane forge? bayard The Newbies Arena 4 03-24-2004 11:50 AM
Any Idea where to get a small forge blower Fsawyer Tool Time 21 06-21-2003 09:23 AM


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:06 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