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 > Tool Time

Tool Time Let's talk shop. Equipment, Tips & Tricks, Safety issues - Post it here.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-03-2008, 03:51 PM
Txcwboy's Avatar
Txcwboy Txcwboy is offline
Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Melissa TX
Posts: 796
Send a message via ICQ to Txcwboy
Air Tank Forge

Im trying to build a nice looking and funtioning forge. I will run it as a blown burner type. I need to figure out a latch for the other side of front. The hinge moved a little when I was welding it and you have to push to get it to close properly.I need to find a blower, get the koalwool and coating stuff.Comments and Suggestions always welcome.
Poor welding it my HF welder
thanks for looking

Dave

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-03-2008, 04:59 PM
AUBE's Avatar
AUBE AUBE is offline
Master
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Cebu, Philippines (or Michigan, USA)
Posts: 909
Nice looking start. If you hinge it from the top gravity will do its thing and help hold it closed....you don't have that benefit with side hinges. Make sure to show pics once its done and fired up!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-03-2008, 06:30 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
Hall of Famer
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Decatur, IL
Posts: 2,612
Ya, what AUBE said about the hinges. I found that a couple of layers of ceramic wool insulation and about a 1/2" layer of Mizzou works well. Do you have a pass-through in the back of the forge? How are you going to restrict the size of the opening in the front? So far, it looks like you've got the right idea. Are you going to build your own blown burner? They're not hard to make even for a jackleg handyman like me. One thing that I found out is that only the burner tube that goes into the holder needs to be black pipe. I can burn mine for hours and I can see bugs walking on the section up by the reducing bell. Some of that is that the hot gasses can't blow back out between the hole in the side of my forge wall and the burner tube. If you allow it to get real hot then you might have a problem with pre-ignition in the burner tube which, to my mind, should really be called an injection tube.

Doug Lester


__________________
If you're not making mistakes then you're not trying hard enough
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-03-2008, 06:47 PM
Txcwboy's Avatar
Txcwboy Txcwboy is offline
Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Melissa TX
Posts: 796
Send a message via ICQ to Txcwboy
OK I might just redo the hinge for top mount. I have a 4 inch or so square hole in the backside. I going by the plans for the burner off IndianGeorge's website. Its all black pipe and a big brass valve. I have been looking for a 100cfm blower but surplus ctr hasnt had any lately.

thanks for comments

Dave
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-21-2008, 09:58 PM
Txcwboy's Avatar
Txcwboy Txcwboy is offline
Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Melissa TX
Posts: 796
Send a message via ICQ to Txcwboy
What CFM is the lowest I should look for the burner ? Forced air type.

Dave
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-22-2008, 05:48 AM
Crex's Avatar
Crex Crex is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Acworth, GA and/or Hanging Dog, NC
Posts: 3,581
Your torch entry angle looks a bit high to hit the inside chamber tangent if you use two rounds of Kaowool. It will also likely cause a hot spot on the interior roof and eventually cause degradation and burn out of the top of the forge. I'd suggest dropping the angle-in, so that you are "aimed" at a tangent 2" below the metal tank ceiling and just inside the K-wool liner. Easier now than later with the lining in place, same with the hinge thing.

Doug brings up some good points. With no restriction control at the door, in a blown forge you are going to need some really long handled tongs to retrieve your work piece. And you will probably find out like so many others, a small closeable "back door" is really nice, especially if you decide to do a large bowie or short sword, etc.
Whatever the case, do not become discouraged, pay attention to what you have done and what works - your next forges will be even better (and you will make more). Making your own forge will give you so much better understanding of how one works and how to control the heat factors. It's worth all the effort.
Another observation - once you mount your torch to the tank you might have to add additional support to counter the added weight on one side. If you want to keep it portable (based on the handle) you'll need to enlarge the base. There's a million ways to do this stuff as you have probably already seen. Sort through it and use what you need/want just stick to the science that makes it work and don't catch your pants on fire.


__________________
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
  #7  
Old 05-22-2008, 10:20 AM
Ray Rogers's Avatar
Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
Founding Member / Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,838
I generally hear 100CFM as a desired minimum but many successful forges are built with less. Mine is 160CFM and is just barely enough for the bizarre burner set up that I created. One thing is for sure, it's difficult to have too much as you should always be able to turn it down. How much CFM your forge needs will partly depend on the volume of your forge body and your burner design. Smaller forges need less CFM.

CFM though is not the only measure you need to find an adequate blower. Many squirrel cage type blowers are just fans, they move 400 CFM of air perhaps but they will only do it if there is no back pressure. Blown forges have a good deal of back pressure so you need a blower that can push air against resistance. You rarely see them rated this way but those that are will say they provide 32 ounces of force or 40 ounces, etc. Those ratings are enough if you find one. So, look for blowers intended for forges like my commercial unit at $125 or look for one designed for pushing air like a vacuum cleaner, or a hand dryer, something like that. Those are almost certain to work but other less beefy blowers may also work depending on the details of your burner design.

Finally, don't be afraid to try any blower you can get. The worst that can happen is that it won't work well. If you can feel air coming through your unlit burner with a slight push against your hand you have at least a marginally workable blower. The more air you can move, the more gas you can burn, and the hotter your forge will be ...


__________________

Your question may already have been answered - try the Search button first!







Last edited by Ray Rogers; 05-22-2008 at 10:25 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-22-2008, 07:55 PM
Txcwboy's Avatar
Txcwboy Txcwboy is offline
Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Melissa TX
Posts: 796
Send a message via ICQ to Txcwboy
I was told by someone else to mount the inlet about 10 o'clock. So thats why I put it there.The tagent talk went over my head but didnt burn me !
THANKS !

Dave
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-13-2015, 10:45 PM
BigBear1972 BigBear1972 is offline
Registered
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1
Where is the photo of ur forge?
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
forge


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


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:29 AM.




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