Diy forge idea.......

[steve.h]

So I have seen several threads on here about gas and solid fuel forges, so I was thinking. Can I build a small forge something like a steel cube with open top, with a gas burner entering the bottom as well as blown air but fill the chamber with small bits of lava rock. I would imagine it to look simmilar to a blacksmiths forge, but obviously gas powered with the rocks to hold the heat, as well as insulating bricks or fibremat around the walls.
would this work very well, i thought it should be more efficient than an empty chamber as that has very little to trap the heat...

so what do you all think ? ? ?

 

[outofthefire]

Not sure how easy it is to build your own, but flamefast produce what your thinking of http://www.flamefast.co.uk/forging.html

 

[outofthefire]

Forgot to say, i've used one briefly at the school my mates a technician at. There not as good in my opinion as a coke forge but there not bad. I think for a gas forge i'd rather have one like the swan porta forges.

 

[astro_al]

I would either build a proper coke forge in that style, or a 'proper' propane forge (google it, or go to iforgeiron.com) with a ceramic chamber and piped in burners.

Al.

 

[outofthefire]

here you go http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/gas-forge-Fla...ultDomain_3&hash=item4cf4f4cea9#ht_714wt_1139

 

[SC_BK]

I needed to bend some bar the other day, threw it in the (wood fired) rayburn, fished it out after lunch and it was red hot so I could bend it in to shape (wouldn't move when it was cold)

 

[outofthefire]

I needed to bend some bar the other day, threw it in the (wood fired) rayburn, fished it out after lunch and it was red hot so I could bend it in to shape (wouldn't move when it was cold)

Getting heat into metal is easy, getting it in fast is why you use a forge rather than a rayburn (though i've been lead to believe aga's are quicker)

 

[Jammy James]

I dont know if agas are better at heating metal quicker but they dry fire wood out quickly espeacily the gas fired ones!!!!