Hello from Lancs

[Feanor]

Hail fellows, well met.

Why didn't I find this place earlier? Been welding for 25 years now and own the following equipment:

Cebora 250A MIG Welder (1990)

Oxy-acetylene kit (Air Products gases)

Honda 337 cc driven 200A DC arc welder. (circa 1992)

London Electric Company 200A AC arc welder (1929 and came back from WW2 service ....) 100 volts OCV - eeek.

Oerlikon DTG 201 200A TIG welder (circa 1990 - recently acquired)

Migatronic LDH 160A TIG welder (circa 1990 - recently acquired)

240 volt powered portable (ish) spot welder. (unknown)

Oxy-Propane cutting equipment (Air Products)

I've had a few other machines over the years but traded them on. A couple have been stolen too......

I've done bits of TIG welding over the years but never a great deal. Only ever done some stainless work in TIG. I've just acquired the 2 TIG welders above and aim to do some learning and practise ..... so this seems just the place for advice. They're both in excellent looking condition and I'm assured (and sort of know) they have both seen very little service.

I might do a college course for TIG later this year. Ah yes, I did a certificate in Welding Craft Practice (I think it superseded old City & Guilds at the time?) from 1988 to 1990. Levels 1, 2 and 3, but just in Arc, MIG and Gas.

I also own a Holbrook 13 x 30 centre lathe, an Arno no 1 vertical Milling Machine, a Brown & Sharpe 18" x 6" Surface Grinder, a Progress morse 3 geared head Pillar Drill, Grinder, Linisher, Bench Drill, etc. I've got some fabrication tools too - a Plain Folder (6 foot), a 4 foot Treadle Guillotine, 2 sets of Rollers, a Flypress, Swagers and Jennys, etc. And a big Anvil.

I've got workshop space and a 3 phase supply.

My next project I'm looking at is making a propane and air fired forge. Or in fact two - one as a 'hearth' and one in an inch-walled 12" steel pipe. Something I should have done years ago. I might be picking some brains about that too.

Anyway, hoping to have a good natter, pick up some advice, maybe give some back and generally have a nice time here.

I'm called Paul btw, but Feanor sounded appropriate for a name in such a place. Pleased nobody had yet bagged it. I'm 49 years young next month (sssh).

Thanks for allowing me here.

 

[the snooper]

welcome to the forum paul youve got plenty of gear you should fit in with all us nuts they are a good bunch

 

[cumbriasteve]

Welcome to the forum from up t' M6 a bit

 

[Epicyclic]

Welcome Paul, bet you've got lots of mates with all that kit

 

[Windy Miller]

Welcome Paul - sounds like you have some very nice toys there!

Keep us posted on the Propane/Air forge - that's an idea I have been toying with for a while now. I'd like something larger and more 'instant' than my current brake drum/coke/hair dryer setup.

 

[Feanor]

Thanks chaps

@Cumbriasteve - yes, up themM6 you are. I avoid the thing as much as poss.

@Epicyclic - There's mates and there's mates and most of them wear me out with mithering.

@Windy Miller - yes, I'll post progress on the project. So you're one of the brake drum/wife's hairdryer chaps are you? They seem ok but maybe a little small as you say. I'm avoiding the use of coal or coke because of fume, cost and the need to keep going getting it, storing it and disposing of the ash. I know Propane isn't as cheap as it once was (what is?) and there is still fume anyway, but I reckon these a lesser problem than with coke. Propane is altogether neater and cleaner.

I was thinking of using an oxygen or other gas cylinder (though not acetylene of course) of the medium size variety (the ones about hip height), but on reflection why mess about with such a thing which after all wouldn't technically be my property anyway? Plus I'll have to find a cylinder of such a size lying idle. Obviously I don't wish to rent one.

So I've decided a trip to the scrapyard and a piece of very thick wall pipe about 12" diameter should be ok. I've seen such sections there in the past, in fact they always have some mega pipe in the local scrapyard. Only slight hassle here is the need for a top and bottom welding on. This is probably better though, especially a nice broad base to make the thing more stable. I aim to cut 2 windows in the pipe, opposite each other, so as to be able to pass bar straight through and work on any part of a length. A side entry pipe will carry the gas and from a continuation of that pipe (after a 90 degree bend) will be the air input. I'll get the air from the compressor and workshop air piping and set up a PCL bayonet connection into my forge pipe. A regulator in the line can control air pressure. A regulator on the propane cylinder will do the same for gas pressure.

Things I need to suss out are: A suitable nozzle/jet for the propane and some ceramic wool and refractory cement (where from?). Also getting the gas input at the right location and distance from the forge pipe.

I've always thought that those brake drum devices with charcoal make a nice, neat little BBQ.

Thanks for the welcomes anyway.

 

[Bsmith]

Hello Paul and welcome, I'm in Leyland maybe not too far away from you although I belong to Scotland. I'm a blacksmith but have never used nor even seen a gas forge, we always used coal and air, so I'm no help to your project. I will take great interest in following your project in the forum, its a great place to be. Spend many happy hours here.

 

[Windy Miller]

Thanks chaps
...
@Windy Miller - yes, I'll post progress on the project. So you're one of the brake drum/wife's hairdryer chaps are you? They seem ok but maybe a little small as you say. I'm avoiding the use of coal or coke because of fume, cost and the need to keep going getting it, storing it and disposing of the ash. I know Propane isn't as cheap as it once was (what is?) and there is still fume anyway, but I reckon these a lesser problem than with coke. Propane is altogether neater and cleaner.

I was thinking of using an oxygen or other gas cylinder (though not acetylene of course) of the medium size variety (the ones about hip height), but on reflection why mess about with such a thing which after all wouldn't technically be my property anyway? Plus I'll have to find a cylinder of such a size lying idle. Obviously I don't wish to rent one.

So I've decided a trip to the scrapyard and a piece of very thick wall pipe about 12" diameter should be ok. I've seen such sections there in the past, in fact they always have some mega pipe in the local scrapyard. Only slight hassle here is the need for a top and bottom welding on. This is probably better though, especially a nice broad base to make the thing more stable. I aim to cut 2 windows in the pipe, opposite each other, so as to be able to pass bar straight through and work on any part of a length. A side entry pipe will carry the gas and from a continuation of that pipe (after a 90 degree bend) will be the air input. I'll get the air from the compressor and workshop air piping and set up a PCL bayonet connection into my forge pipe. A regulator in the line can control air pressure. A regulator on the propane cylinder will do the same for gas pressure.

Things I need to suss out are: A suitable nozzle/jet for the propane and some ceramic wool and refractory cement (where from?). Also getting the gas input at the right location and distance from the forge pipe.

I've always thought that those brake drum devices with charcoal make a nice, neat little BBQ.

Thanks for the welcomes anyway.

It sounds like you have given this a lot of thought! My ideas are slightly different though:

I had intended to use a propane bottle with legs of some sort attached to the side. The bottom would be cut off, and refitted with hinges (mainly to allow easy refractory filling/replacement/tweaking etc), and a trap door style flap to allow longer workpieces to pass through.
The top of the bottle would also be removed, and maybe refitted with hinges to allow further modifiacations, with a biggish hole for the front door.
One or more steel bosses (stubby 2" ish pipe) would be welded slightly off centre to the top of the bottle for the burners to sit in.

I've not actually started this project yet, and these are all ideas in my head still, so I imagine that things will change significantly along the way!

Like you, I am wondering about sourcing the refractory and ceramic wool and other heat resistant bits and pieces. There is a whole load of stuff on YouTube about this, but it all seems to be in the States, and they seem to have their own names for stuff!

Anyhow, sorry for the thread hijack - looking forward to seeing how these projects develop. Keep us posted!

 

[Feanor]

Thanks B - I'm in Atherton which is sort of in between Leigh, Bolton, Wigan. Not too far from Leyland really, down the A6 is all.

@Windy Miller. Yes I've seen various things on YouTube but are mainly American like you say. Your idea might be better in fact, cos there will be more volume inside your cylinder .......... but will it get as intensely hot? I suppose you're thinking of a Propane cylinder of around the 19kg size?

You mention use of 2" piping - I was thinking of the same and in fact I have some shortish lengths of 2" stainless pipe and a bucket of elbows and connectors. I've been dying to find a use for some of them....

When you say these pipes will be welded on the top, do you then mean the side ....... which will be the top when the thing is in its final position? And you say burners (plural), so are you thinking of more than one gas delivery? It sounds fearsome yes and very interesting.

What I have gathered from a YouTube or two is getting the air delivery to complement the gas delivery, rather than oppose it. It seems best if the air input is into the same pipe as the gas, but behind the gas so as to flow along the same path in the same direction.

One thing about Ceramic Wool is that used alone as a lining it will fragment now and then, and release particles or fibres, especially with rushing air and gas acting upon it. These fibres are nasty - even carcinogenic and we don't want to be inhaling them. So we need the refractory cement to plaster over the wool and seal it in position.

I have another idea for an open hearth type forge also using Propane/air and Expanded Volcanic Clay pebbles (which would be like pretend coal - like those false coals in living-flame gas fires), but I'm not sure if it's practical yet and need to do a bit more research.

Thanks for the interest and sharing of ideas.