Ye Olde Forge

[Parm]

In my previous shed I regularly ran a propane forge. The main issue when starting to use the forge was working out how much carbon monoxide it would produce depending on the burner set up. I bought a couple of CO detectors.
First one was a straight alarm that would go off at about 75ppm. I then used a detector that gave a read out as well as an alarm at around 300PPM from memory. Be very aware of head aches using a propane forge as these are signs of CO poisoning which can take days to reduce. So going outside for ten minutes for a smoke to feel better than going back in could be very unhealthy.
I tried different extractors to remove the heat and fumes. An old kitchen extractor worked ok as did a lab fume extractor. Both would cut out after a time due to heat cut off switches in the motors.
In the end I basically would open the garage doors and have a fan blowing at the end of the room, blowing out the door.
The forge I mainly used was air blown and used for making Damascus so did get quite hot.
Andrew

That's interesting information about levels of CO.

The workplace exposure limit for CO is 20ppm over a full 8 hr working day or 100 ppm for a 15 min short term period. Don't need to tell you what the effects of exposure are. By the time you know something is wrong there is often nothing you can do about it

Play carefully folks !!

 

[Parm]

Exactly how I built my anvil stand, I incorporated some rope handles to drag it around, Great idea but it don't work cause its too heavy

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I know of an anvil locally, it came from the original blacksmith's and must have seen a whole lot of use, because the top is worn down into a curve - thereby rendering it useless as a 'working' anvil, I suspect.

 

[Parm]

I know of an anvil locally, it came from the original blacksmith's and must have seen a whole lot of use, because the top is worn down into a curve - thereby rendering it useless as a 'working' anvil, I suspect.

Im never going to be a blacksmith, so its more than adequate for the occasional tinkering around that I do.

 

[Burdekin]

I know of an anvil locally, it came from the original blacksmith's and must have seen a whole lot of use, because the top is worn down into a curve - thereby rendering it useless as a 'working' anvil, I suspect.

Face it and weld a new top on?

 

[tom-madbiker]

Ever tried facing an old anvil hard as blazes from the work-hardening can usually do a reasonable job with a angle grinder and a belt sander

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Face it and weld a new top on?

It certainly won't be me doing that. [even if I knew what I was doing ]

 

[Kent]

Love it was thinking of a similar forge thing but I was going to use waste engine oil to fire it as I have lots stored for just such a eventuality heating metal with propane is too expensive for me

Even a camper van bottle of propane will last 12 hours continuous use with a single T burner
12 hours on time is a heck of a long time and without a power hammer one man won't keep pace with it. Remember the longer that forge gets left on the faster it works heating the steel and the slower the man does .

Propane cost is negligible

 

[Parm]

Propane cost is negligible[/QUOTE]
Just as a matter of interest, what do you folks pay?

Round here cheapest place is £42 for a 19kg bottle

 

[Screwdriver]

I know of an anvil locally, it came from the original blacksmith's and must have seen a whole lot of use, because the top is worn down into a curve - thereby rendering it useless as a 'working' anvil, I suspect.

That sort of wear is referred to as sway or swayed. Its not worn as such, just that the cast steel body has become deformed from being hit with hammers for years.

But no, not "useless" its not often you really need an anvil to make a large flat workpiece. Awkward though if you want to place a large straight piece or pieces and rivet them for example.

 

[Screwdriver]

Propane cost is negligible

Just as a matter of interest, what do you folks pay?

Round here cheapest place is £42 for a 19kg bottle[/QUOTE]

About £80 for my 47Kg bottle.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

That sort of wear is referred to as sway or swayed. Its not worn as such, just that the cast steel body has become deformed from being hit with hammers for years.

But no, not "useless" its not often you really need an anvil to make a large flat workpiece. Awkward though if you want to place a large straight piece or pieces and rivet them for example.

Every day a school day

About £80 for my 47Kg bottle.

Calor's own website seems particularly reticent about quoting 47kg prices.....

 

[Parm]

Just as a matter of interest, what do you folks pay?

Round here cheapest place is £42 for a 19kg bottle

About £80 for my 47Kg bottle.[/QUOTE]

That's cheap !!, well cheaper than my 19Kg

 

[monkeh]

i use gasdeal, not quite as good as they used to be but still better than calor, plus its free delivery and 100% deposit return.

 

[Screwdriver]

That's cheap !!, well cheaper than my 19Kg

Full story is it was free! A fair few people pop over for odd jobs or motorcycle related stuff and I am happy to help, I never charge. I designed and built a sealed fishing rod holder to fit on a bike for a mate. He was so happy with it, he bought me a bottle as a thankyou.

 

[Parm]

Full story is it was free! A fair few people pop over for odd jobs or motorcycle related stuff and I am happy to help, I never charge. I designed and built a sealed fishing rod holder to fit on a bike for a mate. He was so happy with it, he bought me a bottle as a thankyou.

Well with your forge up and running your going to have to build a few more

 

[Kent]

Propane cost is negligible

Just as a matter of interest, what do you folks pay?

Round here cheapest place is £42 for a 19kg bottle[/QUOTE]

19kg is a real amount of forging time with a single T burner. Your only running a 1 mm mig tip and you turn the regulator down during the first ten mins. If you think the amount of gas that feeds through a hob it's only a tiny fraction of that.
Consider 20kg of coal is say £7 and most of the heat it makes will be wasted During a day I would take a wild punt and say ten full 8 hrs from the 19 kg and in coal £10 plus and a lot of fire management and an odd melt off if you get distracted and an hour and half starting and stopping it at either end of the day.
Though this is not really eggs with eggs because you won't get bigger bars hot enough quick enough with a single T burner forge

 

[zx9]

Propane cost is negligible

Just as a matter of interest, what do you folks pay?

Round here cheapest place is £42 for a 19kg bottle[/QUOTE]

That is what I was paying to collect from the local suppliers, Calor and Flogas both exactly the same price so no 'free market' working with bottled propane but this last year I have been getting it delivered by https://www.bbqgaslondon.co.uk/ for £36 delivered next day. I suspect there is someone local to you that will deliver for a similar price, I am put off 47kg bottles because I don't fancy getting them down the flight of stairs into the garden.

 

[Parm]

Just as a matter of interest, what do you folks pay?

Round here cheapest place is £42 for a 19kg bottle

19kg is a real amount of forging time with a single T burner. Your only running a 1 mm mig tip and you turn the regulator down during the first ten mins. If you think the amount of gas that feeds through a hob it's only a tiny fraction of that.
Consider 20kg of coal is say £7 and most of the heat it makes will be wasted During a day I would take a wild punt and say ten full 8 hrs from the 19 kg and in coal £10 plus and a lot of fire management and an odd melt off if you get distracted and an hour and half starting and stopping it at either end of the day.
Though this is not really eggs with eggs because you won't get bigger bars hot enough quick enough with a single T burner forge[/QUOTE]

My forge is old school, I don’t make a living from it. It uses coal. I’m not a blacksmith, nor will I ever be. It’s just a bit of fun a few times a year to crush and burn some coal, get dirty, heat some metal and generally make a mess. I’ve not yet made anything functional, one day I hope that changes

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Great idea but it don't work cause its too heavy I'm not strong enough

Fixed that for you, mate.