Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills

Metal Forge

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boo:
Nuggets right, the washtub forge is easy to make and very cheep also. My first forge was in the ground using lung power, wasnt to bad. My second and favorite to date was the washtub forge with a hair dryer for air. I gave mine away after i bought a gas forge and a real blacksmith coal forge, but still wish i still had mine. been thinking about making another, Hands down the best forge for knife making you could have. You can make your own charcoal or you can just burn scrap wood, just let it turn to charcoal first. Ill see if i can find a picture and post it here.

boo:

This is it.Lowes sells the tubs, Just add a air source to the pipe and you have it. If you have any questions let me know.

Caveman:
What all does your forge consist of? I see the washtub, a pipe of some sort with holes drilled in it(for air I assume) what is the white stuff? It looks like concrete. Clarify if you can.

boo:
The insulating material is clay. I use the cheapest cat litter i can buy and mix with water to make clay. You can also use wood ashes to to the same thing, its just not as sturdy. Pore a bag of cat litter in a five gallon bucket and add water (a little at a time) till you get a semi thick slurry that is smooth. If you can, order Tim's video. He shows how to make one form start to finish.

Bob-Hur:
Squire Boone (Daniel's brother) was a blacksmith by trade, and a traveling blacksmith at times - on horseback. When I asked our local 18thC expert how he did it, he said Squire carried a few tools, maybe a hammer or two and a pair of tongs. He would find a place with a fairly consistent wind and dig a narrow trench with a funneling flare on the windward end, roof it using the sod he'd removed, and build a fire at the downwind end. Find a big rock for an anvil and he was open for business. Of course, he was working with wrought iron and his work didn't have to be pretty, just functional.

That's about as cheap as you'll get, I think.

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