Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: jonathan creason on January 30, 2012, 04:04:22 pm

Title: New grill = new forge
Post by: jonathan creason on January 30, 2012, 04:04:22 pm
A buddy of mine dropped a new gas/charcoal combo grill on my back porch a few months ago, so the old one had to go.  I just hate to throw stuff away though, so I hid it beside the house until I got the bright idea to turn it into a forge for some big stuff.  After a couple of hours worth of work I came up with this:

(http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq223/jrc1106/forge1.jpg)

(http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq223/jrc1106/forge2.jpg)

I mixed the clay with some river sand, charcoal, ash, and grass clippings for binder this time, hoping to keep the cracking to a minimum.  We've got some pretty heavy bucktallow soils where I live, with a lot of shrink/swell, so stuff cracks a lot.  I hope to have it ready to fire up by this weekend.  I saved the grates off of it, too so I'll have somewhere to set my coffee can forge when I'm working on normal sized stuff.

I just got some .25"x1.5" 1084 from Aldo, so I'm hoping to knock out a big blade or 2 in the near future.
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: paulsemp on January 30, 2012, 04:11:06 pm
keep this post going. I have done some knife work and all my tempering was done with a heating nozzle on a oxy/act set up. i was limited to small work. love your idea. do you plan on still running propane or going to nat gas?
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: jonathan creason on January 30, 2012, 04:19:50 pm
This is actually a charcoal forge, the design was made popular a few years ago by Tim Lively.  I've got a small forge made out of a coffee can that's heated with a propane weed burner.  I use it for most of my "normal sized" work.  Plus, it's nice to have when I want to beat on something in the evenings after work.  Don't have to wait an hour for a good bed of coals.
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: fishfinder401 on January 30, 2012, 04:42:46 pm
you should try useing some coal in that
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: jonathan creason on January 30, 2012, 05:22:56 pm
Tough to find quality coal around here, plus I really don't want to deal with making coke.  Gonna stick to burning charcoal and scrap wood in it.  My old forge got hot enough to melt steel with that fuel, and a fairly low air blast.
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: fishfinder401 on January 30, 2012, 05:26:10 pm
i guess it would make sense for you then, i luckily found a place that sells 40lb bags of blacksmith coal for 10$ and boy does it get hot
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: mullet on January 30, 2012, 07:58:31 pm
Can you send me a PM where to get the coal?
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: Lee Slikkers on January 30, 2012, 08:02:58 pm
Can you send me a PM where to get the coal?

X 2 please...
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: Bevan R. on January 30, 2012, 08:14:48 pm
Can you send me a PM where to get the coal?

Next derailment we have arround here, I will give you a call. >:D
(I have aprox 75 coal trains go by my house every day)
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: criveraville on January 31, 2012, 01:17:18 am
Cool idea. I bet most folks on here hate tossing things out. Keep this post going.

Cipriano
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: fishfinder401 on January 31, 2012, 01:36:03 am
Can you send me a PM where to get the coal?

Next derailment we have arround here, I will give you a call. >:D
(I have aprox 75 coal trains go by my house every day)
why not take that into your own hands >:D
Title: Re: New grill = new forge
Post by: Lone500 on January 31, 2012, 11:48:08 pm
Cool idea. I bet most folks on here hate tossing things out. Keep this post going.

Cipriano

haha i sure dont like to throw things away. end up having a use for it some time. especially after you get rid of it  ;D  In my experience ya gotta keep things hidden from women or ya get  "what is all this junk" comments