The Shop > Metal Stuff

using a small furnace as a forge??

<< < (2/2)

vtsteam:
I often used my frst charcoal furnace to forge and heat treat small boring bars for my lathe. Charcoal briquets work fine for this.

I once used real wood charcoal to check the refractory properties of some sand and clay mixes -- rolled into small patties. Since the furnace was only being used for that, I thought I'd just stick a length of 1/2" rebar through the lid opening to forge as well. After about 15 minutes at full blast I thought I saw the rebar move. but wasn't sure. Then i saw it definitely sinking in. Pulled it out and it was white hot at the bottom end and throwing off sparks like a sparkler. It was also shorter by about 2 inches.

When I'd finished with my refractory samples and pulled them out, there was also a nugget of solidified cast steel at the bottom of the furnace.

So, no problem using a small charcoal furnace as a forge. And maybe even melting iron in one, at least inadvertently! This experience is what led me to try my sawed off charcoal cupola several years later-- but without success there.

vtsteam:
Bertie just to confirm (though using propane not charcoal at the time) a couple days ago I finished a job to bend two steel bars about 1/2" x 2" x 14" into a drawn out S shape, both needed to be identical, and I easily accomplished that with the plaster of Paris lined furnace.

I'd say a "real" forge (being horizontal and set at a good height)  is handier to use for sure. But for occasional use, in a pinch, you can forge metal with no more than that.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page