04-10-2017, 01:25 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-10-2017, 01:57 PM by Mark Reich.)
Thanks Wade! I'm happy this is interesting to folks who don't know about forging...yet! 
I should mention that no one needs a forge like this to get into bladesmithing. There is a Huge difference between forging and forge welding and foundry work.
My first forge is still great for basic bladesmithing. I'll still use it much of the time. It heats up to 2000*F quickly and easily, and that's way hotter than necessary for forging blades, but I needed it to work the big round stock down too.
Refractory material for 2000* is common and not very expensive. I surely don't remember how much my first forge cost, but it wasn't much. Maybe $350 in material and $200 for the burner.
When you're talking about 2800*-3000*F refractory material, everything changes. The brick for this forge cost almost $700. The mortar was about $100. The Kaowool was about $400. The burners were $450. $300 for the ceramic interior surface coating. The steel and incidentals probably another $100.
Sure, you will hear of guys spending a fraction of that, and they can forge weld, but I want to be Delighted, no matter what, for the rest of my life. "Buy once cry once" has always been a fine motto.
Anyway, here are a few pics;
![[Image: IMG_0747_zpsoihjzbly.jpg]](http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii10/ytreich/IMG_0747_zpsoihjzbly.jpg)
This was the first firing. I tried the foundry burner, but even at 2 psi of propane it got too hot too fast. Within a few minutes the forge was 1200* on this end, and 800* on the far end. I swapped to my smallest burner, and slowly brought the whole thing to 1200* for an hour.
![[Image: IMG_0775_zpsyemebeg9.jpg]](http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii10/ytreich/IMG_0775_zpsyemebeg9.jpg)
One foundry burner, set to the lowest output, brought the whole forge to 1500* in half an hour.
![[Image: IMG_0778_zpsfkc9yy6t.jpg]](http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii10/ytreich/IMG_0778_zpsfkc9yy6t.jpg)
At 5 psi, it took about 45 minutes to heat the whole forge to 1900*. The picture can't show how bright orange it is.
After an hour at 1900* I can still hold my hand on the top of the forge.
Now I'm ready to finish the interior with 2 layers of satinite clay and 2 coatings of ceramic ITC 100. After firing each coat I'll take it to my forging shop and finish the build.
Right on! I know a whole lot about building fence and corral. We used to buy railroad ties by the truckload, but you only have to dig the hole once.
Almost everyone using 52100 buys bar stock from Aldo Bruno. It needs heavy spheroidizing.
You will need a good kiln. I strongly recommend the Paragon 24" double barrel. They sold their first one at Blade last year. There's a picture of it on this forum in another thread.
I should mention that no one needs a forge like this to get into bladesmithing. There is a Huge difference between forging and forge welding and foundry work.
My first forge is still great for basic bladesmithing. I'll still use it much of the time. It heats up to 2000*F quickly and easily, and that's way hotter than necessary for forging blades, but I needed it to work the big round stock down too.
Refractory material for 2000* is common and not very expensive. I surely don't remember how much my first forge cost, but it wasn't much. Maybe $350 in material and $200 for the burner.
When you're talking about 2800*-3000*F refractory material, everything changes. The brick for this forge cost almost $700. The mortar was about $100. The Kaowool was about $400. The burners were $450. $300 for the ceramic interior surface coating. The steel and incidentals probably another $100.
Sure, you will hear of guys spending a fraction of that, and they can forge weld, but I want to be Delighted, no matter what, for the rest of my life. "Buy once cry once" has always been a fine motto.
Anyway, here are a few pics;
This was the first firing. I tried the foundry burner, but even at 2 psi of propane it got too hot too fast. Within a few minutes the forge was 1200* on this end, and 800* on the far end. I swapped to my smallest burner, and slowly brought the whole thing to 1200* for an hour.
One foundry burner, set to the lowest output, brought the whole forge to 1500* in half an hour.
At 5 psi, it took about 45 minutes to heat the whole forge to 1900*. The picture can't show how bright orange it is.
After an hour at 1900* I can still hold my hand on the top of the forge.
Now I'm ready to finish the interior with 2 layers of satinite clay and 2 coatings of ceramic ITC 100. After firing each coat I'll take it to my forging shop and finish the build.
(04-10-2017, 11:21 AM)wadebevan Wrote: 3" dia. round stock!!! Yeah, that would need a lot of heat.
I spent some time on the web this morning looking for 52100 steel in flat bar stock, not as common as I had hoped.
+1 on overkill
(I could have built my fence out of 4x4 posts, but 6x6 treated posts will likely outlast me.)
Right on! I know a whole lot about building fence and corral. We used to buy railroad ties by the truckload, but you only have to dig the hole once.
Almost everyone using 52100 buys bar stock from Aldo Bruno. It needs heavy spheroidizing.
You will need a good kiln. I strongly recommend the Paragon 24" double barrel. They sold their first one at Blade last year. There's a picture of it on this forum in another thread.