Made not bought, propane forge

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Troy is 70, I'll be 67 here real quick.  He was a cabinet maker that now makes cabinets and is in the horse business for fun.  He's been after me for a awhile to teach him some blacksmithing and us coming up with some products using wood and metal for fun and profit.We decided to make a couple of small propane forges, two burners.I had a Bob Warner two burner that worked good but was showing its age.  I didn't like the Kaywool  maintenance aspect of it.  And I loved my NC five burner that I've had since the middle nineties that has needed no maintenance of any kind. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:So we came up with a plan.  We would make a two burner copy of the five burner.We found 2600 degree fire brick and 3000 degree mortar and I had some used 12 gauge plate. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:Then it was a simple matter of figuring out the plumbing and fire tube design and welding it up. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:Yesterday we assembled the fireboxes.  All we have left now is final assembly and firing them up to see if a plan was good the first time or needs some adjusting.Okay, for all the nosey boys who don't look at the project and instead concentrate on the tools and shop.The white work table is a sheet of Hardy back on a swivel cutting table.  The big welding table come off a piece of heavy equipment and weighs about 900 lbs.The Hossfield imitation was made by Rylie and it is the only one I know about existing.The treadle hammer came from Valley Forge.The mess, that's a snapshot of my mind. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:Please don't ask for measurements.  It would embarass both of us.  I won't remember (remember the clutter in the shop) and it makes you look like you can't figure things out for yourself.life is good
Reply:Looks good. How did you cut the brick and how much do you think you spent on the materials?.No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:It looks like we will have between $200.00 and $250.00 in parts and materials in each when we are done.  The brick and mortar we bought in Dallas, 3 cases of 12 bricks and three gallons bucket of mortar, $160.00.  12 gauge steel I had.  Regulators and hoses, about $160.00 for the pair.  The brass fittings for the plumbing and the ignitors came to about $190.00.life is good
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWLooks good. How did you cut the brick and how much do you think you spent on the materials?
Reply:That's not bad. I haven't made up my mind yet which way to go when I redo my 1st gas forge attempt, kaowool or insulating brick..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Next weekend I will be just north of Shreveport at a family thing.  I will be bringing five anvils for sale and the forge because I have a grand-niece that last time made a turkey from a piece of cedar with me.  I think she might find moving metal when it's toastie fun.life is good
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWThat's not bad. I haven't made up my mind yet which way to go when I redo my 1st gas forge attempt, kaowool or insulating brick.
Reply:I think it looks good. I hope it works out well. Just curious how much lp the big 5 burner uses? Ihave no experience with lp and very little with coal. I used to go visit a local blacksmith shop that was still running in the late 80's and early 90's. The owner made garden tools and big rock/digging bars. He used a large lp forge and a big power hammer.
Reply:We fired up one this evening.  It likes 5 psi and was ready to make black iron orange in just a couple of minutes.  Even with the 3/8" rod soft as butter we could still place a hand against the exterior sides, bottom and top.We were worried about how it would work because this one was fifty percent calculation and fifty percent fingers crossing while wishing a lot.  It looks like we got real lucky.I still have to weld end plates on to protect the bricks.  Then there's the sliding out pieces that will hold long pieces in place.  There will also be shelves on the ends to hold bricks for closing off an end when we want it be hotter for smaller stuff.The height on the work bench is pretty close to the finished height on the legs and on the back of the truck.  I like being able to look into the forge without giving everyone the plumber's view. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:The big forge is handier than a pocket on a shirt when it comes to working long pieces.  But it does use a lot of propane.  I have a 100 lb tank for it and when I'm getting after it on a project the way to judge how much propane is left is to just look at the tank.  The propane level is obvious because of a serious frost line.  The whole bottom of the tank will havde a co ver of frost up to the propane level. Originally Posted by AR. HillbillyI think it looks good. I hope it works out well. Just curious how much lp the big 5 burner uses? Ihave no experience with lp and very little with coal. I used to go visit a local blacksmith shop that was still running in the late 80's and early 90's. The owner made garden tools and big rock/digging bars. He used a large lp forge and a big power hammer.
Reply:That is awsome, my son is wanting to get into blacksmithing, so we might have to give this design a try. Thanks for sharing it is always educational to read what you are posting. We won't embarrass everyone by asking for measurements
Reply:nice forge. It'd been a while since I'd don't any black smithing. So last weekend while on a trip with 4 dads and 7 kids I did some back woods smithing with a claw hammer, fire place tongs, the fire pit, a pipe, my lungs, and a couple rocks for anvils and produced a functional, if not pretty bottle opener out of a piece of 3/8 all thread.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger