Wok this way...

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I'm trying to build a small forge for heating round bar for shaping/forming purposes. I have a large old stainless(?) steel wok that I am going to use for the main bowl. I also have some 3/4 round mild steel to use for the legs. I'm looking for advice on electrode selection mainly. (Running a Lincoln AC225).Thanks for any help!Belargehair__________________________Lincoln AC225 GLMHammers"I might be an adult, but I'm a minor at heart."
Reply:Hello,Goodluck with the forge project, However I would not think the stainless Wok will be anywhere near heat resistant enough for the temeratures involved.Every forge I'v ever seen regardless of size has been fire-brick lined. Best regards  gordon.
Reply:I agree with Gordon. You will need to hit up someone who does ceramics, or get yourself some fire brick and mortar. The SS will warp, then, when you get it really hot, it will WARP!!!And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Yup, that's the plan. But I would like to weld some mild steel to this (possibly) stainless steel item for supports, etc.I will be lining it after I put it together.Belargehair__________________________Lincoln AC225 GLMHammers"I might be an adult, but I'm a minor at heart."
Reply:A mig welder will easily stick them together. Actually I never tried with an AC stick welder but I would try 309. It will probably be cheaper to find someone with a mig welder to do it for you. Might want to try to confirm that the walk is stainless.Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:Originally Posted by tresiA mig welder will easily stick them together. Actually I never tried with an AC stick welder but I would try 309. It will probably be cheaper to find someone with a mig welder to do it for you. Might want to try to confirm that the "walk" is stainless.
Reply:oops, I had Aerosmiths Walk this way, going in my head when I typed that.Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:How big of an area are you going to heat and what will be the source of heat? If coal is used you can use a large brake drum effectively, they take the heat well but if you are planning to use gas (propane) you will really be better served by using a lined box. The box is a more efficient design. Fire brick is okay for the floor but a poured in liner is muck better if you look at some of the blacksmithing sites (Abana,  google search for blacksmith forge) you will find lots of plans and sources for materials.
Reply:I've use a brake drum from a semi trailer and a piece of expanded metal for a BBQ and it held up better than any BBQ youd buy in a store now days. Don't see why it would work as a forge. Back to the wok. Just make a stand where it could set in without welding to it. Hey Flatbustedbroke, what part of Mo are you from?Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:I built one a few yrs ago, from Fire blocks inside an electric storage heater, and a propane torch. It would heat 1" stock so it was white hot
Reply:Well i just dove right in over the weekend and welded a reducer  (sch 40 - 3/4" I think) to the bottom of the wok to hook up the piping for the air flow. It's really an experiment in the end. I just used 6013 rods (at 75 amps?) and it seemed to welded up really good. Then I lined it with mortar and brick. I'm not sure what will happen when I heat it up but again, experimenting. I got pretty good penetration from what I can tell but there seemed to be a greenish haze around the slag after the weld which I haven't encountered before. Any ideas what the green haze was from?Thanks everyone for the input!Belargehair__________________________Lincoln AC225 GLMHammers"I might be an adult, but I'm a minor at heart."
Reply:So is this a coal forge? A small blower from car heater works really well. You just wire it through a reostat (the fan switch from the car) then to a battery. You can control the air flow as you need it and at the end of use you put a charger on the battery and your set for the next time you use it. Tresi I am around Rolla.
Reply:Charcoal forge I suppose. It's really just for heating some small stock to aid in bending/forming. I do have a old dryer that I was looking at to salvage the blower unit in there. I pretty sure it runs off the 110v feed of the dryer.Belargehair__________________________Lincoln AC225 GLMHammers"I might be an adult, but I'm a minor at heart."
Reply:309 is a good choice.  As to the possibility of burning it out that should not happen.  The fire is in the center and you feed your wet coal in in from the outside diameter allowing it to become coke as it approaches the center.  The only really hot spot is the area over the tuyere.  Blacksmith coal will stop burning once you shut off the air. A standard practice is to stick the end of a short 2X4 in the center of the fire if you have to walk away for half an hour.
Reply:I've always wanted to build one using a large disc from a harrow.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT