making a forge

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im looking to make a forge from a semi drum. Can I use 2 inch galvanized pipe and do I need to cut it down? How deep will the fire need to be to use charcoal? Any advice or help would be appreciated. thanks
Reply:Originally Posted by iowa1984im looking to make a forge from a semi drum. Can I use 2 inch galvanized pipe and do I need to cut it down? How deep will the fire need to be to use charcoal? Any advice or help would be appreciated. thanks
Reply:To be on the safe side, I would use black pipe instead of galvanized due to the risk of toxic zinc fumes.As for coal, availability and price depends on where you live....
Reply:The fire pot doesn't need to be super deep, or super wide. I think mine is less than 4" deep max, possibly shallower. Top is maybe 6"x6" tapering down to 3"x3" roughly.  I'd need to check my build thread and see if I listed those dimensions or not. If not I can measure mine to let you know. Mine was built off a commercial design, so dimensions are close to what they should be.Down side of a brake drum forge is that they are usually too large and too deep as far as the fire pot is concerned unless you are doing really big stuff. You'll waste a lot of fuel that way. The other down side is that most drum type forges don't let you build up a decent coaking pile since most don't add a table. A table is easy to add. Making the pot smaller is a bit tougher, but not impossible. I know some guys have taken fire clay or furnace cement and bits of fire brick, and filled up most of their brake drums to reduce depth and size some what. That way they have a smaller fire and don't waste as much fuel. Iforgeiron.com has a lot of threads on brake drum forges and plenty of suggestions on how to build a decent one that works well..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:Originally Posted by shortfuseTo be on the safe side, I would use black pipe instead of galvanized due to the risk of toxic zinc fumes.As for coal, availability and price depends on where you live....
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