Forging

[WillS]

No idea if this is the right section for the question, so feel free to move it if there's a better one!

I'm about to start forging with charcoal, and the last thing I need to do is build a firepot for the forging.  I'm trying to work out a decent refractory cement mix, but I'm having trouble getting one to work without lots of cracking.  I'm using clay cat litter mixed with wood ash and water, but as soon as it starts to dry it develops massive cracks everywhere and falls apart.

Anybody know a decent and cheap mixture for refractory cement?  Or am I on the right track but it's too wet/dry or something?

Cheers!

[bubby]

Go buy a bag of fire clay at home depot

[WillS]

Don't have a home depot in the UK Bubby! Our equivalent charges an absolute fortune for anything similar, and I've got a large steel shell to fill in order to make a sensible sized fire pot.  That's why I wanted something cheap and easy to make myself.

[JackCrafty]

Here's a link to a primitive forge made by Jonathan Creason (a member of PA forum):

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=30392.0

Not sure about the clay but it looks like potter's clay or natural clay that he dug up.

[WillS]

That's ace! He mixed it with sand etc, which is probably what I need to do.  I guess my clay mixture is shrinking too quickly, and adding as much heat-resistant material as I can find would probably prevent that.

Thanks!

[sleek]

Let me tell you a secret about fire clay. Lean in close so nobody can hear..... YOU DONT NEED IT! Hehe.... gets em every time...

I have made several forges. One was just a charcoal grill and hair dryer. Worked great. Until I burned a hole through.  Another was a metal round cylinder of thicker guage steal. I filled the bottom with ash from previous fires. Have a pipe ducting blow dryer air in ( they work well as an air supply ). The steel gets red hot but who cares exactly? I made a kitty littler sawdust fire clay once for it. It was 1/3 sawdust and rest kitty litter as I recall. Made a thick paste. Worked well. Cracked some,  filled cracks with more. Let it dry for a week at least before firing the forge. The metal didnt glow wheh the clay was on. I eventually broke it from being careless. Oh well.  Works great without.

Make a break drum one. So thick a steel nobody uses fire clay. Ya dont need it. You could even dig a hole in the ground with a pipe under to feed air.  Let us know what you come up with and projects worked on!  Good luck!

[WillS]

Thanks Sleek! I was hoping to use a brake drum, but couldn't find any here.  I've used a sink!

My air source is a big pair of double lung bellows that I made from wood and leather, as I wanted to be as trad as possible.  They are huge though - 6ft long and 5ft wide - so if they end up being impractical I'll use a hair dryer like normal people!

I think I'll just re-soak my clay mixture and throw in as much stuff as I can find - sawdust, sand, dirt etc - until it stops cracking so much. 

[rover brewer]

Sleek is right just check u tube and see how many home made forges are not lined, you could also line with rock wool refactory liner.

[BOWMAN53]

No refractory clay needed. This is my forge and its gets heavy use.

[Chippintuff]

I can't say I know anything about forges, but wouldn't an enclosed forge get the metal a lot hotter? By enclosed, I'm thinking of it having a top on it to prevent massive heat loss. It could have a lid above the grate.

WA

[Aaron H]

On my forge, I use my shop vacuum as my air supply.  Just put the hose on the end that the air blows from.  Works great

[WillS]

This is awesome stuff, thanks guys!  Much appreciated.

I've been letting my clay cat litter and wood ash mixture dry slowly, and it seems to be slightly more stable now.  Still cracks in it, but I don't think it matters too much, as Sleek said.  I'll just plug it with more stuff if I need to. 

The purpose of this forge is to make my own arrowheads, and I want everything to be as traditional as possible - I actually made the bellows long before I had any plans for them, as I thought they'd be a nice project.  Depending on practicality, I might end up using electronic blowers / dryers etc if I need to forge in a hurry.