Building A Forge (See Discription)

(((((WEB SITE CHANGED))))))
Http://www.myerstownfarm.com
I am not only a person who loves music but I also like to make things. I am starting to learn blacksmithing and I am building my forge. The metal I used was too thin so I rendered some clay and sand to line it with. Thought I would put a little fiddle music with it also to entertain the music enthusiasts. The tunes are Finley Creek blues and Louisville Breakdown.

**********UPDATE************
So many people have been asking about the construction of this forge I figured I'd add it to the description.

This was made with an old hot water tank. I dug up some Ozarks red clay from my place and sifted it as shown in the video to remove all rock and other fragments. This method also gets the clay to one consistency. Let the clay dry in a wheel barrel. The dry powdery material is just sand. The sand is sifted (as shown in the video) and added to the really wet clay (thus drying the clay enough to knead) on a sheet of plywood. Then add dried grass clippings to the mix before kneading (I didn't show this in the video...sorry it was an adjustment to the original plan). The grass is needed to prevent large cracks in the clay as it dries. The ratio for the mixture is 1:1:1/2 of Clay:Sand:Grass clippings.

*****CHANGES TO THE DESIGN*****
After using this forge for 3 years I would change a few things. First, the depth of the tank is too much! I wouldn't make the tank any deeper than 2 to 3 inches. The Fire pot only needs to be 2 inches deep and this will facilitate longer stock and lessen the amount of coal needed. Also, when you make the clay mixture, save some of it in a tightly sealed trash bag. From time to time you will need to rebuild the fire pot. To do this wet down the existing firepot clay and give it time to soak up the water, then add the fresh moist clay to the pot to rebuild. Be sure to get all coal or charcoal cleaned off first of course.

See my Website at: http://myerstownfarm.com

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Blacksmith
• Forge
• Making
• Clay
• Fire
• Pot
• Hot
• water
• Tank

[OldtimeFiddler]

@dataq0111 The grass clippings are to hold the clay together while it is drying. After its dry, it doesnt matter what happens to the grass, most of it is burned up.

[OldtimeFiddler]

@djpaulk The ratios were 1:1: 1/2 of Clay:Sand:Grass Clippings

[OldtimeFiddler]

@CaueHefesto The three (3) materials were, Red Clay (dug up from the ozarks region), Sand (sifted out - as shown in the video - to make all one grade), and grass clippings (raked up from the yard after mowing).

[OldtimeFiddler]

@roge715 We haven't had that dog for years.

[DjStoner96]

I was wondering If you used any special kind of clay or sand and also that depression in the middle was your "firepot" right? Sorry I'm new..

[OldtimeFiddler]

@DjStoner96 Nope just a mix of Red Clay, Sand, and grass clippings in a ratio of 2:2:1. I would recommend going with a ratio of 3:2:1.

[OldtimeFiddler]

@waterzoip Most definately! Infact you can create molten metal if you leave it in too long....ha!

[OldtimeFiddler]

@MrToshTogo The reason for the extra work of sifting the clay was because I did not have much money to build the forge. The clay mix with sand and Grassclippings provides a heat barrier to keep from melting my form. Concrete would be useless. It would burn up plus it required buying.

[Finnr100]

I kind of wondered how you would get on with a forge that deep. I figure that you learn by doing. If you don't make mistakes you aren't trying anything new. Good job!

[KRAYSLiCK999]

COOL!!!!

[VIKING33NY]

Hard to watch the video, I'm doing a jig over here!!!!

[huntin4live]

had to relook at the title of the vid. To make sure I read it right cause with that Ten clay thought you was going to make a moonshine steel...LOL..nice work on the forge tho

[protectoroffaith]

@dataq0111 what happens to clay when its heated it "drys" and turns "hard" the "clippings" are just to hold it together while it drys

[MrBluetrumpet]

how did you make the clay?

[Trollioli]

It looks like you're playing with the poo poo.

[dataq0111]

Grass clippings is silly. The heat from the forge is going to turn the grass to carbon and it will loose what little tensile strength it might have had.

[JUSTANOTHERDAY333333]

@CaueHefesto it was sand