Forge and Anvil.

[jamesthomas]

O.K. ya'll folks with a forge an anvil can quit showing off. I'm starting to think about getting my own. How would one go about setting up a cheap forge like some kind of grill and a bellows, and where could I pick up a small anvil? Could ya'll show how you are set up?

 

[armymedic.2]

This pic doesnt tell much but im in city working. Better pics later

The forge is a brake drum welded into the middle of an old tractor flange....but any thickish sheet metal should work. U dont need the extra metal but it helps.to lay longer pieces on. Welded to the bottom of the brake drum is a 1 1/2 inch pipe that looks like a capitol t on its side. The horizontal pie e is where the air comes from the bellows. The bellows is my wifes hair dryer with the cool button taped down runnin on an extension cord from the house. The bottom of thr vertical piece has a slot in it cut for a removable plate. Pull the plate and the ash falls out. I can run it till im well past tired before itneeds ash dumped.

I burn lump charcoal not coal. Buy it at lowes for $7 a bag....lasts about an hour. Or make it yourself which is easy if u have an outdoor woodstove.

 

[armymedic.2]

I lucked into a real anvil with hardy hole and horn but any piece of steel heavy enouhh not to move when hit will do. Ive seen incrredible pieces made on round cutoffs u can get out of scrap pile. Besides a few hammers and a vice u make ur own tools as u go. All said and done i think i have $20 in my setup. Anvil on loan. Forge i built with scrap. And my wife still begrudgingly uses the hairdryer


And oh yeah.....gotcha! Welcome to the fun and learning and sore shoulders/ tired arms

 

[skunkskinner]

Most of the time i use a 1 foot piece of rail road track and a acetylene torch. If im in the mood to use coal i have a double lung bellows i made 10 years ago, it works good but takes a lot of man power. Heavy I beam from a junk yard will work as an anvil till you can find a anvil.

 

[BillinOregon]

Google Tim Lively.

 

[cynthialee]

I have a piece of railroad rail about 2' long. Every time I look at it I think it would make a functional anvil for some things.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Brake drums can be used to make a small forge and a short pipe can be fitted to an air compresser to serve as a bellows. Rail road iron makes a good small anvil. :idunno:

 

[razorbritches]

I have used a cheap dollar store hair dryer for my forge for some time now it is tough to beat there is also a book out there called "The 50$ Knife Shop" that has a lot of info on improvised anvils and tools the author is Wayne Goddard a master blade smith. He started out with modest means and limited space like lots of us. A very good and informative book.

 

[44-henry]

Charcoal forges are neat, but you might want to consider a small gas forge instead. They are cheaper to run and much cleaner as well. Look at Ron Reil's site and you can find information on building a freon tank forge there. You could also start very small and simply build a one brick forge (uses a single fire brick and a hand held propane torch). Years back I did some small forgings on the balcony of the apartment I lived in with a forge like this. I used a very small bench top anvil that I found at a garage sale. Not ideal, but quenched my thirst for building something when I was in college and away from my shop.

 

[Jim Blair]

I have used a cheap dollar store hair dryer for my forge for some time now it is tough to beat there is also a book out there called "The 50$ Knife Shop" that has a lot of info on improvised anvils and tools the author is Wayne Goddard a master blade smith. He started out with modest means and limited space like lots of us. A very good and informative book.

Good book,has a lot about making your own shop equipment without spending a lot of money.
http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?title=wayne+goddard's+$50+knife+shop&mtype=B

 

[BillinOregon]

Armakiller, I have posted this before, but here is my Tim Lively-style charcoal forge powered by an old Champion No. 40 hand-cranked blower. The anvil on the floor next to it is a 120-pound Trrenton I had just found used at a farrier supply shop for $300. Good anvils don't come cheap these days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRrimSk6LzA

 

[50cal.cliff]

I have a piece of railroad rail about 2' long. Every time I look at it I think it would make a functional anvil for some things.

Check this out Cynthialee
https://www.google.com/search?q=an...GKpOy8AT-o4HABA&ved=0CFsQsAQ&biw=1320&bih=676
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf9YHNPf2_o

 

[Bruce Bogart]

I'm not set up yet, but I have a good start on the cheap. I got two forges, an anvil, 15 hammers, several hardees, a few files, a bunch of rivets, and a post drill press (hand operated) given to me by a former coworker. Now I need ideas on a proper shed to build to house all this and work in. Suggestions accepted. Oh yea I still need a good swage block too (he didn't have one).

 

[razorbritches]

one brick forges are really good for small parts properly set up makes a great bench top set up.
the propane torch can make a real difference the one with a hose running from the bottle to the torch head is hotter than the others(bernz-o-matic can't remember the model #)had mine for years super handy, really easy to maneuver Still keep my coal/charcoal forge though really great for odd shapes, and working with scrap

 

[44-henry]

Over the years I have acquired a number of antique forges at farm auctions and garage sales, something that there are a lot of in North Dakota. I used to have a lot of fun restoring and giving them away before I realized they had considerable value. If you have a source of good coal and a place to use one these antique forges are really very satisfying and also very effective, but I still prefer gas for practical reasons.

As far as anvils go I have found some really good deals on these over the years. At least in North Dakota it doesn't seem to uncommon to find them at garage sales and they are often found at auctions. The auction prices seem to go a bit high, but a few years back I picked up a really nice unmarked 150 pound anvil with several hardies and a perfect, untouched face for $50.00 at a local yard sale. I have found less perfect condition anvils for considerably less than that around here as well. I figure there are deals like that in most places if a person keeps an eye out.