Heat treating forge/setup

[Dutch7]

Looking for ideas for a heat treating forge - kindly post pictures of what you have made or purchased that works for you.
thanks!

 

[Loja man]

Hi Dutch, I just do my heat treat in my atlas mini Forge. I thought I had a picture of mine running but I couldn’t find it. This is just a picture of it off the Internet.

 

[Trapper Scott]

No pictures, but you can use a three-fire brick set-up and a torch head of your favorite flavor unless you are planning on heat-treating larger parts, but for springs or frizzens three bricks should be more than adequate. I have a propane forge sitting in a box awaiting Christmas time so I don't have to use the brick method anymore.

 

[Dutch7]

the brick method seems simple enough for one or two parts and I will likely go that way this round. thanks trapper
Loja - the atlas is inexpensive enough - I will put that on the "to get" list.
I thought I would sub out the heat treating work on this project but I am going to give it a shot - nothing ventured...

 

[Trapper Scott]

the brick method seems simple enough for one or two parts and I will likely go that way this round. thanks trapper

More than welcome. It works and doesn't take up any dedicated space.

 

[VAN]

I made a coffee can mini forge that uses a two burner Mapp Gas setup. It's insulated with ceramic wool fabric coated with ceramic cement. I use it to heat treat lock kit parts and forge small blades. With two burners it heats up real fast.

 

[TDM]

I have a single burner Mr. Volcano. Been using it a little over a year and have zero complaints. And the piece of rail is just to rest tools on, I don’t bang on it there.

 

[Trapper Scott]

I have a single burner Mr. Volcano. Been using it a little over a year and have zero complaints. And the piece of rail is just to rest tools on, I don’t bang on it there.

Great minds think alike. I ordered two of the Mr. Volcano double burners for my son-in-law for Christmas presents and my wife ordered me one. I can't play with it until Christmas though. I also ordered them a few fire bricks a piece and some 1095 steel to get them started.

 

[TDM]

Great minds think alike. I ordered two of the Mr. Volcano double burners for my son-in-law for Christmas presents and my wife ordered me one. I can't play with it until Christmas though. I also ordered them a few fire bricks a piece and some 1095 steel to get them started.

Wow, that’s great! You should be able to handle some fairly big projects in the two burner! I’m very happy with mine, it’s held up fine but I only use it maybe twice a month when the weather’s cool. I like 1095, I’ve made a couple of blades from it and the strikers I’ve posted. But it definitely needs to be normalized before quenching, I use a deep pan of wood ash. The 1080 & 1084 are easier for a novice like myself to make blades with. I think you’ll really enjoy your new forge!

 

[TDM]

Oh, and I took my time installing the fire blanket and cement to make sure it was fully hardened before using it. Seems to be paying off.

 

[Trapper Scott]

Oh, and I took my time installing the fire blanket and cement to make sure it was fully hardened before using it. Seems to be paying off.

Yep, I read a lot about taking your time on the fire blanket and refractory mix. I have nothing but time, so that shouldn't be an issue for me. One of my sons-in-law knows a lot about forging blades, but I have almost no experience with them, so I'll do the trial-by-fire method and a lot of reading. Thanks for the tips.

 

[TDM]

@Trapper Scott, one more suggestion that I learned from others using these forge’s is that about the only complaint was that sometimes the spot welds fail where the burners attach to the housing. The fix is to drill the flange and use a couple of stainless bolt & nut for insurance. Needs to be done before installing the blanket. I didn’t do it, but with heavy use it might be a problem.

 

[Trapper Scott]

@Trapper Scott, one more suggestion that I learned from others using these forge’s is that about the only complaint was that sometimes the spot welds fail where the burners attach to the housing. The fix is to drill the flange and use a couple of stainless bolt & nut for insurance. Needs to be done before installing the blanket. I didn’t do it, but with heavy use it might be a problem.

I read that also and bought some stainless steel rivets just in case, but I'll need to get a cobalt or carbide drill bit. That stainless is a tough customer to drill through.

 

[TDM]

Yes it is a killer of drill bits.

 

[Dutch7]

Thanks guys I like the coffee can set up @VAN how are the couplings attached to the can?
The mr volcano is maybe a little too big for my needs but really cool or is it hot?!

 

[VAN]

I found that a piece of galvanized steel pipe works best for the coupling to hold the brass torch. The pipe was cut about 2" long and a nut made by cutting off the raised end of a threaded pipe to pipe coupling. That nut is attached inside the can to hold the pipe sturdy before the ceramic wool is installed. The resulting 2" end piece is drilled and threaded for a thumb screw. The hole in the can is cut smaller than the pipe so it will thread in the smaller hole. I started to put a metal plate on the outside of the can there for reinforcement but found the pipe did not push through to the inside and held firm. The brass nozzle of the torch should be far enough back in the pipe to not get too hot then tighten the thumb screw. I first used aluminum conduit coupling, but it got too hot and partially melted. The steel pipe and homemade nut will not melt. Here is a picture of a coupling I just started to put on a larger can forge I'm working on. I put the coupling on first then the ceramic wool and cement then drilled through the coupling and ceramic wool to make a channel for the gas flame to the inside. Then I enlarged the channel in the ceramic and sealed the insides of the channel with the cement.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

I have a single burner Mr. Volcano. Been using it a little over a year and have zero complaints. And the piece of rail is just to rest tools on, I don’t bang on it there.

Is this an Amazon find or from someplace else?

 

[TDM]

Yes, got it from Amazon. Was only $75 when I bought mine. Haven’t priced them lately.

 

[Trapper Scott]

Is this an Amazon find or from someplace else?

The Mr. Volcano forges can only be purchased through Amazon but if you buy one and have any issues you can email the owner directly and he will take care of you quickly. The one my wife ordered me was short two packets of the refractory cement mix and I contacted him via email and he mailed me the two packets priority mail that day. Plus, the forges are American made which was a bonus for me.

 

[Dutch7]

I found that a piece of galvanized steel pipe works best for the coupling to hold the brass torch. The pipe was cut about 2" long and a nut made by cutting off the raised end of a threaded pipe to pipe coupling. That nut is attached inside the can to hold the pipe sturdy before the ceramic wool is installed. The resulting 2" end piece is drilled and threaded for a thumb screw. The hole in the can is cut smaller than the pipe so it will thread in the smaller hole. I started to put a metal plate on the outside of the can there for reinforcement but found the pipe did not push through to the inside and held firm. The brass nozzle of the torch should be far enough back in the pipe to not get too hot then tighten the thumb screw. I first used aluminum conduit coupling, but it got too hot and partially melted. The steel pipe and homemade nut will not melt. Here is a picture of a coupling I just started to put on a larger can forge I'm working on. I put the coupling on first then the ceramic wool and cement then drilled through the coupling and ceramic wool to make a channel for the gas flame to the inside. Then I enlarged the channel in the ceramic and sealed the insides of the channel with the cement.

This was how I would have done it as well - great minds as they say!
Thanks Van