brake drum forge

[colinthefox]

I used an old vacuum cleaner blower in a very similar setup. Worked a treat.

 

[PaulJL]

Just need to plumb it in and have a play

 

[PaulJL]

Modified the forge to accept the bigger air inlet. Still cant get the coals to "take" even after a full pack of firelighters and a shitload of kindling. Gonna try it with charcoal to see if its just dodgy coke

 

[Panky]

Did you have the blower going when trying to light it?

 

[PaulJL]

No I let the kindling take before I hit the on switch, tried various methods .

 

[Panky]

Try a few holes in the hearth to draw some air in and create a natural flow and don't turn the blower on until the heart of the fire is glowing red.

 

[PaulJL]

Will do, it should draw through the blower air inlet if I pull the hose out.

 

[PaulJL]

I raided the scrap skip at a local heritage railway..... Got a piece of railway rail For a small donation of course. Should make a good small anvil until I go pick up the big one

 

[PaulJL]

Ok. Long story short but.....NAILED IT!
Lighter blocks and charcoal, no fan, once it took I put coke on top, left it alone for 20 mins then hit the on switch!

 

[Panky]

........and the forge melted

 

[PaulJL]

Haha no but I nearly did!

 

[PaulJL]

My photos wont upload

 

[Panky]

Try posting a link and I'll see if I can do it.

 

[PaulJL]

Will email you them
I keep getting a server error

 

[PaulJL]

Ta daa

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

Nice. But arghhh. How are you attaching files successfully!

 

[PaulJL]

Admin fixed the database thingamy doodah.

 

[admin]

admin threw more money at the problem ... sounds like our vans

 

[PaulJL]

admin threw more money at the problem ... sounds like our vans

and we are grateful

 

[PaulJL]

Me and John had a play yesterday. He made a coat hook and I made a small hatchet head out of a hollow stub axle. Took some doing to get it to forge weld together. The heat treat went well despite setting fire to my oil tank, the lid put it out