Reviving an old forge

[crazell]

good question brokenhawk. 

[russ]

Use steel bolts with anti sieze ( coper coat ) on them
What yuo have is a farrier/farmers forge. They are for small stuff and are not ment to be used on a continuios basis. They were for small repairs around the farm or used by a traveling farrier that would only be using it for short periods of time at a run. dont run coke in it. Tha type of forge is best used with coal. Coal of course turns into coke, but if you run straight coke you will have continuious high heat in it.
I would not weld it. Patch it as described before and line it well with the proper clay. Dont use bricks. Fire bricks will stand up t a regular fire well but will melt in the constant high heat of a forge. I tried to line a forge once with fire bricks, after an hour of running  the bricks had melted all the way through.

[gordy]

        Good to see so many here that understands  the problems  of cast iron welding. Really good cast iron takes to welding fairly easy , if as was said , the pre and post heat is done with care. I used to be able to weld cast iron with gas but it has to be good stuff and clean . I havn"t done it in many years ? I"d need to do a lot of practicing before trying it on a pet piece . used to make my own filler rods . I have used the ni-rod sticks and they do work . One of the problems I have  is my eyes are pretty bad and I can"t detect the proper heats .

                                                   

[ErikPrice1@msn.com]

 Use to work at a coke refinery at bakerfield I know that stuff runs extremely hot. I was actually surprise to hear that some use it in forges, that stuff burns at the temp must metals melt.

[shootrj2003]

I had the same forge for years as a back-up for my truck mounted coal forge,you would do well to us stainless bolts as they won't rust as bad and they are more tolerant of heat-That forge is actually a riveters forge but will work fine for small projects,A lot of farriers used to use them but most use gas now I liked coal as it is hotter.You could mend the chip with an oversize piece of sheet steel or stainless just drill and tap for screws or use steel pop rivets to fasten it ,overlap it about 3/4''.

[ErikPrice1@msn.com]

 Yeah I think I will still build a bigger forge and keep this one for lighter or smaller work. I really like that 55 gallon drum one that guy built. Either way when the weather gets a little better I'm gonna start to get my forging area in my barn finished. Got it full of crap right now.

[russ]

Use to work at a coke refinery at bakerfield I know that stuff runs extremely hot. I was actually surprise to hear that some use it in forges, that stuff burns at the temp must metals melt.

You must be refering to area 3.
I have tried running that coke in my forge. Not a good idea. To many impurities and it smokes and stinks. I work in a facility here on the coast that produces petroleum coke. It dose not work.
Different kind of coke. The coke produced there is petroleum coke. The coke you burn in a forge is is caol that has been coked. Coking burns out the VOcs in the coal and leaves you with coke. When it comes to buying coal or coke. I alsways buy coke. For one you dont have to coke it to make coke,it already is coke. It dose not stink like coal dose. And last pound for pound, when you buy coke you are getting more. If you had a pound of coke and a pound of coal. You would realy only have 3/4's of a pound of coal because you are going to loose quit abit of it to the coking process.

[ErikPrice1@msn.com]

I did not know that. Learn something new every day. Thanks

[Red Badger]

Yeah I think I will still build a bigger forge and keep this one for lighter or smaller work. I really like that 55 gallon drum one that guy built. Either way when the weather gets a little better I'm gonna start to get my forging area in my barn finished. Got it full of crap right now.

Which 55 gal drum one?  I am looking to get into a little smithing and want to learn I joined the local group here in OK but they don't have time for newcommers - they hold a newbie class once a year and tell you about it a week before they hold it, then limit the class to 10 people....

[old salt]

Badger
Bring you camera, pencle and paper the the encampment at this time it looks like we are going to have rwo and maybe three blacksmiths there.

[ErikPrice1@msn.com]

It was an old thread here. I'll see if I can findit.

[ErikPrice1@msn.com]

Badger its on "The making of a blacksmith" Thread By VAscout. About 7 or 8 listings below this one.

[crazell]

way to dig it up.

[Red Badger]

Thanks I usually have a good grasp on where things are on here but I totally missed that one....

Must be overworked and underpaid here... have to talk to the boss....     oh yaeh I am he....

[NAULTRICK1]

  Give yerself a raise, it's on us