Scavenger Built Forge

The Scavenger Built Forge
Making something from nothing.
Every self-sufficient workshop needs a good forge.I decided to build one out of pieces of junk that are around my homestead.
I started out with a doctile cast steel drum for the basin.It was originally part of a Motocrane's winch braking system.There are 5 of these drums in the braking system.
Here are 3 of the 5 still on the gear box when I was junking the Motocrane.

Here is the drum.It is 16 1/2 in. across by 3 1/2 inches deep on the inside and 4 1/2 inches deep on the outside.The walls are 1/2 inch thick and the floor of the basin is 1 inch thick.It solid construction will make it durable to the heat.The hub that is bolted to it will make a good start for the throat once the bearings and races are removed.Inside the hub is where I will put the grate.


This is the stand the forge will be built on.I'm not sure what it was originally.

The frame that the Basin will set on will be built out of bed rails.

The bed rail pieces after they are cut and squared to be welded.


These are the parts that will make up the throat and the port for the blower.The large black piece is 5 inch pipe that was once part of a large satellite dish stand.The smaller piece is a automotive starter housing simuliar to what is on the '70's model chevy trucks.This particular housing is off of a tractor starter.

Cutting a hole to make a swoop T from the 2 pieces.

Here the pieces are welded togather along with the hub to make the throat and blower port.I cut a hole and installed a ash door in the bottom of the 5 inch pipe.

Here the throat and hub are bolted back onto the drum/basin.

Here the basin,throat and bedrail frame are on the stand.

For the blower I will use the blower from a electric clothes dryer.

This was a pic of when I first finished,but I was unhappy with the preformance of the pulley,being to small and not moving enough air,and this hand crank design in general.The handle was too long which also slowed the amount of air the blower would move.

Here I am drilling new holes with a makita cordless(now has a cord) drill picked up at the dump and converted to run off of a 12 volt battery.

This is the new design with a 13 inch pulley,shorter adjustable crank handle and a carrier on each end of the shaft.


I have only the cost of about 10 welding rod and electricity for the welder and grinder the sports the 12 inch chopsaw blade.

 

Looking good! How long did it take to complete?

 

Hi Jim,
I built it in a afternoon.I'd say 4-6 hrs.
That would include scrounging thru the piles to find the right parts.
I have another I will post sometime that is a hand pump forge.
I need to mount the blower yet and plan to do that when I have a camera available.

 

Keep us posted.

 

That's cool!!!!!!..... take some pics when you fire that puppy up.....

 

very nice

 

That sure is a very nice forge!

 

I was hoping @Bear would comment. I don't understand the need for the wide area outside the wheel hub charcoal pit.

 

Most of the tools are long handled and need to maintain warmth while working to some degree, so that when grabbing the work it isn't being cooled off by the holding fixture.
Often there are things you want to cool slowly that can be set near the heat not directly on the heat.
Some actually warm the anvil to prevent the work from cooling too fast while working it.