New Old Forge

[Larry Luck]

Christmas came twice this year. 

Today, my uncle gave me one of his farrier's forges.  It's cast iron, about 24" in diameter, with a hand cranked blower.  I've never used a forge like this, and would like some suggestions on how to protect the cast iron.  My only experience was with a bellows forge that had a brick surface. 

Do I need to line forge with any material?

Thanks for any recommendations.

Larry Luck

[Dennis Glazener]

Larry that is a very dangerous forge! You need to stay away from it. Extremely un-healthy for you. I will be down tomorrow to take it off your hands!
Dennis

[Acer Saccharum]

Larry, Dennis is not really being helpful.

You can put some sand in the bottom of the pan. That will protect the bowl and tuyere some.

A source for blacksmithing supplies: Centaur Forge http://www.centaurforge.com/
I know it looks like horsey stuff, but there are all kinds of things, tongs, crucibles, molding sand, books, forges, both gas and coal, parts for rebuilding your old forge or blower.

Aye Sir

[Brian]

Larry, Dennis is not really being helpful.

Perhaps not - but he's definately being clever! 

I too would be more than happy to take that dangerous thing off your hands!   

[Steve Bookout]

I put about and inch of common red clay in my smaller forges.  I usually put it in place in two layers, allowing it to dry very slowly.  If cracks appear, they are filled with a thin slurry of clay.  I have found that if the cast is pretty thick, it probably isn't necessary to add the clay and use the forge as is.  None of my forges, old or new, will not burn out in my lifetime. Cheers, Bookie

[Randy Hedden]

Larry,

I have always lined my cast iron farriers forges with fire brick mortar that is used to mortar fire bricks in fireplaces and chimneys. I have never had any problem with this type of lining even though the mortar might crack a bit with use. On the other hand I have seen some unlined cast iron farriers forges that have cracked with use.

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

[Dave B]

Listen to what Randy has said. You should use some kind of lining in your forge to help insulate the cast iron. I had a freind crack his nice newly purchased antique and cracked it bigger than life the first time he fired it up. The sand method  I could see working but I used the fire clay wth a chicken wire mesh to keep it together when it cracked I have never had any trouble with it in all the years I have used it.

[David Rase]

Larry,
I bought a similar 24" round cast iron forge back in 1996.  I used it twice with no problems.  While using it the 3rd time I heard this loud pop.  Did not know what happened so I keep forging away.  The next time I went to use my forge I notice a crack from the tuyere all the way across the bottom and up the side.  I then realized what that loud pop was.  I continue to use this forge today.  The crack closes up when the forge gets hot and I have had no problems.  I did bolt a sheet metal shield to the exterior of the forge between the blower and the forge for about 1/3 the diameter which has probably helped hold the forge together.
DMR

[Brian]

Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away I worked as “security” in the refinery of a gold mine.  From time to time we would have to re-line the furnace we used to smelt the gold.  The stuff we used looked like grey plastercine with coarse sand mixed in with it.  You could mold it to any shape you wanted – but then when “fired” (first heating of the furnace) it became hard as concrete.  The furnaces had cast iron bodies/shells, but there was a lining of this stuff about 2” thick between the cast metal shell and the actual “fire” compartment inside.  They lasted a long time and were always running hot enough to melt gold and burn off impurities.  Can’t recall the name of the stuff, but it was some kind of refractory clay.  I imagine if you pounded about an inch of that into your forge as a lining that would solve the problem.  Those things ran on compressed air and vaporized deisel fuel, and they used to run around 2000 degrees inside.  The cast iron shell never got red hot.  Not even close.  I could probably go back in some paperwork and get the name of the stuff.

[Larry Luck]

Thanks all for the helpful comments.  You too, Dennis!
They confirmed my impression that some liner was called for.  Since making the initial post, I have done some additional Internet research and came across the following link:

http://anvilfire.com/FAQs/claying_forges.htm

I've been planning an iron-mounted rifle, and now I'll be able to forge the buttplate and triggerguard.  Won't my neighbors be thrilled by the ring of hammer on anvil and the aroma of coal smoke in the winter air?

Larry Luck

[JBlk]

Get some fire bricks and break them up in small pieces.Mix some ground fire clay and mortar cement together  and add the broken fire bricks.Make a fairly stiff mixture of the components and line the fire pot working out from the tuyer up to the sides of the fire pot.Let the mixture set up and then build a small fire in the forge and heat slowly.Dry the mixture in a few stages until hard.

[rick landes]

Just a note of caution with the refractory cement. Make sure to wear a pair of rubber gloves as it has a high fiber content and it is nasty for slivers, etc. (If memory serves it has a high about of fiberglass in the mix we use for our big forge.)

Make sure to keep the mix on the dry side per the instructions or the cracking with use will be a big (as in do it again) problem.

Acer's reference... We have worked with C. Forge for about 15 years now, they are a good company. Always helpful and resourceful.

[B.Habermehl]

Common red clay works just fine. You know, the red clay, or grey, from the nearest creek bank. When I had my blacksmith shop, my forge was lined with red clay. With occasional touch up it lasted 5 years or more till I sold it out. I found that my asthma would not permit me to play around with a coal fired forge. So the fact that I wanted to continue to breathe made it necessary to close my smithy. BJH