There's a video out there somewhere, where a fellow (shall remain nameless) explains how easy a forge weld is... he was over heating the steel to the point of throwing sparks, saying, "and it sticks with one strike every time! " As if he'd discovered a new amazing way to forge weld! I had a laugh at this one. Burnt steel is weak steel, so yeah it will stick together because some of the steel is molten at that point, but the integrity of the weld is going to be a bit iffy at best, because the outer layer of the steel is completely oxidized and burnt. This video is straight forward, well done, and good solid info. His advice for maintaining a coal fire is fantastic as well. It would be difficult to find a better guide than this for basic forge welds.
I agree 100%.. One of the first times someone has actually understood why the water is used, and the graduation of the fire, and a better way to get coke into the bottom of the pot.. It was all excellent.. If he was not a school teacher, he should have been. Ha.. But, I like him here better.. Cheers.
This is probably the best explanation of forge welding I've seen, particularly the use of flux and how it works. Most people know flux is required but have no idea of what it actually does and come up with all kinds of alchemy. Keep forging!
The best how to forge weld video I have seen. You abd I would get along splendidly in the shop. I enjoyed your "no frills, this is how you do it" attitude and to the point facts. I have had one of those bad days in the shop teaching fire welding. Man, that ain't good!
You have put out a FANTASTIC Video on building a coal fire and maintaining it ! You have also Broth forth a very informative and Complete understanding of Forge welding ! Thank you very much ! Take Care and be Safe !
Best most comprehensive explanation ever. I couldn't believe some of what I was told before. I was starting to believe this was because forg welding was thought to be some secret right of initiation, like how to tiy a butchers knot.
I think a lot of that is understandable because forge welding is so frustrating to learn, especially if you are on your own. When you finally do get a few welds to stick it does feel like you've cracked a code or made a major discovery. I would definitely work on the brake drum forge to get a deeper bed of coals. A very deep and dense bed of coals is ( in my opinion ) the most important factor in getting your welds to stick. You need a very hot fire but all the air has to be consumed by the fire before it reaches the steel. In a shallow fire welding is really hit and miss and you can't get a good weld because it's impossible to heat the steel long enough without burning it.
Very informative video, I am not yet ready to attempt forge welding, still teaching myself the basics. Scarf joints in timber, from a shipwrights knowledge, are typically 7 times the thickness or width, depending on which way the material is going to be stressed, from a blacksmiths view you would know better than me! Thanks for the video, knowledge is valuable!
Totally agree. Just a little bit of wood will get it all going and much safer and really just as easy. I am just kinda starting out made a bunch of knives and really appreciate your videos. Just subscribed as well.
I was curious if you have made a video doing forge welds with a propane forge? Some smiths claim you shouldn't do them with a gas forge. I've heard coal is easier to focus your heat. I've had good luck with the majority of my forge welds in a gas forge, but not always. If you've covered this in another video, which one? If not, would you consider it? I'm a big fan of your videos. Thank you for all the awesome information! I'm glad to see that this art is still being taught and learned by so many new people.
The main disadvantage with forge welding in a propane forge is that the entire piece is brought up to welding temperature. That isn't a problem if you are making a large pattern welded billet for a knife but it can make it almost impossible to forge weld small delicate pieces. So even though a coal forge is more versatile and you can build a fire to suit the piece you are working on, it is much harder to weld in a coal forge because the process is totally intuitive. There is nothing that you can measure or easily replicate. There a so many variables that cannot be controlled. In a propane forge, every part of the process can be controlled. Gas pressure, burner settings, damper positions, CO2 levels inside the forge etc. It is still not an easy process but once you have the process dialled in and you have documented the entire process, getting the same results it is just a matter of making sure that all the settings are right. With a coal fire it's always guesswork because the fire is always changing. I've missed a lot of welds that I though were textbook examples of perfect welds and I have no idea why.
My uncle likes liquid kindling; he also uses a few drops of love from a plastic ketchup bottle full of kerosene/diesel. It is generally kept by a pan used for cleaning greasy rusted parts on one of the work benches..
There's a smith who comes to my town for an event once a year who stores his raw coal in water. He says that it helps to remove the impurities faster because the sulfur and such binds to the water and comes out with the steam. I was wondering if there's any merit to that
Looking forward to try that. Thanks a lot for the video. One question, though - why did you clean & reflux again at 12:09? I didn't get it from the video, I'm sorry. Also thank you for the part about coal, clinkers etc. Very informative.
Flux that is no longer active will transform the scale into a hard caramelized crust on the steel. This coating will prevent the weld from sticking. The only way to remove it is with a wire brush. The demo at 12:09 ( + - ) was to demonstrate that more flux will not dissolve this coating once it is formed. Stay tuned this is one of the videos I will be remaking shortly so hopefully I will do a better job of describing the process.
@@df-intheshop330 Thank you, got it. Also if you remember, please show in the video how to know that there is the unwanted crust from flux that has to be removed. Maybe it's clear when one is doing that, maybe not. I haven't welded so far, so I'm just asking for that as I'd like to know as much as possible about that :) Thank you.
Amazing video! I'm very new to blacksmithing, but I'm going to watch all your video's. I just wonder how you heat up the metal after you sticked them together after the first forge weld?
The metal gets heated up the same way but because the joint is now on the inside of the bar you need to make sure that the entire cross section stays at a welding heat.
@@df-intheshop330 I appreciate the video, when I get to pieces to stick I cannot get back to forge weld temperature because it sitting above my firepot without burning alot of coal. Any ideas do I not have my fire built up enough , thank you
Yes it is. I guess the only video I've done that used this type of weld is my video on making a traveler. Also the t joint was often made with a cleft weld - see my spatula video.
Hot air rises so when you heat up the air in a vertical pipe the air inside the pipe rises. In a well designed chimney the air will have so much lift that it will act like an exhaust fan and pull in the surrounding air. That why you will see a forge with a hood sitting next to the forge but the smoke is being pulled in a horizontal direction into the hood.
There's a video out there somewhere, where a fellow (shall remain nameless) explains how easy a forge weld is... he was over heating the steel to the point of throwing sparks, saying, "and it sticks with one strike every time! " As if he'd discovered a new amazing way to forge weld! I had a laugh at this one. Burnt steel is weak steel, so yeah it will stick together because some of the steel is molten at that point, but the integrity of the weld is going to be a bit iffy at best, because the outer layer of the steel is completely oxidized and burnt. This video is straight forward, well done, and good solid info. His advice for maintaining a coal fire is fantastic as well. It would be difficult to find a better guide than this for basic forge welds.
Thank you!That was the best coal fire demonstration I've seen to date. There's a bit more to it than one would expect.
I agree 100%.. One of the first times someone has actually understood why the water is used, and the graduation of the fire, and a better way to get coke into the bottom of the pot.. It was all excellent.. If he was not a school teacher, he should have been. Ha.. But, I like him here better.. Cheers.
This is probably the best explanation of forge welding I've seen, particularly the use of flux and how it works. Most people know flux is required but have no idea of what it actually does and come up with all kinds of alchemy. Keep forging!
I made a forge cleric in dnd and these videos are helping me sooo much with my character build!! Thx
The best how to forge weld video I have seen. You abd I would get along splendidly in the shop. I enjoyed your "no frills, this is how you do it" attitude and to the point facts.
I have had one of those bad days in the shop teaching fire welding. Man, that ain't good!
You have put out a FANTASTIC
Video on building a coal fire and maintaining it ! You have also
Broth forth a very informative and
Complete understanding of Forge welding ! Thank you very much !
Take Care and be Safe !
Thanks for this - Definitely the best forge welding video I've seen!
Excellent demonstration and explanation. I learned much from it. Thank you.
Fantastic Video, Thank You for the demonstration!!!
Good video, this and Aspery’s are useful.
Best most comprehensive explanation ever. I couldn't believe some of what I was told before. I was starting to believe this was because forg welding was thought to be some secret right of initiation, like how to tiy a butchers knot.
I think a lot of that is understandable because forge welding is so frustrating to learn, especially if you are on your own. When you finally do get a few welds to stick it does feel like you've cracked a code or made a major discovery. I would definitely work on the brake drum forge to get a deeper bed of coals. A very deep and dense bed of coals is ( in my opinion ) the most important factor in getting your welds to stick. You need a very hot fire but all the air has to be consumed by the fire before it reaches the steel. In a shallow fire welding is really hit and miss and you can't get a good weld because it's impossible to heat the steel long enough without burning it.
Very informative video, I am not yet ready to attempt forge welding, still teaching myself the basics. Scarf joints in timber, from a shipwrights knowledge, are typically 7 times the thickness or width, depending on which way the material is going to be stressed, from a blacksmiths view you would know better than me! Thanks for the video, knowledge is valuable!
very straight forward. i finally understand forge welding
Thanks
Totally agree. Just a little bit of wood will get it all going and much safer and really just as easy. I am just kinda starting out made a bunch of knives and really appreciate your videos. Just subscribed as well.
My few forage welds has also fail, I try to follow your instruction.
Thank you sir.
I was curious if you have made a video doing forge welds with a propane forge? Some smiths claim you shouldn't do them with a gas forge. I've heard coal is easier to focus your heat. I've had good luck with the majority of my forge welds in a gas forge, but not always. If you've covered this in another video, which one? If not, would you consider it? I'm a big fan of your videos. Thank you for all the awesome information! I'm glad to see that this art is still being taught and learned by so many new people.
The main disadvantage with forge welding in a propane forge is that the entire piece is brought up to welding temperature. That isn't a problem if you are making a large pattern welded billet for a knife but it can make it almost impossible to forge weld small delicate pieces. So even though a coal forge is more versatile and you can build a fire to suit the piece you are working on, it is much harder to weld in a coal forge because the process is totally intuitive. There is nothing that you can measure or easily replicate. There a so many variables that cannot be controlled. In a propane forge, every part of the process can be controlled. Gas pressure, burner settings, damper positions, CO2 levels inside the forge etc. It is still not an easy process but once you have the process dialled in and you have documented the entire process, getting the same results it is just a matter of making sure that all the settings are right. With a coal fire it's always guesswork because the fire is always changing. I've missed a lot of welds that I though were textbook examples of perfect welds and I have no idea why.
Really good information thank you . :)
That was very nice man. Appreciate that.
Liquid kindling. Haha love that.
The best Teacher ever/ Thanks
An excellent and professional video.
My uncle likes liquid kindling; he also uses a few drops of love from a plastic ketchup bottle full of kerosene/diesel. It is generally kept by a pan used for cleaning greasy rusted parts on one of the work benches..
Thank you
There's a smith who comes to my town for an event once a year who stores his raw coal in water. He says that it helps to remove the impurities faster because the sulfur and such binds to the water and comes out with the steam. I was wondering if there's any merit to that
Looking forward to try that. Thanks a lot for the video. One question, though - why did you clean & reflux again at 12:09? I didn't get it from the video, I'm sorry.
Also thank you for the part about coal, clinkers etc. Very informative.
Flux that is no longer active will transform the scale into a hard caramelized crust on the steel. This coating will prevent the weld from sticking. The only way to remove it is with a wire brush. The demo at 12:09 ( + - ) was to demonstrate that more flux will not dissolve this coating once it is formed. Stay tuned this is one of the videos I will be remaking shortly so hopefully I will do a better job of describing the process.
@@df-intheshop330 Thank you, got it. Also if you remember, please show in the video how to know that there is the unwanted crust from flux that has to be removed. Maybe it's clear when one is doing that, maybe not. I haven't welded so far, so I'm just asking for that as I'd like to know as much as possible about that :) Thank you.
Fantastic welding video! Where are you located? I'd love to get hands on guidance on a few things.
I'm in Canada in a town that borders northern Michigan
Amazing video! I'm very new to blacksmithing, but I'm going to watch all your video's. I just wonder how you heat up the metal after you sticked them together after the first forge weld?
The metal gets heated up the same way but because the joint is now on the inside of the bar you need to make sure that the entire cross section stays at a welding heat.
@@df-intheshop330 I appreciate the video, when I get to pieces to stick I cannot get back to forge weld temperature because it sitting above my firepot without burning alot of coal. Any ideas do I not have my fire built up enough , thank you
Hi Denis thanks for the well explained videos. I'm new to blacksmith, is it possible to forge weld a T joint?
Yes it is. I guess the only video I've done that used this type of weld is my video on making a traveler. Also the t joint was often made with a cleft weld - see my spatula video.
Are you using fire brick?
Yes the bricks on the side of the forge are firebrick.
Why/how does the chimney thing above the forge suck up the coal fumes? Why don't the fumes just go straight up?
Hot air rises so when you heat up the air in a vertical pipe the air inside the pipe rises. In a well designed chimney the air will have so much lift that it will act like an exhaust fan and pull in the surrounding air. That why you will see a forge with a hood sitting next to the forge but the smoke is being pulled in a horizontal direction into the hood.
What can I say that hasn't been said. Except Thank you
Liquid kindling. 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣