The best forge in the world is the one that gets you started on the journey. Sure the later one(s) will be bigger and better and all that good stuff but the one that starts you off is uniquely awesome.
Your safety explanation is better than what I've heard from many EHS experts. Be smart, anticipate problems before they happen. Simple, straightforward and true! Thanks for sharing the cool build
I've been wanting to get into knifemaking on the side for a few years now, but couldn't wrap my head around the cost and space requirements of a forge. I had no idea that a starter rig could be whipped up so cheaply. This video is incredibly informative and a huge benefit to anyone looking to get started, and has inspired me to actually get off my butt, grab a hammer and get to work. Hats off to you for taking the time to show this to everyone, Walter. Sincerely, thank you!
I just happened upon this video for the first time and i actually am currently using a setup almost identical for heat treating. It certainly works, larger blades are a challenge with a single burner. Definitely plan on getting a heat treating oven when i move this summer.
That's the best safety teaching on forges yet. Thanks. You know a lot and are a capable teacher. Thanks again. Four commercials are too many. They'll put on us what we'll allow.
I've been waiting for something like this for awhile, I dont mind a bit of fiddling to get things right, and am confident and old enough to be safe. Thank you.
Really enjoyed this. Thank you. As someone who wants to try this for the first time, I found this really interesting and informative, and I loved the humour as well. Really appreciated the tips you shared. Thanks again!
Thanks for all of the great helpful videos! Just a quick tip on the soft fire brick, if you wet it down before you machine it you won’t have near as much dust to clean up or breathe. Love your videos! Thanks!
Finally I have some way of starting a forge. Thank you Walter, been watching your vids and others for a few years now and didn't understand how to get started without going broke
I made a mini forge from a paint can, plaster of paris and some 3/4" allthread for legs. Works pretty well. Got some stuff to make one from a. 50 cal ammo box, fire brick, an outdoor fireplace fireplace orifice, stainless hose/20lb adjustable reg and some plumbing fittings.
thanks and i appreciate the long winded explanation , you get my follow for your long windedness. one thing my father taught me was to listen and you will learn . so anything you have to share commenting wise just allows me to fully understand the process again thanks
Best part of the video is when he says "Think of the extravagance" in regards to building it out of four bricks vs. buying two and cutting them in half.
I can honestly say, I walked away not learning as much about building an operating a forge as i probablyshould have, but i feel like I know everything about it and I'm confident I'll make a decent one eventually! Great video for someone whos never experimented at all with a forge, but the big take away is the gentleman who made the video seems to be a very knowledgeable and articulate fellow, and I can say too he made it very easy and fun to learn from! Makes ya feel at ease and take it all in! I'll watch it a few more times to get a better view! Thx for a great tutorial, well done!
very interesting. nice cheap forge. Minor points -your iron-pipe sleeve will burn up pretty quicikly and have to be replaced. stainless steel pipe will last a lot longer but of course it's often harder to find and/or more expensive. secondly a stainless steel flare fitting, 1 to 1.5'"or 3/4 to 1", instead of a piece of pipe, will help stabilize your flame
You can purchase a forge on Amazon for $75.00. I watched another forger test it out and surprisingly, it's great for a weekend warrior. Made of stainless steel and just two pieces that are already assembled. It comes with everything you will need including the fiber batting, refractory, the hardener, regulator1, hose and burner. The fiber batting even has a hole precut into it for the burner to fit through. I think that is a better choice than piecing something together, and by your estimates, the one you can buy with everything included costs about the same as your version. A lot safer too.
I believe you mis-spoke when you mentioned the bright blue flames. That appears to be a leaner burn (less fuel, more oxygen) vs the rich burn of very yellow/orange flames (more fuel/less oxygen)
I believe he got the blue flame part wrong. Blue flame is slightly lean, meaning you have more oxygen than fuel. Think about your kitchen stove top, the flame is blue, and your pots stay clean, not black and sooty like over a camp fire.
In general, yet another good video. Thanks for all that your do Walter! I mean it. And here is the "BUT" part of my comment,... I believe you may have gotten the blue flame part wrong (at about 12:20 in the time line). Blue flame is slightly lean, meaning you have more oxygen than fuel. Think about your kitchen stove top, the flame is blue, and your pots stay clean, not black and sooty like over a camp fire.
I don’t have enough space to have a heat treatment oven in my 3 sq.meter shop. So I work with a self-made solution like this one.(just a few more bricks, the red ones). Two gaz torches on a marble plate and a magnet. I can get my steel up to 57-61 HRC. Ok for me.
Even 200$ will get you pretty far, with that much you could get enough ceramic wool, piping, satanite and maybe the steel housing depending on current metal prices.
This is great because it let's us determine whether we can do this before big spending. Could you do a v2 version that would be a more starter permanent feature cheap again just for a more of a I can keep this outside and it's the start of my area
very interesting. Ive seen cheap forges before but I think yours beats them all. coating with Satanite is a very good idea. Then coat with EZ-Z if you can find it. Poor man's ITC-100, ie zirconia, which will considerably improve the efficiency of your forge.
Cheapest? I see you have never heard of the Dirt Forge. A wood box full of dirt with a bowl shaped depression with an air tube in the side. Main type forge I used for years.
A great video, such small "getting you feet wet" builds are very good for people who don't know if they like the hobby. I myself have cheaper option, while I am free hand grinding blades on the belt grinders I put the steel between my butt cheeks and it gets red hot really quick from all the clenching, as free hand grinding is very stressful.
Couldn't you just put the nozzle of your oxyacetylene torch through the hole in the brick? Of course, properly stabilized and a smaller hole to fit the nozzle.
Great video Walter! Love the safety nazi portion as well. All too many folks out there that lack in the common sense department. Keep up the good work.
thanks for taking the time to share information.you cannot overstate the safety aspects in cases like this,as unfortunately common sense is not that common any more.thanks again.stay safe and be lucky..maddog,west cork. republic of Ireland
Venturi burners are perfectly fine for a forge. Blower burners are gas guzzlers. And 99% of time for forging you dont need that kind of heat.Its nice to have both thou.
@@armageddontools Till your tanks start to freeze and you can't sustain an oxidizing flame. Spend the extra $50, get a blower, run on less than 5psi, enjoy more efficiency and saving time.
@@Boosted98gsx You are so wrong on many levels. You dont want oxidizing flame in the forge ,its ether gas rich for forge welding or neutral for heating up. Oxidizing flame will cause excessive rust and scales on top of metal. You can always insulate tanks with rockwool or other construction materials or keep them on warm place prior to use if you use bottles. As of PSI its a pressure not a amount of gas that you use.Amount of gas burner uses is determined by size of a hole on the nozzle. The more air you pump in the bigger the size must be = more gas is spent.You want a stoic mixture for a efficient gas forge.Just right amount of oxygen to burn gas but not enough to oxidize.Unless you have a speed control or a gate valve you wont be able to fine tune it = inefficient burner. Also no matter how much air you pump in you wont get some crazy heat since all you pump in is 21% oxygen that air around you has. Only way to increase heat is ether change a fuel or add more oxygen(not air). Consider yourself enlightend !
@@armageddontools Won't cause excess scale unless you have the flame pointing directly at the part, and oxidizing will provide the best heat up rate. Gas rich will be far COOLER than stoich or oxidizing. Doubt you'll ever get to forge welding temp pumping excess unburnt fuel into your hearth. Ya don't say? But using less than 5psi for a system vs 30-40 sure seems more efficient, dontcha think? That's not true, more air, more gas USUALLY (Unless you want an oxidizing burn to rapidly heat), but having an over supply of air that can be restricted for a given amount of gas is the goal here, vs using the tank's ever diminishing pressure to draw in it's O2 supply. A simple air duct gate valve can be used to maximize the efficiency of the A/F tune. Thanks for the enlightenment! My Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering sure welcomes your input!
When putting up a video advertising the cheapest in the world it's best not to use power tools that the average person doesn't have that cost thousands of dollars
Well, a couple of things to point out here. He said the forge itself was cheap. Not the process. Also, even though he used certain tools he has, he also pointed that out, and gave alternative methods. Like bolting the frame instead of welding it. And cutting the brick with a hand saw, or just buying 4 bricks instead of 2. You can cut the square tubing by hand. And drill the hole in the brick with a hand drill. All that being said, if someone is getting into metal forging, before you build or buy a forge, maybe you should have some other tools first. Like ways to cut, weld, grind, and drill metal. Everything he used, your gonna need in forging. Buying or building a forge without the other tools is like buying nails to build a house but having no hammer.
He clearly explained that you can build this with the most basic tools. If you do not have the creativity, ingenuity, and problem solving skills to do this with basic tools like he described, then you probably should not be trying to make something that requires creativity, ingenuity, and problem solving skills to actually use. This thing is dirt cheap, and simpler to make than anything you would use it to make.
This can be done with a hand held drill and a hacksaw. I have done it. That said, I bought a thinner fire brick that didn’t need splitting. And I didn’t build the welded base. No expensive tools are required
Sorry to be a safety nazi but that is pretty chinsey and unsafe. One wrong move or bumped and you are gonna get burned. Not to mention not very good ventilation.
The best forge in the world is the one that gets you started on the journey. Sure the later one(s) will be bigger and better and all that good stuff but the one that starts you off is uniquely awesome.
Your safety explanation is better than what I've heard from many EHS experts.
Be smart, anticipate problems before they happen.
Simple, straightforward and true!
Thanks for sharing the cool build
I've been wanting to get into knifemaking on the side for a few years now, but couldn't wrap my head around the cost and space requirements of a forge. I had no idea that a starter rig could be whipped up so cheaply. This video is incredibly informative and a huge benefit to anyone looking to get started, and has inspired me to actually get off my butt, grab a hammer and get to work. Hats off to you for taking the time to show this to everyone, Walter. Sincerely, thank you!
I just happened upon this video for the first time and i actually am currently using a setup almost identical for heat treating. It certainly works, larger blades are a challenge with a single burner. Definitely plan on getting a heat treating oven when i move this summer.
That's the best safety teaching on forges yet. Thanks. You know a lot and are a capable teacher. Thanks again.
Four commercials are too many. They'll put on us what we'll allow.
Get an adblocker…
I love all of those fittings chained together. Anything to avoid $4 for a fitting and a trip to Lowe’s. Story of my life. Cheers man.
I've been waiting for something like this for awhile, I dont mind a bit of fiddling to get things right, and am confident and old enough to be safe. Thank you.
Really enjoyed this. Thank you. As someone who wants to try this for the first time, I found this really interesting and informative, and I loved the humour as well. Really appreciated the tips you shared. Thanks again!
Thanks for all of the great helpful videos!
Just a quick tip on the soft fire brick, if you wet it down before you machine it you won’t have near as much dust to clean up or breathe.
Love your videos! Thanks!
Finally I have some way of starting a forge. Thank you Walter, been watching your vids and others for a few years now and didn't understand how to get started without going broke
I made a mini forge from a paint can, plaster of paris and some 3/4" allthread for legs. Works pretty well. Got some stuff to make one from a. 50 cal ammo box, fire brick, an outdoor fireplace fireplace orifice, stainless hose/20lb adjustable reg and some plumbing fittings.
thanks and i appreciate the long winded explanation , you get my follow for your long windedness. one thing my father taught me was to listen and you will learn . so anything you have to share commenting wise just allows me to fully understand the process again thanks
Best part of the video is when he says "Think of the extravagance" in regards to building it out of four bricks vs. buying two and cutting them in half.
at $6 a piece
I can honestly say, I walked away not learning as much about building an operating a forge as i probablyshould have, but i feel like I know everything about it and I'm confident I'll make a decent one eventually! Great video for someone whos never experimented at all with a forge, but the big take away is the gentleman who made the video seems to be a very knowledgeable and articulate fellow, and I can say too he made it very easy and fun to learn from! Makes ya feel at ease and take it all in! I'll watch it a few more times to get a better view! Thx for a great tutorial, well done!
Best informational video on forging i've seen and first time I've ever commented on a video it was so good, thank you so much
very interesting. nice cheap forge. Minor points -your iron-pipe sleeve will burn up pretty quicikly and have to be replaced. stainless steel pipe will last a lot longer but of course it's often harder to find and/or more expensive. secondly a stainless steel flare fitting, 1 to 1.5'"or 3/4 to 1", instead of a piece of pipe, will help stabilize your flame
You can purchase a forge on Amazon for $75.00. I watched another forger test it out and surprisingly, it's great for a weekend warrior. Made of stainless steel and just two pieces that are already assembled. It comes with everything you will need including the fiber batting, refractory, the hardener, regulator1, hose and burner. The fiber batting even has a hole precut into it for the burner to fit through. I think that is a better choice than piecing something together, and by your estimates, the one you can buy with everything included costs about the same as your version. A lot safer too.
I just bought that Mr. Volcano forge after seeing some strong reviews on other channels. Putting it together this weekend.
I built my own ventury burner with a .040 mig welder tip for my gas feed. It’ll do around 2500 F.
Great video, will keep this in mind for a backup forge.
Wow. You make it look so easy. I think this will be my weekend fun-project. Thanks for sharing.
Just finished building mine based on this video and it works great! Thanks for the tutorial
Super gutes Video! ...besser kann man es nicht machen. Du bist ein wahrer Pädagoge.
I believe you mis-spoke when you mentioned the bright blue flames. That appears to be a leaner burn (less fuel, more oxygen) vs the rich burn of very yellow/orange flames (more fuel/less oxygen)
Once again, GREAT VIDEO good safety tips. and good instructions on making your own forge. Thank you for the great tips
Thanks for this! I have a forge but it wasn't working quite right. I believe it is my air flow. I'm gonna try choking it a bit and see if it works.
That’s just brilliant! Thanks, Walter!
Clever! We shared this video on our homemade tools forum this week :)
Like how u explain the fuel air mix with the color of the flame great job
I believe he got the blue flame part wrong. Blue flame is slightly lean, meaning you have more oxygen than fuel. Think about your kitchen stove top, the flame is blue, and your pots stay clean, not black and sooty like over a camp fire.
Dude. Amazing insight and info. Thanks so much!
I made one out of a paint can, pool sand and plaster of paris. Drilled a hole in the side. Stuffed a map gas torch in it. Turkey's done!
In general, yet another good video. Thanks for all that your do Walter! I mean it. And here is the "BUT" part of my comment,... I believe you may have gotten the blue flame part wrong (at about 12:20 in the time line). Blue flame is slightly lean, meaning you have more oxygen than fuel. Think about your kitchen stove top, the flame is blue, and your pots stay clean, not black and sooty like over a camp fire.
Love this videos
Hes very skilled and has an awesome sense of humor that i jive with lol!
Fantastic.
Very cool, good info, plenty of room for an improved version! Thanks, brother!!!
Thanks Walter, great project with easily found parts! Cheapest doesn't include the bandsaw and mig welder tho 😉
Great timely video for me. Thanks.
Thanks for this video Walter!!!
Awesome video, like you said - it's a good place to start and you've inspired me to start. Thanks.
Thanks!
I don’t have enough space to have a heat treatment oven in my 3 sq.meter shop. So I work with a self-made solution like this one.(just a few more bricks, the red ones). Two gaz torches on a marble plate and a magnet. I can get my steel up to 57-61 HRC. Ok for me.
You have a great Day also
Love the hook...
I came up with the original concept for this forge 4 years or so ago. You can see my first version in one of the first videos on my channel!
Thanks Walter.
Thank you. Great video as always!
Walter what a fantastic video...very useful and thanks for sharing 👍
for knifemaking a carbon foam forge would be adequate look up nighthawkinlight cookie dough forge
Excellent insulation, very quick and easy to build a new small forge, but it very slowly burns as you use the forge.
Thank you! Very useful!
Even 200$ will get you pretty far, with that much you could get enough ceramic wool, piping, satanite and maybe the steel housing depending on current metal prices.
Walter, can you please post a link to the burner you got, PLEASE!
Hey bud, have you seen the $80 usa made "Mr Volcano" forge on amazon? was curious what you made of it
Its cool to see how where people have there forgedes set up in houses or sheds…. One little spark will set everything on fire…
This is great because it let's us determine whether we can do this before big spending. Could you do a v2 version that would be a more starter permanent feature cheap again just for a more of a I can keep this outside and it's the start of my area
Hi, what did you use to join the steel pipe to the burner? Jb weld or similar? Metal tape?
very interesting. Ive seen cheap forges before but I think yours beats them all. coating with Satanite is a very good idea. Then coat with EZ-Z if you can find it. Poor man's ITC-100, ie zirconia, which will considerably improve the efficiency of your forge.
look at a flashback arrestor to prevent the flame from making its way back to the tank
Yes softbrick dust is not good to breath. Silica dust mostly.
Can I use AAC bricks there the best I can get locally.
Thanks Walter, have to ask in 4 hr or so how long will a 5 gal LP last.
:D great video Walter!!! Thanks for sharing
"worlds cheapest and easiest forge" proceeds to use tons of expensive machinery to assemble it
"I'm not trying to scare you here."
Well you did! 😅
What kind of temps will this produce in the forge?
For all the time and money put in. Combined with the fragility of the end product. Just buy the $75 amazon forge kit. Comes with everything you need
Awesome Video - ....you-ve got a new follower !
Jb weld for the frame?
Nice video
Which is better the heat from the side or heat from the top
Best is round forge because the heat will swirl around heated object.
I found that the clay pavers bricks were way more durable. I still use them for the floor of my forges.
Interesting video. 👌👍😎
Far more durable. Far inferior insulation, taking much longer to heat the forge.
Cheapest? I see you have never heard of the Dirt Forge.
A wood box full of dirt with a bowl shaped depression with an air tube in the side.
Main type forge I used for years.
As I recall, a dirt forge usually burns charcoal, coal, or similar.
Well, you could use your head as a hammer or your hand, but...
A great video, such small "getting you feet wet" builds are very good for people who don't know if they like the hobby. I myself have cheaper option, while I am free hand grinding blades on the belt grinders I put the steel between my butt cheeks and it gets red hot really quick from all the clenching, as free hand grinding is very stressful.
You couldn't have posted this a month ago when I spent a lot on a forge!!!!
4:37 even sounds like a turkey
"There is no free lunch in life".... A lot of people in 2021 need to hear that one! 😂
👌🏻👍🏻
I am a 29 yr old non traditional male, but yes. Everybody under 35 needs a reality check.
Couldn't you just put the nozzle of your oxyacetylene torch through the hole in the brick? Of course, properly stabilized and a smaller hole to fit the nozzle.
Tractor supply you can get this stuff or the knife and god to go
The ghost of Wayne Goddard nods approvingly!
Keep the fire away from the dynamite. Check!
I use a grass burner from Harbor freight
I think a good simple thing to hold it together would be some metal wire
Great video Walter! Love the safety nazi portion as well. All too many folks out there that lack in the common sense department. Keep up the good work.
As with so much of life, stupid and ignorant are dangerous. Understand the hazards and you can avoid most accidents.
What if I don’t have 2 dumbbells to set it on? Lol!
thanks for taking the time to share information.you cannot overstate the safety aspects in cases like this,as unfortunately common sense is not that common any more.thanks again.stay safe and be lucky..maddog,west cork. republic of Ireland
the dust is super hazardous
You shaved your head at the end!?!
Do NOT use a carbide tip or wood blade on the chop saw!!! USe a cutting wheel on your grinder!
He was using a metal cutting chop box to cut the metal tube, not a wood cutting chop box, brain surgeon
Thanks Walter, I was going to say "very cool" , but it doesn't make sense here.
All said and done, forget the NA "venturi" burners for a forge, and just get a friggin BLOWER.
Venturi burners are perfectly fine for a forge. Blower burners are gas guzzlers. And 99% of time for forging you dont need that kind of heat.Its nice to have both thou.
@@armageddontools Till your tanks start to freeze and you can't sustain an oxidizing flame. Spend the extra $50, get a blower, run on less than 5psi, enjoy more efficiency and saving time.
@@Boosted98gsx You are so wrong on many levels.
You dont want oxidizing flame in the forge ,its ether gas rich for forge welding or neutral for heating up. Oxidizing flame will cause excessive rust and scales on top of metal.
You can always insulate tanks with rockwool or other construction materials or keep them on warm place prior to use if you use bottles.
As of PSI its a pressure not a amount of gas that you use.Amount of gas burner uses is determined by size of a hole on the nozzle.
The more air you pump in the bigger the size must be = more gas is spent.You want a stoic mixture for a efficient gas forge.Just right amount of oxygen to burn gas but not enough to oxidize.Unless you have a speed control or a gate valve you wont be able to fine tune it = inefficient burner.
Also no matter how much air you pump in you wont get some crazy heat since all you pump in is 21% oxygen that air around you has.
Only way to increase heat is ether change a fuel or add more oxygen(not air).
Consider yourself enlightend !
@@armageddontools Won't cause excess scale unless you have the flame pointing directly at the part, and oxidizing will provide the best heat up rate. Gas rich will be far COOLER than stoich or oxidizing. Doubt you'll ever get to forge welding temp pumping excess unburnt fuel into your hearth.
Ya don't say? But using less than 5psi for a system vs 30-40 sure seems more efficient, dontcha think?
That's not true, more air, more gas USUALLY (Unless you want an oxidizing burn to rapidly heat), but having an over supply of air that can be restricted for a given amount of gas is the goal here, vs using the tank's ever diminishing pressure to draw in it's O2 supply. A simple air duct gate valve can be used to maximize the efficiency of the A/F tune.
Thanks for the enlightenment! My Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering sure welcomes your input!
@@Boosted98gsx Ok, whatever . . .
The brick dust is very dangerous for your lungs...
So make sure you wear a good mask.
Book..... Wayne Goddard $50 knife shop.
When putting up a video advertising the cheapest in the world it's best not to use power tools that the average person doesn't have that cost thousands of dollars
Well, a couple of things to point out here. He said the forge itself was cheap. Not the process. Also, even though he used certain tools he has, he also pointed that out, and gave alternative methods. Like bolting the frame instead of welding it. And cutting the brick with a hand saw, or just buying 4 bricks instead of 2. You can cut the square tubing by hand. And drill the hole in the brick with a hand drill. All that being said, if someone is getting into metal forging, before you build or buy a forge, maybe you should have some other tools first. Like ways to cut, weld, grind, and drill metal. Everything he used, your gonna need in forging. Buying or building a forge without the other tools is like buying nails to build a house but having no hammer.
He clearly explained that you can build this with the most basic tools.
If you do not have the creativity, ingenuity, and problem solving skills to do this with basic tools like he described, then you probably should not be trying to make something that requires creativity, ingenuity, and problem solving skills to actually use.
This thing is dirt cheap, and simpler to make than anything you would use it to make.
This can be done with a hand held drill and a hacksaw. I have done it. That said, I bought a thinner fire brick that didn’t need splitting. And I didn’t build the welded base. No expensive tools are required
Nah, l'm a blacksmith. We don't waste cash online
Whoever is watching this video: please don't make a forge like this, it's stupid and a guaranteed accident.
If you follow his advice and use the mortar, it should be quite safe as long as the rest of Walter's safety precautions are followed.
Sorry to be a safety nazi but that is pretty chinsey and unsafe. One wrong move or bumped and you are gonna get burned. Not to mention not very good ventilation.