Coal Forge Page

This is my coal forge. The fire pot is a brake drum off a large truck. It ended up being way too deep, so I lined the bottom with fire brick. Then, I cut notches out of the side so I can get my material in better. I set up the pieces I cut out so I can set them back easily when I don't need it. I do renaissance faires so I need to be able to move it pretty easily. I built a frame that holds the brake drum out of 3/4 inch tubing. I added handles to each side made out of 3/8 round stock set at a height so that it would serve as a rest for material sticking out of the forge. Then, as I was working with it I started adding onto the sides with some 1/8" x 1" material so I could hang tools etc. So now you can see how I ended up with those funny shaped rings around it. They don’t look very nice, but they actually work really well.

I realized I didn't have any good pictures of the cut outs in the side of the forge, so here you go. This also gives you a better view of the forge close up. I've gotten a better camera since taking those earlier shots. That little blob in the bottom is a clinker that is wrapped around part of the grill. I will bust it out before using it again. In the center shot you can see the two cut outs removed. There was a nice 1/2" wide groove around the edge of the drum, so I welded some 1/2" square into the cut outs so they can be put back in if I want. I found that I like keeping the far one in so that not as much coal falls out as I am moving it around.
Here is the frame with the forge removed. I didn't start out with much of a plan or any know how. I just made a frame that would hold the brake drum. Then, as I started working it I added onto it because I needed extra space.	A close up of the forge. You can see that I just took some 1/8" X 1" flat stock and started welding it onto the frame as needed.	Here is a wide shot showing the forge and my Buffalo blower.
A wide shot from the other side. The flat stock on edge made a good tong rack. On the right side I lay my water cup and rake.	Here is my 40 lb furriers anvil with the angle iron tool stand going around it. I've loaned this anvil to a friend and now use a 130 lb Peter Wright.	Here is a wide shot with my half barrel slack tub in the background. I have replaced it with an old 6 gal galvanized metal bucket because the half barrel is so hard to keep full.

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