^{Do-It-Yourself}Backyard Gas Foundry & Forge

Of the four elements, air, earth, water, and fire, man stole only one from the Great Winged Turtle. Fire. And with it, man forged his will upon the world... ~ Dr. Fronzel Neekburn 1891, Founder

These statements underscore our reasons for implementation of this unique web-based resource. The techniques and tools illustrated (below) and their application to the handmade object are as valuable to the modern foundryman as they were to his "Holistic" forefathers of the late 1800s. Founding as a craft had a rapid demise when industrialization, mass production, and collective modern technology set in, yet it didn't die. Rather, it lingered, as did the aroma of propane. Today this mysterious gas is once again being helped into brightly lit flames as like-minded craftsmen take up the foundry as a hobby, as an art form, and as a spiritual endeavor for all variety of reasons and satisfactions.

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Forge/Foundry Blue Prints & Schematics

The following images chart the Do-It-Yourselfer's progression from forge design to practical forge application.

• Natural Gas "Flying Turtle" Forge Plans
• Forge Cart Upgrade, Grandpa Syd's Modified
• Lost Foam Sand Casting Method and Lost Wax Casting Method
• Brian Crapo's Cheap Mini Forge — SIDE A (91k) and SIDE B (63k)
• Hot Crucible
• The Missing Anvil Mystery Part I and The Missing Anvil Mystery Part II

Other Dangerous Activity Plans

• Build a Nail Gun From an Old Fire Extinguisher and Safety Nail Gun Firing Stance
• Making Ink From Mushrooms — Part I (108k) and Part II (87k)
• Paint Chip Wedding Invitations, DIY Cheap!

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Metalwork Portfolio

Egyptian Cat for Darcy

Ancient Egyptian design inspired traditional good luck gift. Bronze with Hardwood Base.
_{See Also: Uglipod Skull Mount | Flying Turtle Casting | Flying Turtle Casting Revisited}

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Bronze Bust Statuettes

Sculpture series cast in scrap bronze using the lost foam method as described above.
_{See Also: Duck Head | Metal Salmon (View 1) & Metal Salmon (View 2)}

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Fishtail Dagger(s)

Cable Damascus blade forged welded by Dr. Crapo, bronze hilt and pommel by HFW
_{See Also: Cable Damascus Weld Close-up}

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Ask a Backyard Blacksmith _{Forge & Foundry Building Questions Mail Bag}

From: email4eric@*******.net
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 10:14 PM
Subject: BTU Output?

comment: I'm interested in knowing what sort of BTU output I should plan for with regard to piping a new shop for a future natural gas forge. I don't need anything massive but want to be able to use something in the 16 in realm. Not sure how large to size the pipe from the gas meter or whether I should scrap the whole idea and install propane. I already have NG to the house though. Any input?

Cheers,

Eric Larsen

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Hi Eric,

Well my forge design doesn't take much... a standard barbeque propane tank running through a regulator at about 20-25 PSI is plenty sufficient. I would plumb your pipes as though you would a regular natural gas barbeque or stove (1 or 3/4 in pipe). There are many awesome burner designs that you should consider as well. blowerless venturi burners... dual burners... quad burners... the design I use is a straight forward old-school blower type single burner... I would most likely upgrade if I had the time and inclination though. Even so, at the end of the day the true 'forge magic' happens in the refractory insulation you use. I recommend a high density ceramic fiber insulation like kaowool or durablanket, lightly coated in fire clay.

I would also recommend that your shop have adequate ventilation... if you're planning to run your forge in a garage type setting perhaps you can install a long rubber gas hose with a forge on a cart that you can run in the driveway with the garage door open.

Any forge you end up building will work just fine on either propane or natural gas. a blower less burner design and a cheap propane barbeque tank gives your forge the potential for portability, which to the creative thinker offers infinite possibilities.

Thank you for your interest in Holistic Forge Works!

Holistic Forge Works Auto Responder

From: studee63@******.net
Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2007 3:59 PM
Subject: length of the pipe nipple?

comment: Hello. I have a few questions about the "Flying Turtle Forge" that you show plans for at:

http://www.holisticforgeworks.com/gallery/foundry/

I would like to know the length of the pipe nipple between the elbow and the coupling, how far the nozzle is inserted into the pipe, and how far the burner is inserted into the forge.

Thank you for your time.

Mark

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Hi Mark,

On my forge I put the nipple almost an inch past the elbow. Its best to give the propane a straight shot through the pipe and into the blast chamber. You want it far back enough though to keep cool. You can also upgrade to a copper welding tip as an option. I have done this in my design and it is way better (I was sloppy drilling my 1/16 hole, the precision of a welding tip makes for a straighter shot).

As for the 8' section of pipe, you'll need to keep this lose and adjustable. depending on the gas PSI, and the strength of the airflow sometimes you'll want it pulled back a little etc. The trick is that you dont want fuel going into the liner. You'll want to use fire clay to fillet in-between the metal 2 1/2 inch pipe and the hole in the insulation.

Even so, You'll be able to tell if your burner is tuned up by the sound. A properly tuned forge of this design should sound like a cross between a sub-woofer and a jet engine... a low thunder that you feel in your chest.

Also, I never put my pipe in past the insulation. It will get hot, but you don't want it to melt.

Hope this helps!

Holistic Forge Works Auto Responder