The Vulcan Forge
How to make this simple, yet very effective, forge, including pail, bellows, tool ring, tuyere.
by JACK DOWNS
RELATED CONTENT
You can use a Buna-N O-ring as a hose gasket....
RING STRUCTURES March/April 1984 Helter-skelter plastic, pipes, and shelter . . . it starts to make...
Making a wood and leather air pump for the fireplace inexpensively, including diagrams, instruction...
Part three in series on diary cow care by Mother's homestead vet, including artificial insemination...
Learn how to properly sharpen woodworking tools, including chisels....
The following directions are for the construction of a
small portable forge . . . a useful tool for the
homesteader and handyman who occasionally needs to heat and
work metal. I made the version described here in
1972-mostly from resources I had on hand—at a total
cost of $2.07 for fireclay, plastic, and small hardware.
Any parts you have to buy these days will be somewhat more
expensive than they were at that time . . . but still very
reasonable. If you do use these plans, I hope you'll feel
free to substitute whatever suitable materials you have
available.
PAIL
The basis of my forge is a 5-gallon metal pail (such
containers are used for the shipment of soap, roofing
cement, and various industrial compounds and are normally
thrown away as scrap by stores and contractors). With tin
snips or a sab er saw, cut away the upper portion of the
bucket, 5 inches from the bottom, around threequarters of
the circumference . . . but leave an upstanding curved
panel 12 inches high to serve as a reflector (see Figs. 1
and 4). Next trim a 1 inch strip from the original top of
the pail and fasten it—rolled edge up—with
sheet metal screws to the rough edge of the forge, to guard
against damage from tools and work pieces. Then fold back
the outer 1/8 inch of the reflector and hammer the metal
down to form a stiff rim.
BELLOWS
Cut two pieces of wood into the shapes shown in Fig. 2. One
of thesethe stationary board—will be attached to the
reflector as shown in Fig. 3. Drill two holes 1 inch in
diameter in the board's upper portion, to serve as air
intake ports. Cover these openings with leather
flaps—on the face of the stationary board which will
be inside the finished bellows—tacked down flat to
act as valves.
Turn the same board over, fit a pipe flange to the lower
half of its outer face, and scribe the outline of the metal
collar on the wood. Within this first circle, mark
another-I inch smaller in diameter—and drill a hole
1/2 inch across and off center inside the inner ring.
Tack-a leather flap over the opening to form a check valve,
and mount the flange with screws (over a ring-shaped spacer
of 1/4inch plywood, to prevent interference with the check
valve flap). Then fasten the stationary board to the
reflector with two 1/4-inch bolts and two 1-inch-long pipe
spacers.
