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Thread: Forging Ahead!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    5

    Default Forging Ahead!

    Hey guys, hopefully someone in here might have a couple answers for me

    My dad found a forge and hand crank blower at auction a while back and I finally got up to his place last week to take delivery.

    Just wondering what might be the best way to clean up the forge? It has been sitting out in a paddock for quite some time now. Luckily it was up around Tamworth somewhere and has been pretty dry. I am thinking that hitting it with an angle grinder/wire wheel combo to start with and then some high temp paint on the outside? Not sure what to do for the inside though.

    I'm near the coast and it's a lot more humid and conducive to things rusting here, so I want to do what I can to keep it around for a bit longer.

    Blower needs pulling apart and figuring out why it's not turning well too. So much to do, so little time!


    i-z7QhKxg-M.jpgi-sjpvGtT-M.jpgi-8mdJNm8-M.jpg

    Now I just need some tools and an anvil and I'll be ready for fun

  2. #2
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    7,182

    Default

    Hey great find on the forge.

    It depends to what level you want to go. From a Working/function restoration through to something that will last longer

    For a functional restoration - just use it, a good hot fire will burn off the rust in the firebox and convert the red oxide to black oxide.
    If you want to kill there rust drape off the loose rust and paint it with Phosphoric acid and leave it in the sun to dry.
    This will convert the red rust or oxide to the blue black phosphate which is fairly inert.

    As far as the blower goes I would dismantle it and use electrolysis to clean the rust off up as it won't pit the surface like acid baths will.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Sth Gippsland Vic
    Posts
    130

    Default

    Thats a nice looking forge you have . Ive got a similar vintage cast iron one .
    Will you be keeping it under cover from now on, in a shed, or is it staying out side with a cover over it ?
    Mine has lived under a sheet of tin for the 25 years Ive owned it . no Paint on it ,and it looks the same as when I got it pretty much .
    If I was going to neaten up the look of mine I wouldn't use paint , What is good about a bit of rust on a surface is it is something for things like oil to stick to. I did read somewhere it was an early quality way of treating guns I think ? I just went and found it . Rust bluing , read about it in this link .

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_%28steel%29

    Antique businesses use a similar treatment to get antique iron looking desirable . scrub back loose rust and oil , wax ,or seal with shellac then wax . For a forge you could just coat it with old sump oil , the down side is it stays sticky. I would try just a 50 / 50 mix of boiled linseed oil and turps ,then see what it looks like in three weeks and give it some more . maybe just straight boiled linseed will do . The stufff goes hard . be carefull with rags soaked in it and hang them out to dry , they can cause fires by self combusting and have been the cause of many a factory burning down. The beauty of a oil finish is it will repel water and looks good. And if kept undercover it should keep the outside of your forge looking good. I rubbed straight boiled linseed on a rusty out doors gate many years ago , it was the most exposed flat top edge of that gate, The dry oil stayed there for years , It could even still be there , I stopped looking.

    I have used my forge many times over the years and it was going well until the day I tried building a fire in between two bricks so I could get a high long fire and I ended up cracking the bed of the forge because of it being heated unevenly . you may never do that with it ,It's good to be pre warned though.

    Rob

    Oh , with your blower . it may just need some oil in it to free it up . I think they take a bit of oil so the gears run in it, maybe 500 ml or a liter?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    5

    Default

    Thanks for the input fellas!

    I ended up pulling everything apart (only snapped 2 bolt heads off, yeah!) and went over it all with the wire brush.

    Put some rust converter on everything and it so far has come up pretty nice.

    Think I'll give up on paint, that stuff is darn expensive!

    It's going to have to sit outside under a tarp or something at this stage, I just don't have the room in the shed. So shall have to coat everything, I like the oil idea.

    Have a couple more bits to do tomorrow morning and I'll aim to get some photos up in the afternoon

    Might even try opening up the blower if I'm feeling adventurous.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1,628

    Default

    I have just put up a post on a very similar forge. Any ideas who made them?
    …..Live a Quiet Life & Work with your Hands

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