Complete Novice

Well, first day has gone..... ok ish.

So my tools are a little more limited than hoped. I cannot find my angle grinder.

But before that. I have had a forge failure. Yes I didn't bother reading anything. And used a couple of plant pots and a hair dryer.... wow it gave out some heat.... but the plant pot didn't last long.

So I have been reading. I think I have an idea, and wondered if anyone would care to comment.

Bearing in mind I need to be able to pick it up and put it in a cupboard when I am.not using it at the moment. (A shed is going to have to materialise)

So for functioning forge number one, what are your ideas for the following. I have the capability of creating a concrete forge (silica sand, Portland cement and maybe some heatproof fibre (shredded rockwool maybe) then line the fire chamber with fire clay to maybe 1/2 inch thick.

Ideas?

The blade rough shape is taking place, I have some pics, but I will post from my pc later...
 
...and so it begins! :D
 
My first recommendation is build the shed. If you build a fire-safe forge, that puppy is going to be way too heavy to easily "put up" when not in use. Plus all the other implements of metallic modification (tongs, hammers, etc.), will need a home as well.

Again, just a recommendation from someone who has made many mistakes.:rolleyes:
 
Well, still struggling with posting images, but had a very instructive day.

So yesterday I tried my next generation forge. It is made of two brake discs (free from local tyre centre). When I ordered my flat bar it came strapped to a bit of 15mm square tube. This was cut to make legs. The original pot used to direct the hair dryer survived the first attempts, so the legs are cut so that fits perfectly under the bottom disc.
The crucible is a very carefully opened MAAP gas bottle. And I got a successful first test of melting the aluminium. I now need more cans :)

So a couple of hours with an angle grinder gave me a basic shape, the flap wheel was also useful.... then 5 hours with a sander got me first five inches of one side free of grinder marks. So it works out at an hour per inch.per side, then do it all again with finer and.finer grades..... this is bloody addictive isn't it :)
 
P.s. the first crucible was a steel food can.... it vaporized.....

I will post the pics soon....

And I am using borax to help create free slag on the ally
 
Well, todays progress has been slow.... am currently sanding out the marks left by the flap wheel.
This is the first of several hand sanding processes. I am using a coarse emery cloth (80 grit).
I am also refining the shape as well. I have used my 3d printer to make some custom sanding blocks with lips so I keep everything exactly parallel to the sword back.

One quick question, I know that I am using mild steel for my first attempt, but if I were to carbourise the steel, and then quench it, how badly would the surface degrade and how much polishing would it take to bring it back to a mirror polished surface?

I
 
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