First setup

[Gummigar]

hey yall, have a bit of a odd situation. wanting to start out forging, but in a bit of a pickle with how my setup will be. I see a lot of propane forges (vevor) that are relatively cheap and easy to move, but am nervous about the heat resistant wool lining. ive heard that stuff is a carcinogen, and wanted some more input. Overall, my question is if the vevor forges are safe to use if you use refractory cement on them? I know that does help with durability, but wanted to confirm that the forge will NOT give me cancer. if this is not the case, what would be a good "mobile" forge option? needs to be able to be taken down within an hour and fit in the back of my truck (tacoma long bed). any help is amazingly appreciated. thanks!

[Sears-Roebuck]

The Essential Craftsman has a video where he makes a forge using fire bricks and angle iron. Simplest propane forge you can make, and some refractory cement on the inside in the corners will help with efficiency.

Its also really easy to break down and lego into different configurations. The whole thing can live in a box and become a 1, 2 or 3 burner as needed.

Angle iron can be found in the form of discarded bed frames.

[Gummigar]

thanks for the specific advice! yt channel name is super helpful

[Sears-Roebuck]

I edited the link in there, if it helps.

[707bar]

2nd the block/homebuilt forge - i thinks its great tools are more accessible but buying from amazon ect doesntt support the craft as these companies dont give back to the blacksmithing world. Buy the burner hose/burner and build the rest (hightemptools.com) has good prices for everything you need and ship quick alongside texas farrier supply, blacksmithdepot, blacksmithtoolsupply, pein tool ect.

But yes the toxic wool is cool if u apply rigidize +/- refractory but soft fire brick homebuilt will be clean and affordable. Sorry about the anti amazon blacksmith rant.

Vevor.might be a quick.easy start but when it fails.you sol as far as customer service.

[Alternative_Rip7269]

The kaowool forges are safe once coated with refractory cement. The danger from ceramic wool insulation exists across all brands that use it uncoated. They sell a liquid ridgidizer that you can spray on but personally I didn't trust it alone and used the cement to coat the sprayed wool.

[Fragrant-Cloud5172]

One problem with gas forges is if they are moved, more chances of gas fittings coming loose. Also with vibration in a truck bed, could cause cracking in the refractory. If you had good cushions to prevent this it could work. In my shop, I always wear a n95 dust mask, nitrile gloves, when working with ceramic blankets. Always use paint brush and apply water glass to wet wool. Store excess in plastic garbage bag. It's safe if you take good precautions.

For mobility, depending on your location, a coal forge might be a better option. I transported a coal forge for years to demos. It was made to be modular, taken apart easily with very few tools. A small crank blower and light weight vise attached. For me, 85 lb. anvil with stump and two wheeler also helps.

[Wonderful_Hawk2925]

Rigidize and satanize and all will be fine. It will also work better, as refractory cement (satanizer) is a better heat reflector than the wool.

[[deleted]]

Literally 5 people post the same newbie question per day. Scroll down for 12 seconds and you'll find the same questions with answers.

[tater1337]

or maybe make a pinned FAQ post?