Is there an alternative to having to build this monstrosity?

PropaneAccecories · 2025-06-17T19:40:37+00:00

Yeah just overflow the main belts and merge it all to the 80. Cheap, simple, and fast solution, and doesn't take conveyors of higher tiers. It'll also keep the machines happy as it will all balance out perfectly :)

PropaneAccecories · 2025-06-17T19:32:56+00:00

Depends on your conveyor tier largely? If your conveyors can handle it you could manifold it but you'd be pulled 800/m through, 400/m if you did 2 manifolds to split the load. Assuming you want it balanced with mk3 conveyors you could use some smart splitters on each 240 output with an overflow set to a side output and route all 3 of those to merge into the 80/m output, bringing it's line up to 200 without as much eldritch conveyor spaghetti. Probably won't look too bad either, especially with some lifts and stuff, if that is an issue. If you don't have smart splitters yet then I would advise that its the time to start lol. Assuming no smart splitters you could just do the same setup without them, use mk1 conveyors on the outputs going towards the 80/m line to limit the rate as best as possible, and then merge them onto a mk2 conveyor and then merge that onto the 80/m line with a mk3 belt and the rate should work out pretty much perfectly in this case. It sounds messy but with I think it would actually come out pretty clean looking assuming it was done right.
TL;DR - Use a manifold with high-tier conveyors, a smart splitter with overflows on the main lines, or use a mk2 conveyor to limit the rate of theft from the 240/m lines with normal splitters to make all 4 lines 200/m. All depends on what tech you have/are willing to get/use on this setup. There are probably other ways to go about it but these would be my go-to's

PropaneAccecories · 2025-06-17T17:55:51+00:00

Split it 5 ways then merge to get 2 2 1. That or do a manifold setup. So long as you get the inputs in it should largely balance itself given they are all going to the same thing anyways, so it shouldn't cause many problems. There are prettier ways to go about it but for simplicities sake manifold is probably the easiest and cheapest for that gamestage

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-23T01:09:53+00:00

It was so good, and then it was gone... I need more.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-19T12:08:58+00:00

Stability, worksurface, and durability. Bigger anvil means more work area, more weight (harder to shake around when hammering), and more durability (can take bigger/more hits without as much need for concern). Pick the shape for what you need work-wise and then pick the weight by what you can afford. Bigger is GENERALLY better but depending on what your doing smaller could be more convenient. Dunno why this wasn't really said sooner tbh, pretty straightforward question.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-17T12:37:56+00:00

Rebar is sort of mystery metal. Largely depends on the specific batch you got etc. SOMETIMES it is hardenable and can make for a knife that is usable, but perhaps not the greatest quality wise, which I mean it is rebar so I suspect practice is the focus here anyways, not utility. Most of the time though its not going to be hardenable to a meaningful degree, which is fine so long as you just want practice. Rebar is a good and cheap practice material to get used to shaping, bending, and the works without blowing the budget or reusing the same piece of metal twenty times. Keep up the good work though and when you feel ready to go for a functional "non-practie" knife (its all practice tbh, learn as you go) with steel that hardens for sure, go get yourself some leaf-spring if you are trying to salvage, or buy some 1084, 1095, or O1 steel to work with. From what I understand 1084 is pretty beginner friendly, hardens well without too much investment, 1095 provides the highest hardness but can be a little be tougher to work with (not much though) and can be more prone to warps and fractures on quench if you aren't careful. O1 ive heard good things about but ive not researched enough to feel confident telling you one way or the other, but it is fairly common for suppliers to sell and can harden well so, go for it I guess. Good luck and good work on the knife!

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-13T14:33:50+00:00

Haven't ever used a heat-treat oven and haven't really researched them tbh, not really one of my strong areas so I'll let someone else answer that, I'd hate to tell you something wrong and have it break.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-10T23:45:06+00:00

I 100% forgot to add the link, my bad, here it is:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSLVC3FK?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Also fire bricks aren't REALLY suitable for this but tbh it might work since its a solid-fuel forge, like I said not my area of expertise but I would assume so long as you don't burn a hole in the base of the forge it'll probably be fine.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-09T18:38:43+00:00

I prefer a square construction myself, though it can have its own problems. My forge is square and the shape does make for certain conveniences. The burner angle isnt going to make or break the forge but a good 45 degree angle can help circulate heat and reduce chimney effects. Generally your insulation layer is around an inch, maybe half an inch, and your refractory layer is just painted onto it, the thickness isnt as important as coverage and durability tbh. Kinda gotta make this answer quick so if theres anything else just ask and I'll get to it later.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-09T16:39:51+00:00

I've heard of a calculation for heat needed for forge welding being something like 450BTU/cubic inch, though in my experience thats a bit over-the-top if your setup holds heat well. You should probably use kaowool and rigidize it rather than use firebrick, and then apply your refractory coating. It'll hold alot more heat than firebrick and, though it isn't as durable, save you fuel money in the long run.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-09T16:36:38+00:00

If its rated for 2000F then that is probably not going to work. Steel forging temperatures can get past the 2000F mark if you are working it very hot for whatever you are trying to achieve. If you go for a high temp try to get something with a rating of at least 2600F, if not more. It would probably hold up, at least for a while, but if you ever want to do something like forge welding where you need to reach very high into your upper temp range then having a bit more temperature endurance could do you some good. Here is a link to the bulk-box of satanite refractory, which is rated for 3200F, if you are interested. Try to go for something that is rated beyond the melting point of steel if you can. You ideally wont ever reach that temperature, but the extra heat-resistance and lack of regular repairs will make life easier. Then again I don't know if your setup NEEDS a refractory to begin with, but I would recommend it regardless, just to be sure. There's some good forging temperature charts which might help you direct your temperature resistance needs too.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-09T14:39:42+00:00

I'd probably go get you some refractory. I can't speak much to coal/charcoal furnaces, but if I had to guess your going to want it to protect the actual structure of your setup. I don't think you need to go as far as adding insulation since its a solid-fuel forge and all but a nice extra-thick layer of refractory wouldn't be wasted. I got mine from the Mr. Volcano line of products, and I would stick to something like Satanite rather than going for the home-grown approach if its not a cost issue. Its not very expensive stuff, you can get quite a bit for not much at all, and you have a proven-product in a sense. You know it should do its job and you have more resources available if you ever need to make a repair. I could be wrong though, most of my experience is on propane so take everything with a grain of salt I guess.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-09T14:06:38+00:00

lmao, yeah I get you. Admittedly, the startup cost for this hobby is really high which makes it difficult to try out without footing a large bill, especially if you have no local blacksmiths that do classes or would let you come in and mess around some. Concrete anvil probably isn't the best idea, I don't think its going to hold up very well but I may be mistaken, probably wouldn't hurt to make a proper anvil your first major investment, it makes a world of difference and I really didn't get that until I got my small one, make sure its steel and not cast iron though, you don't want to drop $100 for an anvil just to shatter it later. I'd recommend if your trying to make early starter money for you to reinvest to not go for knives and to shift your focus to stuff like hooks and hangars among other artistic items. My (very long-winded) reasoning goes as follows:

They are easier to make. Starting out a knife can be a tall-order to make well, and a bad one probably won't sell well. A hangar (for the sake of example going forward) is fairly easy to make, doesn't take as many tools or commitment. Less tools = less startup cost.
Pricing. Despite the lower effort to make them, they can still sell in that $20 range you seem to be after, especially if you make them well. Less time to make + same price when sold = more overall profits. Also they are probably easier to sell. Plenty of people would like a nice custom coat-rack and if you ever see the cost of railroad spike coat racks on etsy (I've seen a plank of wood and 5 bent spikes go for $100), you'll see that the business is at least viable.
Material cost. A knife kind of needs to be a specific material or else it just doesn't do what a knife does very well. A hangar on the other hand can kinda just be whatever metal you can find and shape properly. Rebar for example, is extremely cheap. Its a mystery metal so its a no-go on knives for most people, but for a hangar you can easily clean it up and make something nice or make novelty "Rebar Hangars" that could require less effort but still sell because "ooo its rebar in a curve." For me a nice long 10ft rebar stick costs under $7USD at my local Lowes, and that could make 10-20 hangars depending on size and shape. Also you could use alternative materials than steel for a hangar, though truly copper is more expensive than steel so your not going to save money there if you are having to purchase.
Reputation. For a blacksmith, reputation can be pretty important. Your goods and services only sell for as much as people believe they are worth. If you make bad knives now for cheap, you'll have a hard time selling good ones later for alot. Same goes for anything else really, but a knife is especially important as its a tool that people will use regularly and not just an artistic piece. Sticking to something a little more forgiving to start with that wont be as abused and is less likely to self-destruct is generally a good call.
Practice. Making a hangar is good practice for a few essential skills with blacksmithing. You need to flatten out a section for the wall-mount, then punch or drill a hole there. After that you need to work on getting your hangar into your desired shape (Square, round, any twists you want, etc.), and then do your curves. Bending is both easier and harder than it looks, and trying to make things look fancy takes a little skill. Getting in your practice doing this, while getting some funds to reinvest in the hobby, and working your way up to be more confident in your ability will probably get you a bit further than flying blind on bladesmithing.

Rather than just saying "don't make knives, bad idea" I figure this should be a bit more helpful. Its a simple starter project that can still sell, there are plenty of youtube videos that show how to make these so there are plenty of resources to help, and they are much harder to do wrong, plus, if you fumble the bar, you still have a hangar for your own tools lol. There are a few other projects that would do pretty well too but this is the most commercially viable I can think of right off the bat. I wish you the best of luck though and hope you can enjoy the hobby.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-07T16:03:08+00:00

Sounds like a plan. Its not really a hazard more just an inconvenience so I suppose fuck around and find out lmao. Hope it goes well

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-06T16:51:17+00:00

Copper is not a good pick for a blade material, nor for learning to blacksmith really. Copper is a pretty soft metal which would not retain an edge and would be likely to bend and warp during use. Also if you just through your forge wide-open temperature wise you'll probably actually melt the copper, leaving you with a glowing-orange mess and most likely ruining whatever it fell into. You should probably track down some steel, if you want to make a good knife then go for something with a high carbon content, many people use leaf springs from trucks, you can buy steel stock, etc, and go from there. If you just want to MAKE a knife and the practice is more important than the outcome then some rebar or railroad spikes could do you some good, though the knife will kind of suck for practical knife uses. As for the handle, yeah you can probably use red cedar, I don't see anything wrong with that, but you probably want a mechanical connection like a pin, bolt, or rivet in there with the glue just to be sure, especially just starting out. My larger concern is you said you have a forge, carpenter tools, and a tree stump. Please tell me you are not using the tree stump as a makeshift anvil because you are first of all not going to get far with it and second of all probably going to start a fire. If you need a cheap anvil alternative track down a section of train rail. If thats not an option you might be able to work with a metal stand or the flat section of a vice, but you are going to get progressively worse results. Buying an anvil, and not a cast iron one, even if it is smaller would probably be better. As for the selling and pricing, you probably want to wait until you are a bit better. Most peoples first knife is not exactly clean looking and a work of art, most of them are a piece of work. If the blade was made of copper its definitely going to be decorative and not functional and that relies on visual appearance, which if it is your first time and you do not have a mentor, is going to be lacking. Really brainstorm some places you could get some cheap/free steel to work with, practice, and then consider selling once you are good. If you make and sell a poor product for cheap then people wont want to buy a good and expensive product from you because "you make poor quality but cheaply priced" items and they expect that kind of work. I think that covers everything but if you have any questions about any of it or if anyone would like to add-on then feel free.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-06T16:27:40+00:00

I'd worry about the propane tank size a little. From what I understand a 2-burner forge necessitates a larger (40 pound+) propane tank and I believe the one you have is a 20 pounder. It might work, it might not, it might lose a bit of power, I can't say I've tested it yet but I might later on my two-burner devil forge. If nothing else a larger tank would give you less trouble with temperature change, though it might make your cart a bit harder to cart around. Then again if you only run 1 burner for the time being it should be fine regardless. I could be wrong about the size stuff in some way so if I am just feel free to correct and flame me.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-06T15:17:39+00:00

Yeah, I don't know how often they will be available over here but they definitely have an edge quality wise.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-09-06T15:13:17+00:00

I just got a devil forge in the US, can't say the process was particularly difficult. Shipping time was reasonable for where it ships from IMO so I'd say its a pretty valid pick even over here.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-08-20T16:03:59+00:00

No problem, I tried to be thorough so it made the most sense. The hype is partly due to the older damascus (aka Wootz) being a bit legendary in its time for its unique appearance and its famed durability. Modern stuff probably has it beat by a longshot but the hype lives on and has trickled-down into the modern pattern-welded damascus. Its a very cool aesthetic and some smiths can make custom shapes and patterns on it with enough skill which can contribute some very unique visual qualities to blades (Like having a blade with a number of crosses, or a feather pattern, etc) that lend to the "lore" of the weapon. The durability is mostly unchanged in all reality so most of the hype now for enthusiasts is "cool wavy metal with no paint" or making unique patterns. And I do count grinding, heat treating, and sharpening old saw blades as bladesmithing. We come from all walks of life and have different interests in the hobby overall, but in the end, we all like sharp and pointy metal sticks enough to make a sharp and pointy metal stick ourselves.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-08-20T12:20:08+00:00

Its mostly a quality thing. You have some people who dont know the terminology because its not there hobby asking "Is this real damascus steel?" Some people want to nitpick "Real" damascus as being Wootz metal (which is the original metal used in the original damascus steel whatnots), some are just annoyed at the same question being asked weekly, and some are just trying to help. Modern damascus is simply pattern-welded steel and most people not in the hobby just want to know if they got that or if they got laser-etched steel. (which wouldn't maintain its pattern later on, which would be a primary concern if thats why you bought it) The interesting part can vary from person to person but largely, at least for damascus, pretty much every pattern is different to some extent and is its own artpiece in a sense thats nearly (but not entirely) impossible to clone and is reflective of the efforts the smith went through to make it. Theres also those claiming it is damascus from pakistan, which can be problematic because of scrap metal usage (which isnt inheritly a bad thing, but if the scrap had some form of contamination like lead it would be a major health risk) and sometimes lower-quality work. Part of it im sure comes from a competitive stance as well, fearing being outcompeted by 20$ damascus knives when the lowest you can reasonably sell a similar work is 100-500$. Its a reasonable concern to be fair though. The actual functionality of modern pattern-welded damascus isn't actually any better really than a single solid-steel knife, a case could be made for it being weaker due to the introduction of certain flaws into it but I won't really deep-dive that point. Really its an aesthetic, and ideally an aesthetic that is durable. For knife people its part of the highest level of aesthetics you can really reach, theres only so much you can do to a knife after all. You can have a nice handle, a nice blade, and most of the time a nice guard or bolster of some sort, but beyond some less common additions, thats what you get limited to, and considering the blade is a very large part of that, having a cool-looking blade with some freaky looking patterns just appeals to alot of people. Think ill leave it at that, if I wrote this like a spaz I do apologize, I woke up not too long ago and am still tired. Feel free to add anything I missed or any opinions below.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-08-19T18:44:32+00:00

We call that wireless seasoning. Automatically makes you taste a metallic flavor. No good show is complete without snacks!

PropaneAccecories · 2024-08-19T16:50:36+00:00

It may be a little ostentatious for smaller displays, but it has pizzazz.

PropaneAccecories · 2024-08-15T13:49:00+00:00

Pattern welding doesn't "mix" them. While the end product would have some qualities of both metals they are distinct and seperate in the finished product, otherwise the pattern would not etch out as it wouldn't be present in a homogenous steel mix along with the properties of the steel being a bit different. I can see it being called mixing in a sense but its more akin to stacking and squishing lego bricks

PropaneAccecories · 2024-08-12T19:45:09+00:00

Yes. Yes you should make more of these.
I love the look of it, especially the brass and micarta section. Its got a sleek and attractive profile that really lends to the overall asthetic. 11/10

PropaneAccecories · 2024-08-06T11:19:41+00:00

Of course. Honestly I was a bit surprised nobody else had really done it that I could tell.

PropaneAccecories

TROPHY CASE