Blacksmith at home. How to make a forge at home: dream and reality. Cold forging method

Some consider blacksmithing very difficult and think that one can become a blacksmith only after graduating from a special educational institution. But in fact, everything is much simpler. In order to learn blacksmithing, it is enough to have the desire and physical strength, and a diploma is not at all required. True, going to work as a blacksmith is unprofitable and not promising, since in this case your earnings will be only 20% of the profit received by the enterprise.

Business organization

The best option is to open your own forge. You can locate your enterprise in some workshop at a factory or in a small production facility. The floor area must be at least 10 sq. m, in which case you do not have to deal with its redevelopment. The only thing that needs to be done is to build a chimney for the forge. You can't do without it at the forge. After you find a suitable room, you need to purchase all the necessary tools and equipment.

Investments in the organization of this business are relatively small - from 10 to 40 thousand dollars. For renting a workshop, you will need to pay about 200 rubles per month per sq. m of area, which, in principle, is not so much, but the bulk of the funds required for the organization of the forge will be spent on the purchase of equipment (which one - we will discuss further).

As a legal form, you can choose the registration of an individual entrepreneur, of course, if you do not plan to fulfill orders for legal entities. In this case, it is necessary to organize an LLC. Special attention is required to coordinate the premises in the fire service, as it is supposed to work with open fire.

Arrangement of the premises for the forge

The forge business plan is the document according to which the project will be implemented. If we talk about the requirements for the premises for this type of activity, then first of all it should be noted that it should be spacious and bright. The height of the ceilings should be at least three to four meters with a total area of ​​40 square meters. m.

The main equipment of the forge is a forge for one or two fires. For it, it is necessary to equip a chimney. An anvil is installed at a distance of one and a half or two meters from the forge, a vice is a little further from it. Along with the design of the hearth, it is necessary to mount boxes for water, which is needed for hardening or cooling the tool.

The blacksmith tool should be in a convenient place. You can hang it on the wall or equip a special rack for it. Drilling machines, steel mobile goats, lever shears, pneumatic hammer - all this will help the master create high-quality blacksmith products.

Forge equipment

Forging equipment can be conditionally divided into basic and additional. The main equipment is, for example, a vice, of which there should be several pieces of different sizes. The anvil is the main thrust tool. Her weight, on average, is one hundred kilograms. For the manufacture of the anvil, high-carbon steel is mainly used. There are one-horned and two-horned anvils. The forge is another important component of the forge. This tool is needed for heat treatment of metal.

In addition to the basic equipment, you will also need hand tools: sledgehammers, hammers, chisels, and so on. The business plan of the forge must necessarily include a complete list of the necessary equipment and tools. You need a forge and a welding machine. It should be noted that the cost of staffing the enterprise will be significant. And more specifically:

• vise small and large - 5 and 15 thousand rubles apiece, respectively (they will need two or three of different sizes);
• anvil - 50-60 thousand rubles;
• horn - 40 thousand rubles (however, to save money, you can make it yourself).

Hand tools are inexpensive and are presented on the market in a wide range, so there will be no problems here.

Blacksmithing as a business is impossible without an airbrush for painting workpieces. There is a wide range of forging equipment on the market today. Therefore, with its acquisition of special difficulties should not arise.

stained-glass windows

The forge as a business is a very promising and profitable enterprise, especially if you combine metal forging and stained glass manufacturing. In this case, you need to complete the set of equipment with glass cutters and a furnace. What kind of glass you will use to make your products does not matter. It can be both Chinese and domestic.

Masters

When developing a forge business plan, do not forget about the requirements for workers. The minimum staff of such an enterprise should consist of two people: the chief foreman and his assistant. It is also advisable to hire a qualified welding specialist who will assemble the finished products.

Finding good blacksmiths is not easy, this is the main problem of this type of activity. In serious forges, in addition to working performers, there is also an artist on staff who is engaged in creating sketches of future products. He also designs all the decorative elements.

The forge business plan should be carefully thought out and reflect the purpose of your project, the type of product being made. It should include information about the requirements for the premises, the number of employees, the type of ventilation, production capacity and other important points. You should also consider in a separate section the technology for the production of manufactured products.

Sales of blacksmith products

The business plan of the forge should include a section that will identify possible options for marketing finished products. It should be noted that problems in this regard should not arise, since artistic forging is valued and in great demand. There are practically no serious competitors in this market; very few companies are engaged in hot forging.

Architects and designers often use forged elements in their work. Openwork metal grates covering fireplaces, or beautiful balusters on the stairs look elegant and noble.

If you know how to perform forging and learn this craft, you can create original products yourself.

This activity is suitable for everyone who likes to do physical work and who is ready to get acquainted with the technology and features of the choice of metal.

What do you need to know about forging?

Forging is a process of processing a special workpiece. Its purpose is to give the metal the required dimensions with a shape. There are hot forging and cold forging.

The master needs to get acquainted with both varieties in order to know the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Hot forging method

In the hot method, the metal workpiece is strongly heated. As a result, the metal becomes plastic. Hot forging gives the workpiece the desired dimensions and desired shape. A variety of work options are available to the master.

Heating a metal workpiece has its drawbacks. First of all, it is necessary to equip a special room. You will need to buy a forge, for which you will have to buy fuel.

Fire safety rules must be observed, it is important that the master knows how to work with fire.

Knowing the temperature conditions used in the forging process, you can easily select the desired type of forging.

Cold forging method

Cold forging is a labor intensive process. To achieve the desired shape from a metal blank, it is bent, pressed and welded. The execution technique is a little simpler compared to the hot method.

The workshop does not require a lot of space, and for its arrangement you do not need to purchase a special forge, it is enough to buy a forging machine.

The process of manufacturing a product involves working with semi-finished products. Once a mistake has been made, it cannot be corrected.

Choosing a metal

Metals with certain properties are suitable for hand forging. The more ductile the metal, the easier it is to change its shape. However, plasticity is inextricably linked with strength.

An increase in one characteristic inevitably entails a decrease in another. When buying a workpiece, the master must know exactly what composition it has.

Decorative forging elements are made from copper, steel, duralumin or brass. In addition, alloys may also be used. Information about metals that can be easily forged can be found in the Steel and Alloys Grader.

What tools are needed for forging?

Inventory varies depending on the forging method. A blacksmith's forge with an anvil, hammers with tongs will be needed for hot forging.

For the cold method, you need the Gnutik tool, which allows you to bend the workpiece at an angle, and the Snail forging machine, which you can do yourself. The last machine allows you to create decorative elements with a spiral shape.

Note!

In addition to the basic tools for the cold method, Flashlight, Wave, Twister, ring machine and others can be additionally used.

The modern market offers industrial machines designed to perform technological operations. In the forging photo you can see the product made on the Master 2 machine from MAH.

Hand forged

In order for the workpiece to acquire the desired shape, the master must use different techniques and methods in his work. You will need to acquire various tools and master different technologies.

The cold forging method does not require much effort from the master. The following stages are distinguished in the work:

• creating a drawing or sketching a decorative element;
• procurement of blanks;
• forging process.

Today, a drawing can be done using a computer program on your own or ordered by professionals. The project will allow you to calculate how much metal blanks you need to purchase before starting work.

Note!

The main forged elements are represented by the following groups:

• Paws. The end of the metal rod is given a certain shape.
• curls. The ends of the rod can be bent in one or two directions.
• Rings. Decor elements are made of rods with a square or round section.
• Torsion. It is characterized by helical twisting along the axis.

3 common technologies are used: drawing, bending and twisting.

• The hood allows you to increase the length of the metal workpiece, reducing the value of its cross section.
• Bending makes it possible to bend any part of the workpiece at an angle.
• Twisting is a technology in which the workpiece is twisted along the axis. For twisting, the Twister machine is used.

All elements are assembled together and fixed by welding. These operations are performed on a special table. Homemade cold forging does not require special skills.

DIY forging photo

Note!

Do you want to try your hand at small forging, but don't know where to get a forge? Do you feel the gift of a glass blower in yourself, but do not know where to start? Imagine that you can start your hobby at home by making a mini-forge at home. The main thing is to be friends with your head and observe fire safety measures. To make a homemade forge, you will need:

- oblong tin can. Best of all from under peaches or pineapples
- two small corners
- a piece of half-inch tube 50 mm long;
- a wooden block of medium size for the base;
- wood screws;
- several screws with nuts;
- household gas (propane) burner with a spiral nozzle;
- kilogram of sand;
- a kilogram of gypsum;
- liter of water;
- a tight bag or a small bucket for kneading gypsum.

Also, I strongly advise you to use safety glasses and do not forget about fire extinguishers. Ideally, a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher should be on hand.
We start by drilling a hole for the tube on one side of the can, at a distance of 25mm from the bottom.

A burner will be inserted into it, entering at a slight downward angle. We screw the tube into the hole.
Then we fasten the corners to the wooden bar with self-tapping screws:

It should end up like this:

Now let's deal with the fireproof protection of our mini-forge. Otherwise, from the high temperature, the jar will simply burn out in a couple of times.
We take sand and gypsum in an equal proportion of 1: 1 and mix with water in a bag or bucket. The main thing is that in the end the resulting mixture should be sufficiently plastic. Work quickly as the mixture dries quickly.

We fill the jar with the resulting substance by three quarters of the container, after which we make a hole with a diameter of about 40-45 mm. (we used a plastic spoon). Ideally, for better heat retention, make the shape of the answer better pear-shaped.

Be sure to check that the inserted tube is not clogged with plaster.
After the mixture dries, you should get something like this:

Now you can check the resulting tool. To do this, insert a burner into the tube and light the fire. The home mini-forge will warm up for about 10 minutes, at the same time it will dry out completely.

After a while, you will get a bright red flame, which means that our mini-forge has warmed up and can be used for its intended purpose.

P.S. It takes 1.5-2 hours to make such a homemade forge with your own hands and does not require serious knowledge and skills! Good luck!

Blacksmithing arose before man learned to use iron. Since forging metal gives the metal a special strength, it is still used today. For the manufacture of certain products, the same principles are used, only they are achieved by other methods.

And yet blacksmiths are now in demand. Increasingly, forged products are found in the decoration of private houses and public buildings. We see them on the streets of our cities and in the interiors of apartments. More and more people are tempted to try their hand at this craft, but for this you need a forge. Forge at home - for a city person who does not have a summer residence, the task is difficult, but solvable. To do this, you will need to copy the device of an ordinary forge in a separate room of the house.

Building a forge is also not easy, but possible. It should be built away from other buildings. Walls should ideally be brick or stone. If the walls are made of logs, then inside it is necessary to plaster them. Of course, you can do without walls - with one shed, but working in such a forge will not be comfortable, especially in winter.

Horn

The heart of the forge is the forge. If a capital building for the forge is built, then the hearth must also be stationary. It is usually located near the wall opposite the door. By the way, the door, according to all requirements, should open outwards.

It is easier to make a horn table welded in the form of a box on strong legs. then it is laid out with refractory bricks. A hearth is made in the center of the table. Its dimensions depend on what blanks you intend to take into work. Usually this is a recess of a square handicap 200x200x150 mm. At the bottom of this recess are grates and a lance.

A lance is a device for supplying air to a hearth. The air flow is regulated by a damper, and is created either with a fan or with primitive bellows. Above the hearth, for the removal of gases and smoke to the outside, there is an exhaust hood. Most often it is made of sheet metal.

Anvil

The second, an integral part of the forge, is the anvil. The most convenient is the two-horned anvil. One horn is rectangular and the other is conical. The surface of the anvil on which the parts are placed is called the face. The quality of the work performed depends on the state of the latter, and therefore manipulations should not be performed on it, the result of which may be dents or notches. Two holes are often made in the face of the anvil. Near the rectangular tail - square, near the conical - round. The square hole is used to install various devices. Round is used for bending bars.

The anvil is set at a distance no further than 2 meters from the forge. It is best to strengthen it on a cut of a birch or oak log half a meter in diameter dug into the ground.

Workbench and shelving

Forge home venture is not cheap. In addition to the forge and the anvil, she will not do without a rigid locksmith's workbench, on which a blacksmith's chair vice is attached. You need a box for coal, containers for water and oil.

Along the walls, it is necessary to install various racks for storing tools and metal for products. Not far from the anvil, a two-tier table is installed for the most popular tool. You will also need an emery or grinder.

Other essential tool

The most necessary tool for a blacksmith is various pliers to hold the workpiece and hammers. Hammers are used of different weights with a longitudinal wedge-shaped tail or with a transverse one. Sledgehammers and hammers are used to work with large workpieces. Also needed:

• blacksmith chisel,
• blacksmith punch,
• accessories for forging.

In order to avoid injury, you must constantly monitor the good condition of the tool.

forge building example

A blacksmith is one of the oldest professions, traditionally shrouded in secrets and legends. The simplest forge can be equipped in your garage. This does not require particularly sophisticated equipment and high costs. A home master will be able to create both household items and artistic objects in it.

How to build a blacksmith and locksmith workshop with your own hands

The area required for convenient and safe placement of all necessary equipment is from 15 sq.m. The height of the ceiling above the mountain and the anvil must be at least 2.5 m. It is best that the building be brick and stone.

The floor must be made of non-combustible material - concrete or lined with bricks or tiles. Clay coating is allowed, regularly wetted with water. If the walls and ceiling are wooden, they should be covered with a thick layer of lime whitewash.

In the garage allocated for the forge, exhaust ventilation should be arranged and good lighting should be provided. Wiring must be hidden in metal pipes or sleeves.

There is another option - the forge can be placed under a canopy attached to the wall of the garage. There is no problem with ventilation, but it will be possible to work comfortably in such a workshop only in the warm season.

The internal arrangement of the forge: basic fixtures

The technology of blacksmithing requires the following basic pieces of equipment to be placed in the garage compartment allocated for the forge:

• Forge with furnace inventory (scoop, poker, etc.).
• Fuel locker.
• Fan.
• Anvil.
• Barrel for hardening.
• Vice.

Hand tools - hammers, tongs, notches, etc. will require a shelf for themselves, or better, a full-fledged durable workbench.

The forge and anvil are arranged so that they are accessible from all sides. Lighting is best done with incandescent lamps or “warm light” LED lamps (with a color temperature of 2700 K) - they do not distort the color of the workpiece.

If possible, the door (or gate) of the forge should be directed away from the house.

Tools and accessories necessary for work

A quality tool in good condition is pleasant and safe to work with. In addition, a good tool allows you to achieve high quality products.

The selection of a tool begins with percussion equipment. It includes:

• Handbrake. A small hammer weighing 500-2000 g, with a handle 35-60 cm. The handle should be made from deciduous trees and sanded smoothly.
• Sledgehammer. Heavy hammer, weighing 8-16 kg. The strikers of the sledgehammer are flat, by the long (up to 120 cm) handle it is held with two hands and used for strikes of large amplitude and weight.
• War hammer. Hammer weighing up to 10 kg, held with two hands. One striker is flat, the other is wedge-shaped, used to accelerate the workpiece along the axis.

The forge in the garage next to the house should also have a tank for cooling and hardening the forged products. You can use a cut metal barrel.

When choosing an anvil for a workshop in the garage, it is important to pay attention to the condition of the working surface and especially the rims. They should not have chips and potholes. If you hit the surface with a hammer, it should ring, and the hammer should bounce.

Install the anvil on a powerful welded frame. Such a structure, if necessary, can be quickly moved from place to place by one person. If you manage to get a large stump (not rotten!) - then in addition to a reliable stable fastening, you will also get a shock absorber. But you can't move it alone.

The height of the installation is calculated based on the height and length of the hands of the blacksmith so that the plane of the striker when struck from two hands is parallel to the working plane.

The furnace for the forge in the garage is welded from sheet metal with a thickness of 5 mm or a gas cylinder is cut. It is mounted on a welded frame (from 12 mm rod or reinforcement). The height of the top edge should be at the level of the master's belt.

A grate is welded to the bottom of the hearth to accommodate pieces of coal.

So that the particles of coal do not wake up down, the bars of the grate must be made at small intervals.

The inlet pipe from the blower fan is located with a slight downward slope. This is done to avoid blowing sparks up.

Hammer and old vacuum cleaner

To pressurize the forge, use a duct fan or an old, but efficient vacuum cleaner. Filters from the vacuum cleaner should be removed.

When choosing a blacksmith hammer, you need to pay attention to the quality of the metal. An old Soviet hammer made of good tool steel will last much longer than a Chinese craft.

It will be enough to make a good handle, fit the hammer tightly and regularly check the mount. The hammer is selected by weight based on the level of physical development of the master. Weight should allow many hours of work without fatigue.

For the forge in the garage, it is worth getting a chair vise. They are made from high quality tool steel and can withstand thousands of impacts. You won't be able to split them.

Tongs should have long handles, which will allow you to snatch workpieces from the forge without fear of getting burned.

The tool kit should also include flares with elongated flat jaws to capture small parts. A great help will be a special ring that allows you to clamp the handles together. This makes work easier by reducing the gripping force.