Mini Forge

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	Mini Gas Forge

I wanted a small portable gas forge that I could use for small forging jobs that did not require the use of a large forge. When I first started building it I wanted to make it run using a hand held propane torch, but I could not get a good heat using the propane. So I tried using Mapp gas, and I was able to heat the test piece to 1950 degrees. I used Tempil sticks to verify the temperature of the test piece.

I wanted a small portable gas forge that I could use for small forging jobs that did not require the use of a large forge. When I first started building it I wanted to make it run using a hand held propane torch, but I could not get a good heat using the propane. So I tried using Mapp gas, and I was able to heat the test piece to 1950 degrees. I used Tempil sticks to verify the temperature of the test piece.

	I tried several different torch outfits and settled on using a Bernz O Matic model # JTH7, it seems to produce the best heat and has the added flexibility of the separate torch wand. This picture is of the torch wand removed from the forge. I got the torch outfit at Home Depot for less than $30.00.

The forge body is a piece of 6" schedule 10 pipe 8" long. I welded a plate on the backside of the pipe to close it off. The pipe in the side of the forge body that holds the torch wand is 3/4" pipe that has a hole tapped in the top for a thumb screw. The forge liner is 1" Fiberfrax blanket.

Update: April 12, 2005 Doug Marx recently sent me a picture of his new mini forge along with a description of how he built it. He built the forge using the basic mini forge design from this web page, he used a 6" weld cap, 6" x 4" weld pipe reducer, and a short piece of six inch pipe. This is a great looking little forge

Updated April 12, 2005