Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/319

 Building a Farm Forge and Blacksmith Shop

A Simply Constructed Housing for the Farm Tools By W. E. Frudden

��A SMALL homemade forge for use on the farm is inexpensive and can be constructed so that it will give very good results. A tuyere iron, a few sacks of cement and about 175 ordinary chimney bricks with some stone and sand are all the materials that will be required.

��and reinforce it with wire to prevent cracking.

A makeshift blower can be made from two old disks of a disk-harrow bolted to a wood frame in position about 2 in. apart for the sides of the blower. The fans and the cover are made of sheet metal and this is geared to an old bicycle driving mech- anism. A piece of 3-in. drain-pipe is to be connected from the blower to the tuyere iron on the forge.

It will pay to pur- chase a good anvil that has a clear ring

���^ 2'X4' RAFTERS^ /' 2^X6' CROSS-TIES

���Make the forge about 2 ft. square, with a concrete founda- tion placed below the frost line. To do this dig a hole 2 ft. square and 3 ft. deep and fill it with a lean mixture of cement concrete. Begin laying the brick on the hardened and set cement, which should be just level with the floor-line of the shop. Lay the brick the same as in making a square flue and draw in the side until the flange or tuyere iron will rest on the inside edge of the wall about 18 in. above the ground. It is customary to have the blow pipe at the left and the shaker at the front so it will be best to use this plan in setting the tuyere iron. The brick wall is continued to the desired height and it is widened as fast as possible. Make the fire-pan 3 in. wide and 10 in deep, coat it well inside with rich cement

��A small blacksmith shop constructed of concrete blocks, with a concrete floor in which machinery repairs can be made at times on the farm

��to it and set it on a block handy to the forge. A heavy hammer weighing 4 lb. is another one of the essential parts of the forge equipment. Anyone can then go ahead and make punches, chisels, hardies, swages, fullers and tongs. A good fire is necessary and good coal must be used. Wet the coal down well before putting it on the fire and coke it well before using it. Never let the fire become open, especially when welding work is to be done. There is considerable to learn by experience regarding work on the forge, but there is nothing about it that is too complicated for the average farmer.

Do not try to save money in building the

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