My daughter and I have been tinkering around making a few forge point drags. This has got me to thinking we need an actual forge and not just using the torch. I gave building a small coal forge a thought, and looked on the computer for ideas. I see that there are small propane forges. They look to be handy, but I have never been around one. Dose anyone have any experience good or bad with the propane forges? Any ideas pro or con over coal or just general info about forges would be greatly appreciated. I would like to be informed prior to making a final decision.
Thank you

For just starting I would make it out of brake drum, couple pieces of pipe, old hair dryer and rim for base. Then just pick up lump charcoal to get started. Charcoal works pretty good for small stuff. I would only put the expense into propane if you planned on doing a lot of blacksmithing.

Andy,
Check out some of the bullet caster forums. Quite a few ideas from guys smelting lead wheel weights, with easily built furnaces, made with cast iron pipes and insulated with concrete. Kind of like a poor mans plumber pot.

Coal forges are tough to beat, but finding quality coal can be a real pain.
Here are my observations
Coal is quiet, - propane is noisy when burning
Coal takes a bit to heat up - propane is instant
Coal will heat your shop up to being unbearable in the summer - propane won't as you can shut it down quicker
Coal burns past when you are done and can be a hazard - propane shuts right off and doesn't hold heat as long
Coal gives a more satisfying feeling by being traditional - propane not so much
Coal forges are lighter to move around - propane is usually stationary on legs or mounted to the truck.
Achieving perfect temp is easier with coal - propane not so much (as in heating just the tip of something- think of cooking a marshmallow)

Where does my observations come from - I spent my youth growing up around a forge and not a piece of metal was safe on the ranch according to my Dad. As an adult, I got a degree in Farrier Science and spent way too many hours over both types.

A few years ago I bought a 2-burner Diamondback propane forge. Used it for a while then tucked it away due to some unforeseen life changes that made me put a blacksmithing shop on hold. When I did use it I loved it. While I live in the country it is in a residential area that I don't think would appreciate the coal smoke. Coal at times is getting tough to find. Propane is as close as the nearest refill rack. Propane forges burn a lot cleaner than coal, charcoal, or coke. May not be important working rebar, but if you start doing any forge welding it may make a difference. Plus propane will provide even heat at a high rate.

My son is an accomplished blacksmith and uses coal, but he lives in the country as well as fine tunes his draft, exhaust, etc. so except for lighting there really is not much of a smoke problem. He started out making his own charcoal but quickly found it takes time and sometimes does not work out as well.

Through the years I have accumulated 6 coal forges of varying sizes, about a dozen post vises, several anvils, and a ton of other stuff that I will soon be picking through to set up my smithy. The rest will go. The Diamondback gas forge will not be replaced by a coal forge, but I will have a fine coal forge with a kick-butt blower running very near to it. I like traditional things, but the efficiency of the gas forge is going to be awful nice when I need it.

Moosetrot

I agree . Hedge is the best wood to use and will get your drags forged if you cant find coal it makes good charcoal

If all you doing is heating to bend, you can cut a 30 gal barrel about 1/3 up. Leave the end in it and turn with open end to the ground. Cut you an opening on the side to put hickory, ash, or locust in. Run a steel pipe under the ground a couple inches then up in under barrel, preferably 90 degrees to your opening. Hook on small shop vacuum exhaust to the pipe and your ready to heat.

Thank you for the ideas. I may stick with making one for the time being instead of dropping the money on a propane burner. Sounds like the charcoal will work for what we are doing. If it doesn't work out like I care then I could spend $.
This is an idea of what we have been working on. Just a little bending and pounding down points.

google "two brick forge" for some ideas on propane. something along these lines =



We did one with about 6 bricks - kiln, not fire, brick. fire brick hold heat, are heavy, and very hard. Kiln brick reflect heat, are light, and can be cut with basic hand tools.
we didt not use the mesh to hold it all together, adjusted an additional brick in the back to control air and heat on that end and left the front open.

the whole thing cools down fairly quickly, so you can go out after work, do some work with it and bring it all back inside before dark without burning anything down.