Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

How to Create a Primitive Forge

Metalworking is an ancient skill with very simple origins. A forge is nothing more than a specialized hearth designed to hold a fire used to heat and shape metal. Archaeological evidence shows that primitive forges have been used for thousands of years. Making a primitive forge is an educational and rewarding experience, enabling people to step back in time and experience life as it was for our forefathers, when "technology" was a more efficient set of bellows.

Things You'll Need

Trowel
Clay or metal pipe (any diameter from 1/4 inch to 6 inches)
Old bricks
Bellows or hairdryer
Charcoal

Instructions

- 1
  Dig a circular depression in the ground, roughly 6 inches deep and 12 inches in diameter. Tidy up the edges so the hole is smooth and devoid of loose dirt and stones.
- 2
  Cut a small trench into the side of the depression, making it slightly wider than your pipe. Angle the trench so that it starts at the base of the depression and finishes at the surface of the ground. Match the length of the trench to the length of your pipe. This will result in linking the base of the depression to a point at ground level, one pipe-length away from the edge of the depression. Rest the pipe in the trench to form an airway from the surface to the base of the depression.
- 3
  Pack dirt back into the trench to hold the pipe in place and to form an airtight seal around it. Tamp the dirt down firmly. Place a ring of old bricks around the circumference of the depression and over the top of the pipe to form a low wall around the top of the depression.
- 4
  Fill the base of the depression with small dry stacks of kindling. Add a layer of charcoal and then set fire to the kindling. Allow the fire to burn until it gets a good hold and begins to ignite the charcoal. Use bellows or a hairdryer to force air down the pipe and into the base of the depression. The forced air will rise through the charcoal, adding oxygen and raising the temperature.
- 5
  Place the metal to be worked in the center of the charcoal and continue forcing air through the forge until the metal reaches the desired temperature. Add more charcoal as needed.

Other Hobbies