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How to Use Wood to Forge

Generally speaking, straight wood does not burn hot enough to bring metals to their point of plasticity or malleability. However, feeding a wood fire with plenty of air can raise the temperature to a high enough point to easily and completely heat metals to this point. This can be accomplished with the use of an old unwanted vacuum cleaner with a reverse blower function, essentially turbo charging your forge. Using wood in this fashion will save you lots of time and money by being able to use such a readily available fuel source.

Things You'll Need

  • Bricks
  • Old vacuum cleaner
  • Wood (broken or cut into small pieces)
  • Lighter fluid
  • Tongs
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lay out a layer of bricks to provide a base for your fire. This should be at least 2 feet by 3 feet, with the bricks butted up against each other. This will also help to insulate some of the heat inside the forge.

    • 2

      Lay a ring of bricks on top of the base with a small gap to allow for the vacuum cleaner's tube to be inserted into the forge. Make this ring as large as you require the forge to be. If required to be larger than 2 feet by 3 feet, make the base large as well.

    • 3

      Add another four layers of bricks on top of the first circle in a concentric fashion, forming a chimney that will exhaust the smoke, as well as to allow you to feed more wood fuel through it.

    • 4

      Light the forge by stocking the forge with wood and adding a small amount of lighter fluid. Allow the fire to catch before turning on the vacuum.

    • 5

      Place the metal you wish to heat into the forge, through the chimney. Remove the metal using some tongs once it reaches a red to yellow hot hue and form as you like.


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