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How to Build a Blast Forge

Building a blast forge for the purposes of heating metals close to or beyond their melting point is relatively easy with a few commonly found materials around the home. The trick is to insulate the heat from escaping, and also to feed your fire with enough oxygen to reach maximum temperatures. Whether you are interested in forging or melting metal, you can easily construct this temporary structure to allow you to generate significant amounts of heat right on your own property.

Things You'll Need

Bricks (firebrick would be best)
Charcoal
Old vacuum cleaner (with reverse blower function)
Lighter fluid

Instructions

- 1
  Lay out a layer of bricks flat on the ground to use as a base for your fire. Make this at least one level deep to protect the surface you build it on; make it two layers thick if you want to be really safe.
- 2
  Construct a layer of bricks on top of the first in a circular pattern, with enough room in the center to build a charcoal fire suitable for your heating needs.
- 3
  Make a gap in the circular arrangement of bricks and place the metal tube from the vacuum into it.
- 4
  Build up the circular brick arrangement another 4 to 5 levels, maintaining a clear and unobstructed chimney through the center. This chimney will also allow you to feed more charcoal into the fire as necessary.
- 5
  Load charcoal through the chimney once constructed, and light using either barbecue lighter fluid or a lit piece of charcoal. Wait for the charcoal to ignite and burn
- 6
  Set the vacuum cleaner to blow, instead of suction, and pump air into the furnace to increase temperatures.
- 7
  Place the metals you want to heat directly into the forge, or if wanting to melt metals, place them inside a metal cup of higher melting point temperature and place over the open chimney.

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