# Poor man's forge



## norman vandyke (Nov 22, 2015)

I call it a poor man's forge. My wife said it was a ghetto fire pit. Haha. Anyway, from what I've read, it will work to get the temps I need for tempering steel. Going to have the top covered in bricks as well. The slit in one side is for putting in blades and removing them with tongs. The hole on the other side is for placing a metal pipe with a hair dryer running on the other end for better heat. Planning on starting with oak for fuel just to see if it works, as I have tons of that laying around. If that doesn't work, I'll have to switch to hardwood charcoal. Need to fashion a pair of long tongs. Thinking about a couple pieces of steel, bolting them together, then twisting the tips to create the jaws.

And yes, that is green grass in winter, in Montana. Awful

Reactions: Like 2


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## ironman123 (Nov 22, 2015)

If the oak doesn't work good, try some ROB. Keep us posted.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## norman vandyke (Nov 22, 2015)

ROB would never burn hot enough. Haha! Poetically stink up the place good though.


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## ClintW (Nov 24, 2015)

It should work I would think. As long as you get enough coal built up around the edge for heat retention and get your blade right above the air pipe.


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## JR Custom Calls (Nov 24, 2015)

Hedge burns real hot. If you have any out that way. Would seem logical for Montana to have tons of it.


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## norman vandyke (Nov 24, 2015)

Is that a type of tree? Never heard if it being in Montana. Hardest wood we have here are elm and fir. I do have an abundance of red oak from pallets though.


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## ClintW (Nov 24, 2015)

It's Osage Orange. I would doubt there is more than a couple of trees if any. I would guess the use of it as hedge rows was no longer common when farming made it the upper plains. Also it may not fair so well in colder climates.


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## norman vandyke (Nov 24, 2015)

ClintW said:


> It's Osage Orange. I would doubt there is more than a couple of trees if any. I would guess the use of it as hedge rows was no longer common when farming made it the upper plains. Also it may not fair so well in colder climates.


Those don't grow here as far as I know.


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## Kevin (Nov 24, 2015)

norman vandyke said:


> Is that a type of tree?



_Maclura pomifera_ aka bois d'arc, osage orange, horse apple, hedge, just depends on the region. It's in the mulberry (_moraceae_) family. It first sprang to life right here within miles of where I was born in Fannin county (red star) and the natural region spread to where indicated in the image.





The way it ended up in the midwest and north is because we exported it to farmers and ranchers who needed an affordable way to fence off their property and livestock before barbed wire was invented. The saying about a bois d' arc fence was:

_Horse high, hog tight, and bull stout_

And that is not an exaggeration. Once barbed wire came along the bois d' arc seed market collapsed, but soon they realized they needed posts for the wire and guess what turned out to be the premier species to string it across the country? Bois d' arc. This is the bible on the species written by Fred Tarpley Ph.D whom I was fortunate enough to get to know over the years. I just recently learned he passed away. He was a fountain of knowledge on the species but on many other topics as well and I always felt privileged to get to spend time with him. You can read my review of the book in the Amazon link if you're so inclined.


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## JR Custom Calls (Nov 24, 2015)

Hmm interesting points @ClintW I figured with all the cattle out there that would have been a pretty common tree. Didn't consider climate or time period

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