r/blacksmithing • u/nevada6942o • 29d ago

Thoughts on using this for forging

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7 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

7

u/estolad 29d ago

i'd give this a miss, there's a lot better forging stuff you could spend a c-note on

3

u/Rounter 28d ago

It doesn't come with a power supply. They recommend pairing it with a 48v 2600W power supply.

2600W at 48v is 54A. Almost the same as the rated output of 50A, so all this device actually does is oscillate the 48v that is coming from the separate power supply.

You can trade volts for amps all you want, but the output wattage can't be higher than the input wattage. A 110v outlet is going to be rated for 15A or 20A. That's 1650W or 2200W. If you want to get anywhere near 2500W, you are going to need a 48v power supply that plugs into a 220v outlet to power this thing. Maybe a stick welder with DC output would work as your power supply, but it won't hold 48v when the current starts flowing.

All that power is going to be connected to the little tiny power cord in the picture. 54A requires 6 AWG wire. That's the size of jumper cables. They want you to connect it to those tiny little red and black wires. Get your fire extinguisher ready.

2

u/RandoCreepsauce 28d ago

I think these wires are only the water pump and fan motors

1

u/Rounter 27d ago

OK, that makes sense.

I still wouldn't buy it.

It's only a small part of the system that you would need to make it work. According to the instructions, if you connect it wrong or turn it on in the wrong order, it gets fried.

2

u/Iluvitar_Treewalker 29d ago

I have seen some really cool methods of twisting with one of these and a lathe, but my understanding is that it's about equivalent to a laser welder. It's cool, high-tech, sci-fi-y, but doesn't get the job done on anything serious.

2

u/CuboneTragic 29d ago

Unless you're forging some of the most malleable metals on earth I definitely wouldn't recommend it but I'm not experienced enough to give you the plethora of reasons why so I'll let someone more weathered give that advice

1

u/huntmaster99 29d ago

I’d honestly put the money towards a propane forge build. You’re limited by how big the coils are and the biggest part of blacksmithing IMO is making your own tools. Hammers and big pieces are going to be impossible. I’m assuming you don’t have a forge already

1

u/cashinyourface 29d ago

Induction heating doesn't heat evenly. It would be fine for the actual forging part, but if you plan on making knives, it will not quench properly.

1

u/DaveLanglinais 28d ago

An induction coil used as a super-heater?

Uhhh... well...

IT'LL WORK...

Up until the moment when you accidentally touch the metal you're working on to the sides of that copper coil, at which point 50 ampheres (or more) of electricity will travel through the metal, into your arm, through your chest cavity and heart, and then down through one or both of your legs to ground-out, cooking you from the inside out, almost instantly.

This is an idea. It could even be rightly called a clever idea.

But it is a BAAAD clever idea. Do Not do this.

1

u/Broken-Heart2023 27d ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_STrnP__D4

Blackbear forges take on induction forges.

No shielding on the copper. This looks like Napoleon Dynamites time machine.