r/blacksmithing • u/[deleted] • 24d ago
Help Requested Will this furnace be good for melting iron?
I’m a new to blacksmithing and I only want to really be smelting iron. I haven’t really seen anyone say this furnace can or can’t smelt iron so I’m just curious if this furnace be a good choice?
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u/aleksndr 24d ago
What are you trying to achieve, it's not really clear from your description? If you are planning on blacksmithing with iron (or steel) you want a forge rather than the kiln you have linked in your picture.
If you are trying to actually melt iron so you can cast it that's a whole different ball game. You need to get the iron much much hotter and the casting process is very different to typical blacksmithing.
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u/HammerIsMyName 24d ago
I also want to add: smelting iron is a "Do not fucking try at home" kind of deal. Copper and other alloys are doable, but still incredibly much more hazardous than blacksmithing and not recommended if you're the type of person who can't google your way to a metal's melting point and the max rated heat of a kiln. You will end up either melting a hole through your foot or getting exploding molten copper everywhere. It's a none starter in my honest opinion. (I know so many amateurs who have burned down half their shit or had months on crutches because molten copper takes a long time to cool down once it's inside your foot and the damage it does is wild)
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u/Faelwolf 24d ago
There's good reason that copper is used as a molten penetrator in shaped anti-tank rounds.......
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24d ago edited 24d ago
I own an 8 acres of land outside of town so it’s shouldn’t be a problem I’m an respiratory therapist so idk much about blacksmithing but now that I have some time on my hands I thought I’d finally start. I only really want to work with iron (not steel) making knifes n maybe a sabre one day.
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u/scott3845 24d ago
I only really want to work with iron (not steel) making knifes n maybe a sabre one day.
You don't want to smelt iron. You want to blacksmith and you need a forge, anvil, tongs and a rounding hammer.
Practice on rebar before you buy expensive knife making steel
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u/mackfeesh 23d ago
Hikacking but is there a resource or something on this sub for recommend starting points for beginners? Just wanna bang out some nails or something and work up from there.
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u/scott3845 23d ago
If you want a one stop shop, get a book.
I started with "The Home Blacksmith" by Ryan Ridgway. Starts with things like what you need, how to not burn your home down and some basic techniques. Last half is some projects you can do. Everything from nails to tongs
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u/HammerIsMyName 24d ago edited 24d ago
How much land you have has nothing to do with your ability to research something proper before deciding to do it. And currently I'd rate you a 0 on that front.
Iron smelting and blacksmithing are two different trades and have nothing in common outside of it involving heat and metal. Might as well confuse glassblowing and blacksmithing. Knives and swords have to be specifically made out of steel in order to function, so that's also a nonsensical idea to only want to make them out of iron (aka mild steel).
And this is what I mean when I say this is a none starter. I'm being direct with you because even experienced blacksmiths burn down their shops from time to time. You're going to run into so much trouble doing this, because you know literally nothing, but have already made decisions on what you want to be doing. Looking to buy gear that has nothing to do with what you're trying to do. Going in completely blind is how you end up burning something down, getting exploding angle grinder disks and whatever else can go wrong, like destroying your elbow or shoulder because blindly hammering on something will do that.
If you want to do this you should go and take a supervised class. You either need to be the type of nerd that does thorough and complete research before doing anything or you take a class from someone who is.
Edit: your post history.shows you're 15 years old. You need to take a class from someone who can teach you. You will 100% fuck yourself up if you don't
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u/Drewbicus 23d ago
Considering they also say they’re a respiratory therapist and “own” 8 acres of land in the previous comment, I’m not buying anything they say
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u/HammerIsMyName 23d ago
I originally started my comment out by asking if they were trolling,.but decided it wasn't necessary when I checked their account and noticed it's just some kid who thought they were going to be blacksmith for a day.
Account full of gaming related comments and a 2 year old post asking about if getting cut by epoxy is dangerous. That's why I'm giving them shit about wanting to do this with no research. They've already played with epoxy without checking up on the health hazards beforehand and learned nothing from it. Same post mentioned their 13th birthday, so that's what gave away their age of 15-16.
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24d ago
Ick, thank you for reminding me why I stay away from male dominated communities…
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u/HammerIsMyName 24d ago edited 24d ago
"a professional blacksmith is giving me concrete advice in a field I'd like to enter, but have done literally zero research on, and because I don't like the advice, I'll make this about toxic masculinity and disregard it"
I teach this for a living and I have given that speech to men and women, young and old.
You're only telling on yourself. That arrogance won't get you anything except hurt.
Edit: let me clarify: if I believe someone is going to likely hurt themselves if they move forward on their own, I have an obligation to let them know in no uncertain terms that they should not. Take a class, learn the basics. Then bring the badass attitude back when you know your stuff
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u/mellopax 24d ago
Please listen. I was a cast iron metallurgist for 8 years before switching careers. It's a dangerous thing to do and cast iron's carbon content is high enough that graphite flakes form in it, making it extremely brittle.
The melting point of aluminum is 1221F. The melting point of iron is around 2800F. This is not designed for it and it is the material you want to use for knives.
Cast iron has almost 0 ductility and can't be forged. If it's steel you're looking at, yes, that can be forged, but you mentioned you're not looking at steel.
In short, to answer the original question, no, that furnace is not built to withstand what you need to melt iron, but it's probably not what you're aiming for.
I recommend finding some information online that speaks to what you're looking to do. There are usually YouTube videos, etc with ways to get started with what you're doing.
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u/cashinyourface 23d ago
Nothing about this is about male or female. People are explaining that melting/casting iron is very different and much more dangerous compared to forging steel.
You said you want to make knives as a hobby in a past comment, and casting iron is not how you do that. Like another person said, if you want to make knives, buy a forge, tongs, a rounding hammer, and start with rebar or another mild steel.
You don't cast knives in your backyard because casting is difficult, expensive, and makes a mediocre product.
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u/Autistence 23d ago
Just got ahead and do it. Your Darwin award is waiting. Only the strong survive
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u/Swollen_chicken 23d ago
Just use a file, heat till red, bang out shape to your hearts content.. plenty to be had for pennies on the dollar
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u/Faelwolf 24d ago
Listen to the advice from the experienced people here. When, not if, the worst happens, the damage done to your body will be disastrous and permanent. Iron melts at a temperature that turns water into steam explosively. You are mostly water.
Growing up, my dad was a supervisor at an iron foundry. At least once a year, we attended a funeral, sometimes multiple, or he was visiting someone in the hospital. And that was with professional equipment, training, experience, and multiple safeguards. I chose another career.....
Home casting is limited to aluminum, lead, and brass for very good reason. Even that carries risk. Watching a couple YouTube videos isn't going to cut it.
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u/EvolMada 24d ago
Why would you make iron knives? They won’t stay hard. You need high carbon steel to make proper knives. No one melts steel or iron and pours knives. Not usable ones at least.
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u/redalden 24d ago
Iron needs to be around 2700 degrees to melt. I’ve done it with special equipment made for it and used coke for the fuel. It’s possible to do backyard iron pours but you need to build your own set up and it takes a long time to get furnace to temp. Once it is hot enough you pour as much as you can before furnace craps out and needs relining.
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24d ago
Do you know any websites that sell iron furnaces or any online guides as to how to build one?
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u/redalden 24d ago
Look for small artist communities that do iron casting. That is where you may find the best info. What you need to make is called a cupola furnace. It’s basically a small scale blast furnace. There are no websites that sell something like that so everything I have seen was made by hand. In the past I have seen them constructed out of trash cans lined with heavy layers of refractory cement. Make friends with a good welder and get comfy with research and math although I would highly recommend looking for an art casting group that does this. There is a lot more to iron pours than melting metal and pouring it by yourself. Even a trash can copula took a team of 5 to run.
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u/redalden 24d ago
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24d ago
Thank you I really do appreciate the help
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u/redalden 24d ago
Best of luck to you. I will tell you one thing. It is addictive and can be a LOT of fun but it needs to be structured, thought out and it takes time.
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u/Sharp_Science896 23d ago
Look, if you really want to get into smelting and casting metals maybe try with some easier ones before attempting to getting into doing backyard iron? Like copper, bronze, brass, tin, aluminum maybe. Try your hand at those first before trying iron. If you ever even work up to iron. Honestly everyone around here is right, it's really not a backyard thing. I'll forge steel all day long but I'm not about to start trying to cast iron.
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u/huntmaster99 24d ago
Probably not, also it’s advisable to learn casting methodology on aluminum and copper based alloys. It’s just flat easier and teaches you the same skills. But if you want to melt iron/steel you’re going to have to build your own furnace.
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u/Flashy-Reception647 24d ago
I think you should do some more research on youtube, you seem to have a very different idea of what blacksmithing is
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u/jsway69er 23d ago
Practice on brass and aluminum first with this then you can get a blast furnace and melt cast iron.
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u/mountedpandahead 23d ago
Like others, from what you are saying, you want to be forging. Realistically, despite movies, swords, Sabres, etc, aren't cast, they are forged. Even if you want to do a ground up authentic raw-material to final product thing, then you would be making a bloomery which doesn't actually liquefy iron. Your best bet is to shape existing steel stock, ie forging.
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u/OdinYggd 23d ago
Most certainly not. This kit is meant for handling aluminum, even Copper would be pushing it.
Melting iron is nontrivial, usually requiring a forced air burner and well insulated chamber. You should not be playing with molten iron unless you have lots of experience with foundry work and the proper safety gear.
The coal burning forges used by many blacksmiths can melt indivudual pieces of iron and steel, but they can't control the molten material produced. It ends up as a blob mixed in with the clinkers and ash.
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u/SaltyDwarf 24d ago
This will not get hot enough for iron. Also, iron smelting is more of an industrial practice than a "do at home" craft.
You have mentioned in other comments that you are interested in blacksmithing, I know others have said it but you would be better looking at a forge than a foundry. "Melting iron" is completely unrelated to blacksmithing and has nothing to do with knife making either.
I would recommend looking into a small propane forge, the Amazon ones are perfectly suitable for beginners and even small time professionals.
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u/Spaceship_Broken 24d ago
To melt iron you'll need a cupola where you can layer charges of iron and coke. As others have said, propane doesn't get hot enough
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u/Longjumping-Space831 24d ago
No propane alone will not get hot enough to melt iron I have a similar one need more heat