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Wasted $80 on a cheap coal forge that fell apart in 2 weeks
I bought a budget forge off Amazon and the firepot cracked on my third use, then the whole grate collapsed. Sticking with the local steel supplier for my next one even if it costs more. Anyone else learn this lesson the hard way?
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veram9917d ago
Local steel supplier is the way to go if you want something that lasts. Amazon forges are mostly junk, no argument there. But I have to push back a little on the $80 thing. That price point is just too low for something that has to handle that kind of heat. You get what you pay for with coal forges. I built mine from a brake drum and some scrap pipe for less than that, and it's still going strong after five years. Maybe try a DIY approach next time instead of going straight to a pricey steel shop. It's not for everyone, but it's a solid middle ground.
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lopez.karen16d ago
Gotta look at it from a fire safety angle too @veram99. A brake drum setup might hold up fine, but I've seen a few homemade jobs that just dump heat straight into the ground or whatever they're sitting on. That's a real problem if you're working near wood or dry grass. Spend the extra on a steel supplier, it's not just about lasting longer but not burning down your shed. My buddy's shop almost went up from a cheap clay lined forge that cracked on first use. So maybe the $80 thing is less about the metal and more about not needing a fire extinguisher every session.
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milesj7013d agoOG Member
Man, I gotta say that's a really good point @lopez.karen. I never even thought about the fire risk from a cheap forge dumping heat into the ground, that's scary. So if someone's dead set on a brake drum build, what's the trick to making sure it's not a fire hazard? Do you just put a thick steel plate underneath it or is there something more to it?
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