Gas cylinder forge

Gas cylinder forge.

After acquiring an old gas cylinder, I burnt of the remaining gas took the top out and filled with water. This ensures no gas is left in the cylinder, quite important if you value your limbs! I then cut a hole in the top.

The next job will be to cut a hole in the top to take the lance. In the third picture you can just make it out on the top of the cylinder.  I had to drill small holes around and then cut with a small dremmel disk as I didn't have a big enough drill.  Below is the lance and the fitting which came from Devil Forge, by way of Amazon.

A fiddly job next; putting the ceramic wool on the inside of the cylinder.  I had to be careful with this stuff as its fibers get in your lungs, so full mask and gloves on for this job.  I then applied a hardener to stiffen up the blanket.  This came in a gallon tub and I just painted it on and then to dry for a week.

Next was a layer of refractory clay, this came in a large bucket, with enough clay to do about four of these. or maybe a pizza oven!  This took an age to dry and in the end I had to bring it into the house and put it next to a radiator.  The lance was fitted through and I ensured that the end of it was clear.

Almost finished the legs welded on to stabilise it.  Below is a video of its first light up.  Some blistering in the refractory clay. But it got really hot very quickly.

I think I will add a door to the front to keep heat in but all in all quite pleased with the result.

Sanding block.

Sanding Block.

First found a spare bit of Oak and some pine.  The pine for the pad bit as it has some give and the sand paper works better on it.  The Oak, becaus it looks good and I am going to hollow it out with the Fosner bit to take the wing nut so it need to be strong.

Ready to start.  A side point; my bench is made up of movable boxes with draws in, each one can be picked up and moved with the tools inside.  I move a lot around every two years so I need to be able to quickly dismantle my workshop and move it on my own.  This was the solution I came up with.  It does however make the work bench slightly shaky.

Its a very simple design, but very effective, and better than finding a scrape of wood everytime I want to sand something.