I Made A Coke Forge!

[@magnumpunch]

You can feel how Alec is at home with this topic

[@AlexDuWaldt]

You mean Steele? Yeah he's really making a name for himself. XD

[@WM3636-d1c]

I completely agree that coke and stuff forges can get REALLY hot. When just beginning knifemaking, I went full blast on the air into my charcoal forge, and I literally melted not just my knife, but my pipe for supplying air as well. It's kind of amazing that something like that can get so ridiculously hot.

[@kilowhiskyforge4337]

Oh yeah, I always use a coal forge and have burnt many... many projects

[@helplmchoking]

Yeah it's very different form the bags of coal you (used to) use to heat a house. I stayed at a rural hut a couple years back, no power just an open fire and coal burner, and nowhere sold coal anymore - fair enough, it's barely used now. But we DID find a bag of coal from a mate who worked at a rail company, apparently they used to run the steam trains on it and he had a bunch for cooking or something (seems a bad idea, but what do I do). It was below freezing out and we had to open the hut right up and sit outside, the stove had a faint orange glow to it lol high grade coal is fucking wild

[@dan3458]

You agree? It isn't an opinion. You agree with a fact......cool

[@waltgrisly509]

@@Arcadelt12 it needs to be said more. There's no agree/disagree with facts, yet people pretend they can do it, looking like absolute idiots in the process.

[@jamessheppard4372]

@@Arcadelt12 want mommy to hold your hand?

[@StuartdeHaro]

As an American, I can confirm that I experience bottom blasts multiple times per day. I've never had a side blast though and hope I never do. It sounds messy.

[@Way2Woke420]

Wow. Blacksmith turned Coke Forger.. don’t do drugs kids.. 😂

[@billcipher3251]

I know I’m stating the obvious but when Alec Steele says coke he means coal coke not the drug

[@IAMDARTHVADERBITCH]

OK so it wasn't just me then

[@Way2Woke420]

@@billcipher3251 I know my man it’s a joke 😂 I just can’t stop thinking the drug when he says coke 😂

[@billcipher3251]

@@Way2Woke420 well I did say I was stating the obvious

[@justinoost1773]

My mind went instantly to that too lol

[@Wellssshhhhh]

Loving the more old school style videos lately! Just need a 20 part power hammer restoration series next ;)

[@marksmallman4572]

Noòoo!

[@taitano12]

I thought that power hammer restoration was Will's thing.

[@dysartes]

@@taitano12 - No, that's power hammer *destruction*

[@sandchar]

What have you done!??!

[@UlyssesSGrant12]

@@sandchar series is 3/4 of the way done then, sick

[@thedausthed]

1:28 Jamie makes fun of you literally behind your back and then edits in a close up of himself doing so just to rub it in? Brave man.

[@frankierzucekjr]

8:30 "perfect timing, because Jamie just got back with our coke, he went to the dealer this morning" hahaha 😆 I was waiting to see if you were going to joke about the name lolol

[@cavemanvi]

If he didn’t have a dog bowl he’d have to use his DEBIT CARD lmfao

[@markopolo1271]

Alec got all the jokes on point

[@fyreantz2555]

I was privileged to attend a two week intro to bladesmithing course in Old Washington, Arkansas through the American Bladesmith Society. The forging room was inside a barn. There were perhaps nine stations situated around a huge fan in the ceiling to suck up the fumes. In the back of the barn was a small mountain of coal. We would fill a bucket with coal, coke it out, and spend all day forging knives. That two weeks was pure magic.

[@Adam-ll5hu]

Nice to see this, learned how to use a worn out 70 year old coal hand crank coal forge at a ranger station in the mountains of montana using only memory of your videos. Thanks for giving me the knowledge to make a decent knife for my dad. Hope to get back out there this summer.

[@justinbanks2380]

It always makes me happy when you leave in the little slip ups or gaffes that always happens when making something. (The grinder taking piece out of your hands or turning the piece upside down and the bolts falling out, as examples.) While I am no where near as skilled as you, it gives me heart to continue on things knowing even more skilled have slip ups and 'dumb' moments. 😆 Great project. I always pick up little tips and tricks watching your videos, even when they aren't pointed out

[@frozenrocketfuel5762]

9:47 made me feel like we where back in the good old days.... hand forging

[@Ncaron531]

the 1400s ? or today ?

[@GreyPunkWolf]

​@@Ncaron531The good old days of the channel, I think. He used to hand forge all kinds of stuff before he got all his fancy machines

[@Jeff-gn1xz]

If you want to heat a small area, have you considered an induction forge? You could make it yourself. BTW, nice to see some actual forging videos again.

[@thorwaldjohanson2526]

Would love to see that.

[@patrick11169]

I've heard other blacksmiths say that some of the strength of forged steel comes from some carbon that gest mixed within the steel during forging. and have tried induction forges and said the the finished work is not as high quality. may not be true, but ive heard that.

[@CompactFlesh]

in days when gas might not be an option, electricity might as well… 🤔

[@stewieatb]

Building your own induction forge seems like a job where you want a friend nearby, holding a fire extinguisher, a long wooden pole, and a shovel.

[@guymanhumanperson]

@@patrick11169 introduce carbon in alternative ways if you're not gonna get it from the fuel

[@Psilocybeing]

"If I didn't have this bowl, I'd have to use my debit card" Hahahaha, excellent.

[@pgids5886]

I had been holding my breath waiting for a reference to party favors, he made a beautiful one

[@ronenboyme7414]

Million iq humor

[@fredhenry101]

This is the content I absolutely love. Nothing fancy here, no precision machining and CNC milling. Don't get me wrong, I like those videos too. But the thing I enjoy here is watching you make the tools. It seems to me that given a hammer, anvil, and forge, a blacksmith with enough metal can build out an entire shop from scratch. No other profession can say that. I absolutely love watching you encounter a problem, and then build the solution to that problem.

[@davelangford2439]

The videos that got me hooked on this channel are back!!!! Best episode for ages.

[@IamCrass]

8:02 I have one of these. We bought a waterslide bouncy house on the marketplace for about $150. It lasted 2 years but has come in handy for floods to dry under the house when the water heater gave out. I recommend everybody with a crawlspace should have one.

[@gizanked]

As a teen my friend's dad did blacksmithing and different craft shows. We got to take turns turning the hand blower for his coal forge, which he made using the bottom of an old hot water heater. It was always a battle trying to get the right speed of air and to not burn the pieces he was working on. If my friend was given time to mess around while his dad was on break he would almost always make some sparklers, and I would try making knots. 😂

[@CarBENbased]

Granted I don't know if this actually happened back in the day but hearing that it makes sense that apprentices would spend the day on the air pumps. I never really thought about it and just assumed that it was manual labor busy work "just keep pumping air". But they literally had to watch every little thing the blacksmith was doing in order to provide him the correct heat, and thus learned a lot in the process.

[@trecruel3516]

This is such a useful video! Really simple to follow and accessible. Who doesn't love a bottom blast

[@RedmarKerkhof]

I don't. I prefer my side blast forge.

[@RidingToDarkness]

I really enjoy watching you do fine, technical blacksmithing. The big stuff is fun, million later Damascus, rapier, et. but watching you make a tool is lovely.

[@billssmithy7352]

Didn't realize the clinker breaker was/needed to be that thick. Coke is way off the other side of my of can-do budget. My current backyard, side-blower, cob, charcoal forge is made from local clay and fed by a second hand Revlon blower acquired at the local Goodwill. I've been considering rebuilding it about 25% bigger Haven't pushed it to forge welding heat (yet). Currently using a small 5.5 inch propane forge to make a bunch of small, give away things just for the halibut rather than on porpoise.

[@GiantRiderRob]

Always dig your vid's about the science/basics of smith'ing and tool building. But I was looking forward to a 3 part on you making a rake... :P

[@glennbayley5863]

Alex it was very nice to see you doing some actual blacksmithing. Very cool it was brilliant. Watching you turn the eye on that steel to make a rake bloody brilliant.

[@jeanladoire4141]

God you've finally entered the coal age, i'm so happy

[@rockdog2584]

Nice to see you returning to your 'roots', as it were. Good to see someone keeping the old traditions alive, especially a young feller like yourself. I'd love to build a forge and blacksmith shop here, but unfortunately, I don't have the room. Somehow, I think blacksmithing would be a very useful trade and skill, should it be that "the lights go out" and we are forced to resort to a pre-electrified way of living.

[@piccalillipit9211]

YEP - I stopped watching when he was in his US shop - he had so much hi tech equipment I felt he may as well just 3D print the things he wanted.

[@TheBondska]

I LOVE it when you make tools and stuff! It is like an ongoing ”setting up my workshop” type of thing! 🎉

[@BioHazardRAC]

"If I didn't have this dog bowl I'd have to use my debit card" you cheeky hahaha!

[@iAmVonexX]

love it! i recently got into forging thanks to a friend who got a small workshop and i'm currently working on my first knife. all handmade with a cokeforge and a hammer. hope it wont break once it comes to hardening

[@lilmella6808]

I also have a coke forge at home. It's a handheld one made entirely from glass. Works like a charm

[@RJ-wx3fh]

A mirror isn't an anvil, not is your lighter a Smith's hammer, and you should be marking out lines with a Sharpie or scriber, not a razor blade

[@mrman17]

Sounds like you have a smashing time using it

[@larserikertzgaardringen7426]

I learned blacksmithing on a military field forge that stood in a separate blacksmith's house some distance from the other houses on my grandfather's farm in Norway. The forge came from a cavalry camp in the neighborhood, which got rid of them when they replaced horses with tanks. This felt forge is similar to the one you made here, but the air bellows was operated with the foot.

[@mulepowerforge]

burning coke/coal is hands down the most satisfying thing that my eyes have ever seen. everytime i start my forge and it starts cracklin and poppin and the short flames come up and the heat starts spreading its orange glow i do the homer simpson drool 🤤 i might be addicted to it

[@gregiep]

Jamie is an absolute gem!!!

[@Jodapit]

a pleasure to see a video from you again. So simple that you make things gives a lot of inspiration. Why would anyone buy anything when they can make it themselves with the help of your videos!

[@Jaxdrill]

I'm so glad to have seen this video, as we used a coal/coke forge for the blacksmith class I took a few years back and basically fell in love with it.

[@dim1723]

Haha fun house castle blower! Your not wrong they are amazing at blowing.

[@murrayhayter9731]

Can’t believe Alec manages to always put out such awesome videos!😅

[@dylan_was_taken]

Ey, this is a great design! My mentor has a bottom blast coke forge too but I like your small, portable design a lot!

[@VoIcanoman]

I can just imagine Alec telling a friend "Yeah, Jamie went to my coke dealer this morning, picked up some high-grade product! I can't wait to get it burning!"

[@Smart-Towel-RG-400]

Or the police pulled Jamie over and sees texts saying stop at the coke dealers then did you get the 50 pounds of coke ?

[@Lynkah]

Woooo! I've only ever watched Timothy Dyck use a Coke furnace on youtube. This will be interesting as hell!

[@drewdane40]

7:25 Alec, is that Nigel Mansell you're hanging out with? Motorsport Moustache indeed.

[@WinstonFanWin]

Hi Alec, could you please make a simple furnace to melt down metals for beginners? I really want to have one. Thank you!

[@cesare8270]

I suggest you watch the King of Randoms old video where he made one.

[@justsomeguywithhalfamustac6837]

@@cesare8270the king of random... Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while

[@cesare8270]

@@justsomeguywithhalfamustac6837 Ikr, I actually melt metal and i got started with his design, I then upgraded to propane. then that foundry kinda burnt out and I just bought a real nice one from devil forge

[@rexmcstiller4675]

I used a cheap tool kart with a steel top. So nice with the caster on the bottom.

[@jaredholland5844]

ALEC! You should make a blower powered by the dog treadmill so they can power the forge!!!

[@105King]

@Jared Holland that is such a good idea. I want to see it!

[@engineeringnerdsunite]

Ooooooh that sounds dope

[@crubbster]

Alec i highly HIGHLY recommend aucustic hose for the fan, its dubblewalled glasfiber isolated fan hose, you can find it at online growshops. Its Cheap and just a meter is gonna greatly cut that fans sound, becouse most fan sound in higher effect is actually wind noise. Awesome build as always, gotta build me a forge some day!

[@Cragun.]

I learn something with literally every video Alec does.

[@MaineSnowman5509]

I like the progressive stage art of your homemade lighter above your door at 2:54.

[@MrAwesomal]

greetings fellow Alec lol just wondering what steel your forge is made of? how long does it last? and does the coke melt the steel as you use it?

[@Rolzhey]

I love the Torbjorn Ahman style curl on the rake

[@raymondraptorclaw2901]

Me, an average charcoal enjoyer: ☕️🧐🎩 Coke: “Hey, what’s up?” Me:“Charcoal…from COAL?”💧👁👄👁💦

[@marcodellacqua15]

I used charcoal as well, initially. It's wonderously clean... and shockingly expensive compared to coal. It burns VERY fast... I turned to coke quickly. Far cheaper and the heat is better, for the same amount of fuel.

[@lostcolonyforge5792]

If you want a cheap firpot for a forge use a cast iron skillet. You can also make the frame out of wood as long as the firepot is supported by something non flammable for my first forge it was a cast iron frying pan then sand then old tile then sheet metal with a wooden frame. It had old metal piping for the airway and used hand pump bellows. After the bellows broke I just used a hairdryer duck taped to the pipe.

[@nabuchodonosor9728]

Could you give us the measurements of the different parts of your forge please ? Incredible job !

[@sjv6598]

You don’t need measurements, just eyeball it.

[@lynxoflight72]

I actually do have a coke forge/coal forge similar to what youve made. The clinker breaker in it actually functions as a pseudo valve for the airflow, however the blower it has is more of a PC fan than anything. When i use it i often help out with a steady stream of air from a compressor, to get the fire started and to get it burning hotter when i need to. Im far from good at forging, but watching your videos has always inspired me a bit.

[@lynxoflight72]

The one i have is also made of mostly aluminium i think. so the big tray doesnt rust at all. The fire pit is actuall very shallow on it and rectangular.

[@FlyingHammerForge]

I’ve recently gone back to using my Coke forge which was the first forge I made. Didn’t take me long to realize I desperately need to redesign it lol.

[@marcodellacqua15]

I've done a very compact one, one that was called a "rivet forge" as it was used to heat rivets in iron construction sites, with a truck drum brake body, welded on four lengths of rebar as feet, used a steel plate slotted with an angle grinder as bottom, and some truck exaust pipe to make the ash dumpt and air feed tube. The flange on a piece of water pipe was perfect for my old hand crank blower. A steel plate welded to one side helps to support the piece in the fire. Two half circle lips of steel welded on the rim of the drum brake allow to pile in more coke while the piece to be heated can go through the gaps left between them. It helps to lay a layer of refractory concrete inside, even if it makes it heavier. To light it I found that the easiest, fastest way is to use some chips of wood, then a few pieces of charcoal and 4-5 small lumps of coal layered, then put coke on top of everything. I manage to light such a setup with flint and steel, when I'm in the mood (otherwise it's the propane torch, if I'm in a hurry).

[@JossWaddy]

Really glad you pulled out the 'lit' pun, but I'm absolutely astonished you didn't pull a can of Coca-Cola out of that coke bag.

[@mbedj1974]

Or a little white baggy

[@mickeyconnor830]

@@mbedj1974 ...no

[@KoPojk]

Alec, have you ever thought of getting and using an induction forge? Wouldn't that also be a viable solution for very high and precis heat?

[@kaelebhancock3427]

I haven’t seen a single blacksmith KZbinr make the vibrosword from the clone wars. I’m almost tempted to start learning to forge just to make it.

[@fearthereaper298]

@Shurap made vibroblade

[@kaelebhancock3427]

@@fearthereaper298 the vibrioblade is a knife. The vibriosword is a sword.

[@fearthereaper298]

@@kaelebhancock3427 I know nerd, but it’s same kind of material so just watch his video than say anything

[@IAMDARTHVADERBITCH]

@@fearthereaper298 then* Shut up

[@kaelebhancock3427]

@@fearthereaper298 I watched it he made a medal version of the dark saber.

[@dmsparacording7983]

Thank you for walking us through this process!

[@justinblin]

Well, I personally prefer a pepsi forge, but to each their own, I guess

[@pauldyball7421]

Am I the only one who laughed when Alec said Jamie went the coke dealer this morning?

[@euroclydonftw9676]

When I forged my first knife, my father took me to a place that taught people. I believe this is the type of forge that we used, but the blower was a manual crank. It was so cool.

[@Gr3nadgr3gory]

Instructions unclear. Embers now stuck in sinuses.

[@codycreason8071]

The place I used to work at actually used 55 gallon oil drums with grates in the bottom that we filled up with coke and burned as heat to keep us warm in the winter time. Was really kinda neat. Used them on our down time to do a little forging of tools ourselves. Was a cool learning experience

[@TomsBackyardWorkshop]

"Id much rather have a 3 inch pipe." Wouldn't we all.

[@robouroboros4269]

Alec over here talking about Coke, bottom blasters, staying loose and blowers and it's the last offensive thing I've seen all day.

[@averagers_assemble]

You thought he was high energy before

[@leomonk974]

3:16 there is a joke in here somewhere, something about bottoms and them being blasted

[@xliquidflames]

Did I miss the finished Katar? This is still cool, though, I don't understand why the forge doesn't melt itself. I've always wondered how much longer it would take to make something if you didn't have all those power tools. Maybe that's a video idea. Build two of the same thing, one with power tools, one with all hand tools, and time them.

[@thesixfootsixblacksmith4772]

Nice job, man! I built myself a side blast coke forge with a water cooled tuyere and it works great. Coke doesn’t smoke or stink so my neighbors don’t complain.

[@TheZohan907]

Scarface; *heavy breathing*

[@aaronlandry3947]

You could put the blower in a separate room like the sanding room and just duct the air over into the forge wherever you place it. That way most of the sound will be subdued by the walls in between.

[@EnnesArms]

_Jesse, we need to cook_

[@ITubetc]

getteing back to your roots, lovin it!

[@albertbancroft4507]

So what I've learned is a 2 inch pipe works great if you have a strong blower and tiny fire pit..... Got it!!!!

[@MrThemetricsystem]

Found this channel due to restoration subscriptions of old junk + my recent Dwarf Fortress research which, accurately enough, uses/references Coke like any good smith would know instead of Coal (apparently). I love the style of banter and format of video, you clearly don't need another new subscriber but you have one now.

[@archiejmmiles6895]

Alsoooo… 00:38… dog

[@votive7478]

Thats why Alec always brings so much energy to these videos

[@datpudding5338]

Learned smithing on a bottom blast over here in germany aswell, still kinda prefer them over side-blast or gas forges

[@Double_Wood]

Recently did a blacksmith experience at combe mill. Those guys work a really old coke forge and manual tools. Was great fun. It's run by volunteers - might be fun to see a 1 day build with them

[@rfx55]

Everyone remember that one video of Alec walking around the beach telling us all that sold fuel forges were terrible? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

[@jaymead3610]

The Drum and Bass on the karting segment was on point

[@talhashaik8925]

I think multiple side blast holes .and you can block of the ones that not being used and open when you have a longer sword project

[@matthewhill7392]

These are the kind of videos that got me watching 👍🏽

[@j3tztbassman123]

You can also use that forge, with a lathe to do some cooking.

[@MichaelDuntz]

absolutely love watching your videos. It's the passion that you put into every project that makes them so entertainable. The editing also makes it a delight.

[@SchysCraftCo.]

Perfect use for the word lit. Great build. Can't wait to see more videos soon. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend. Forge On. Fab On. Weld On. Keep making. God bless.

[@oldschoolcfi3833]

I've used a coal forge for 12 years now. Less costly and stronger heat than gas, better control (a water dipper is helpful). Once you learn what a good fire looks and sounds like, you can forge anything.

[@militarymansfield]

The double entendre are off the charts in this episode

[@emmengel]

It was good to see you do some honest forging again young man

[@davef7802]

Really good to see you going back to a bit of old school with a coke forge

[@JamieH00001]

Hey Alec this is awesome. I've been wondering how a forge like this works and have considered building one but I had no idea how they worked. Now I do 😁

[@davidwoodard4113]

I'm sitting here remembering an activity when I was a kid back in the 70s. My mom was from a small coal mining town in the most North western corner of Virginia and at night we'd go down to the coal mine and watch the coke ovens burn. Very tall chimneys with the glow of the fire and flame shooting up through the top.

[@matteocapulli4444]

also in italy bottom blast..the one that i am using now is from the father of my gran father and the original blower is made from cast iron cranck that weighs like 10 kg XD..other times and other men XD

[@M3PH11]

8:37 i was gonna say it doesn;t that i realised i was thinking of the wrong kind of coke. I saw the big bag and got excited.

[@TimothyHall13]

Oh yeah!!! Thanks Alec!!!

[@HMS1Blake]

Excellent. And, you kept saying "bottom blast". I giggled.

[@raresboghean2974]

I use coke forge with a fan which is great I got titanium to white color i also melt the brass the steel can ceause I was also meting at that time

[@BubimedesOfficial]

I came here to learn how to light a coal forge, and left with additional knowledge. Alec Steele coming in clutch as always

[@taironus]

Been using a coke/coal forge for about as long as i have been watching you (back when it rained in youe old shop). i ve rarely used a propane forge but i can definitely say it is not easy to heat up a large billet to forgewelding temps in even a fair sized hobby forge like mine. but on the otherhand, it is totally possible to make a puddle at the bottom of the forge when you turn to look for your box jaw tongs!😂🔥

[@Engine_Ear_129]

You can also create coke from petroleum which is called "petroleum coke". It is simply a residue of carbon and soot that can sometime be founded in chemine.

[@wsoeltkakd]

Anybody else agree that we need an episode where Will and Jamie meet and then an epic battle ensues for best side kick ever????