The idea is that instead of trying to get an even heat in a long small area, heat a large area and let the heat even itself out. This has proven to be very effective. This forge can be set from 1250F to 1650F with good control. By far, the best control I have had in a long heat treating forge.
I used the bung hole for the burner port at the bottom and cut two doors 2x3 in. on both ends of the drum. I added angle iron for shelves and mounting brackets.
The burner is made of standard 1.25" pipe fittings. The blower is a 10 cfm shaded pole blower with a magnetic strip flap for air control. The propane comes off a standard grey regulator at 1/2 lb pressure and is controlled with a needle valve.
The burner tip is made from a standard bell reducer fitting with a nested pipe inset and stood off with rods welded in place. This creates a nice tight cone and burns at the tip.
