Elise Spontarelli -
Recently members came together to build a new forge for the Blacksmithing shop. Working off of plans purchased online, Elise Spontarelli and Chelsea Tinklenberg built the Apollo Forge. Made of 1/4" steel, the shell of of the forge was cut on the CNC plasma cutter. After a series of bending, refractory mixing, and welding, the forge was ready for assembly! Additional contributors Ken Pritchett made the base, Adam Spontarelli ran the electrical, and JB Askew broke the forge in before use.
Leadership made the decision to move to this forge for it's durability. Using firebrick instead of wool refractory will help the inside lining of the forge to last longer and make changing it out a quicker process. As a makerspace our forge sees more traffic than a typical shop, so a lining that is both durable and easy to replace is ideal for our users. Another update from our previous system is the addition of a blower, which will allow the forge burn more efficiently by adding air to the fuel.
Members are looking forward to a smoother workflow and increased forge space in the Blacksmithing shop! I think it's safe to say...it's hammer time.
