Choosing between a new anvil or a better forge upgrade was a tough call

I had to pick between a 150 pound NC Tools anvil for $800 or a new propane burner system for my old rivet forge. The anvil was a great deal, but my current one is fine, just small. My forge, however, struggles to get past 1800 degrees for welding. I went with the burner upgrade, thinking it would solve my heat problems. After two weeks of tweaking, I can hit welding heat, but the flame is so aggressive it's hard to control for smaller work. Anyone have tips for taming a really hot, focused propane flame on mild steel?

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly.hannah1d ago

My old forge taught me heat control matters most.

milarodriguez1d ago

Funny, I always chased more heat too until I burned up a project. Kelly's right, control is the real goal.

mary_west1d ago

That's a classic problem with a lot of those high-output burners. What's the actual burner nozzle size you're using right now? Sometimes just stepping down to a smaller orifice can make a huge difference without losing your welding heat.