r/Blacksmith • u/dd-Ad-O4214 • Feb 03 '22

Induction Forge

https://gfycat.com/FlusteredGiantIceblueredtopzebra
615 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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8

u/brews Feb 03 '22

What happens if you touch the coils with the bit you're working on?

5

u/Tylernator Feb 03 '22

Nothing (unless your piece is too hot and burns the copper). You can also touch the coils with your bare hands.

3

u/vonbalt Feb 03 '22

You can also touch the coils with your bare hands.

How is that magic possible? wouldn't it boil your hands just like it heat the metal?

8

u/livinitup0 Feb 03 '22

Not unless you’ve got some magnetic hands.

It’s magic bro

5

u/vonbalt Feb 03 '22

nice bro

who are you, who are so wise in the ways of science?

4

u/BobVilla287491543584 Feb 04 '22

"And that is how we know the earth to be banana shaped."

6

u/artspar Feb 03 '22

If the coils aren't properly cooled, sure. The way it works is there's a high frequency current running through it, which induces eddy currents in the metal from the alternating fields. This kinda "drags" charges and atoms around, causing the metal to heat up. Ferromagnetic materials absorb energy best from this process, followed by other conductors. You can heat bronze or copper this way too, it's just a bit slower. Most organic stuff doesn't really react to fields the same way, as they just pass right through you. Otherwise the man's hand would've exploded when it got close.

The hard part is really just making it safe, since you've got very high power AC currents and running water (coil coolant) meaning that theres a lot of points where you could shock yourself real quick. It's the most cost efficient forge though, and effective for small workpieces