Wind and forging

[Hoary]

ok this sounds obvious as far as mixing wind and forging fire+wind= Charred Blacksmith or bush fire depending on your local ( no offense for the many in southern Ca. My prayers to them) but is there a max wind mph that would be deemed unsafe? or all? I'd like to hear about it before I try and add a newer reply for the Burn Post. Thanks :P

[son_of_bluegrass]

Around here open fires are not allowed if the wind is above 15 mph. Of course I think some depends on the specific forge set-up and how likely embers are to escape.

ron

[meancoyote]

around here wind + fire = disaster. i wet all around my work area b4 i start my forge, and watch the sparks. i lost my house 5 years ago to a wildfire started by illegal fireworks, so maybe im more paranoid than most.

[Glenn]

Wind or no wind, have a 5 gallon bucket of fresh water close to the forge in addition to the slack tub. One hot piece of metal down a boot and the whole foot will fit inside a 5 gallon bucket. (don't ask how I know).

The 5 gallon bucket will stop most of the sparks that might get loose from the forge, with refills from the slack tub. If there are ever any questions about the forge, bring over a garden hose and wet the whole place down before you start a fire. Then top off the slack tub and the 5 gallon bucket.

If you feel the wind may carry a spark and start a fire, then put off forging till later. Let the fire fighters have a day off.

[jim frank]

Sort of a tangent here: my propane forge gets pretty unreliable when the wind kicks up above 10 mph or so. I'm at about 6000 feet above sea level, and the mixture setting is just a smidge picky. When the wind blows, I get serious dragon breath out the end of the forge, or the steel heats unevenly.

[RainsFire]

sometimes wind is almost benificial.. expecially if you are as low tech as some of us.. I used to let the wind keep my coal forge sustained while I went off to gather materials or something.. Obviously not super high wind, but a gentle breeze and an open tuyer kept my coal relativly warm.. (about oarnge heat)
this is with an old rivit forge so it might not work in a permanent one, but you get the gist..

up here their's not much of a threat for wind.. I dont smith durring the summer (not yet anyway) and the wind is usually non-existant anyway..

[mtforge]

When I'm out demonstrating I work rain or shine (or wind). I work under my fly (canopy) attached to my tent. I built a small side draft hood with fold out wind breaks. The stack goes up through a stove jack sewn into the fly. I started using this setup after talking to my local fire marshal. Indiana changed some festival laws that affected tents bigger than mine but I didn't want to have problems. When it gets windy I pull the wings to both sides of the firepot to keep the smaoole/flames going up the stack.

[Ten Hammers]

The first event of the year ( this year ) was a re-enactment in Monroe City Missouri. This has been a WET year. 4WD tractor pulled the trailer into camp to unload if that tells you anything. High winds at this camp ( read 40-50 knot ). Put the tent and fly stakes in with the hands ( 16 " stakes ). The trailer forge has a hood for the dual purpose of conserving fuel and also gives a shade to see stock heated. I burn charcoal a lot more these days due to availability of good coal ( thanks for the help Jens Butler ). I just bank with firewood. In any event, with a really stiff wind I was still forging fine but unable to get welding heats. Forging in the wind is really not a big problem for me but of course with dry conditions I am careful. I seldom have a ground fire and just cook coffee and whatever else in the forge. Crazy Woman and company are at many camps I attend anyway and I just end up gettin fed and watered at their place.

[Jim-Iowa]

Rarely see it dry enough to worry much around here.
But I wonder if it would not be wise to use a hood on the forge and a spark arrestor in the stack( would think a screen would do?) to assure no wayward sparks?

[jimbob]

I've started stacking fire bricks on the edge og the forge table to keep the cross winds for affecting the draft of my side draft hood ...seems to help. I have them four high on the right and just two high on the left. I under a lean to off my portable 12x24 bldg .
the bldg is to my left so I only seem to need two high