Anyone heard of a "whirlwind firepot" ?

[blacksmithtech]

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[HWooldridge]

A picture would help but if my memory is working properly, I think it was made by Champion. If it's the one I am recalling, it is very heavy wall and has three slots in the bottom with no movable breaker - made for coke. Is that the right description or does it have a clinker ball?

[blacksmithtech]

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[Mills]

I have seen one of these in use with coal. I asked the man about clearing the ports and he simply picked up his poker and cleared them. I have rethought the value of clinker breakers ever since. Next forge probably won't have one.

[HWooldridge]

IMHO, it is a very good firepot and I would not hesitate to buy the forge setup if it's a reasonable price.

[irnsrgn]

couldn't resist giving my 2¢ on the subject of clinker breakers.

In my opinion, so called clinker breakers don't do a very good job of breaking up the clinkers, they are just a means of getting rid of the collected fines and ash in the bottom of the firepot.

The main thing I use a clinker breaker for is to regulate the size of fire I need. With the round ones with a slot in the middle - with the round part in the high position you get a nice even small fire from the air blast coming out of the center slot and a little from the sides. turn it down and you get the same blast from the center slot and a lot more air from the larger gaps at the sides and hence a larger hotter fire. Turn it to one side or the other and yoy get a nice small fire on one side or the other.

I particularly like the triangular ones as you can turn it with one corner down and the flat spot up and get a nice even small fire, reverse it with one corner up and you get a large blast of air for a big hot fire.

In my opinion they should be called air diffusers or manipulators as most of the time with big clinkers they will collect around the center air blast like a doughnut and are easier to reach in and take out as a whole than to break up into many small pieces.

Irnsrgn

[Rick Barter]

JR,

I never thought of that. I have one of those triangular deals, but it always has the flat spot up. I can't keep it in any other position. I notice that my fire is small, but sometimes I want a bigger one.

Thanks for the info. I'll see what I can rig up to get it to stay in one place.

BTW, I didn't get to talk to you much at Possum's Hammer-In (I was only there for a few hours on Saturday), but it was nice to meet you.

rvb

[Daryl]

Your whirlwind firepot was available from the Sears & Roebuck Catalog in 1897 for about $7.00. They were also sold through T. Eatons in Canada and through other supply companies of the time. The last one I saw in a catalog for sale was in one dated 1931.