Tuyere Specs Question?

[DEERESMITH]

I recently purchaced an old cast iron forge.Like most things this old,it needs some work before I can use it.
The tuyere is 3" in diameter,with a clinker breaker in it.
I believe the tuyere is home made,and I am concerned that it may be too large?
If it matters, my fire pot is 4" deep.
I just got my Champion 400 blower back together,and I plan to install it on the forge,then have the exhaust shop next door custom bend a pipe from the blower,to the tuyere/ash dump assy.
If I need to modify the tuyere,I would like to do so before I have the pipe bent.
Your input is greatly appreciated.
Also,my Champion 400 blower sounded nasty when I got it.Upon tear down,I found the ball bearings on both ends of the worm gear shaft were burnelled.
The races were also burnelled. I was able to find sealed bearings at a place here in Kalamazoo MI called Bearing Services.
The worm gear shaft diameter is 11/16" on the end nearest the fan.No bearing is available in that size.I found a metric bearing, industry part #6003zz
I had to remove a few thousands of an inch from the id,and shim the od just a little by cutting a strip from a pop can and wrapping around the outside of the bearing.
The other end of the shaft was 1/2" diameter.I don't have the part # for that one,but it was a standard American size that they had in stock.

[eyrian]

What is a clinker breaker? Do you have any pics?

[DEERESMITH]

I do not know how to down load pics.
I am challenged when it comes to computers.
A clinker is a component located where the air enters the fire pot.It has a handle attached to it that allows it to be rotated or wiggled back and fourth slightly to break the clinkers loose in the case that the tuyere gets clogged (no air entering under the fire when blower is cranked)

[Frosty]

I'm sure there are specs for a tuyere but I don't know or have them.

I wouldn't hesitate to attach 4" exhaust to the firepot and "T" off in 3" or whatever to your blower.

I also use an exhaust flap cap as my ash dump. So far no one and I mean on one has noticed the non-traditional ash dump till I pointed it out.

Frosty

[ApprenticeMan]

Traditional is relative anyway, if they could have bought exhaust flapper for theey're ash dump they would have.

[simmonds]

Deeresmith, Good job on the 400 rebuild and thanks for the part numbers and bearing info. As soon as you can post some photos, please do. Chris.

[Daryl]

As for the tuyre. the total amount of space for the air to pass by the tuyre (including the outer edge and the holes) should be between one-half to five-eighths of that of the outlet of your blower.
Holes too large and the blower can not produce a large enough volume of air to sustain a suitable 'ball'* three to five inches above the tuyre; holes to small and the blast will have too much velocity through the airspaces, blowing the coal up out of the fire.
This is simply a rule of thumb to follow.
If you are making a new one, start off at one-half and work your way up enlarging the openings (bringing the ball down into a suitable position).
*The 'ball' is the sweet spot in the fire of your forge. Under ideal conditions, it will be roughly the size of a baseball - large forges with plenty of coal and air volume will have a ball the size of a large grapefruit. For most anyone nowadays, the baseball-sized ball will suffice.