KeithSS

Just read the replies, thanks. After getting a vibrator, and buying different media I wasn't satisfied. So built the 5 gal.bucket tumbler. I did put in two 1by2 boards to drop the media when it reaches the top. i don't think I have enough media in it. I will try some nails that I have . The ballcones sure are pricy. The noise is really loud. I only run it at night because I don't want to hear all day. These tumblers have to be set up just right from what your saying. I bought this disk for my 4 1/2" grinder and it is taking the scale off very fast and it looks like it was just lightly sanded. It is a woven material so it should be used with a mask. Until I get the tumbler stars all aligned . I'm gonna just use this disk and a slow wire wheel. Yep, it doesn't matter how good of work you do, if you don't Finnish it nicely. Type 27 Grinding Wheel, 4 1/2, 7/8 NORTON Zoro #: G4415381

Hi, I have been making hooks ,and it takes as long to wire wheel them and wax them as it does to forge them. So I made this 5 gal.bucket as my tumbler. My question is now, how do I use it? What type of media should I use to descale? Should the bucket be 1/2 full or 3/4 full of media? Also, should I put some thin cuts in the bucket to let the dust out? Thanks for any help you can give me. Keith

Yep, the mfg. said it was supposed, To read 250.000 btu. Not million.

I will ask the company if its millions or if its thousands of btu. Thats a good point . I have seen boilers rated in the millions , but they had a 4" gas line going to them with a big gas pump. It's a 3/4" fitting going into this unit. I think the strength of this forge is the shell and firebrick, it has 2 gas lines coming in the top side of the shell and on the other side 2 gas lines going in the bottom and it must make a swirling movement. Rated to 2400 deg. The brick is all curved round and in perfect shape. i ordered a $100 dollars worth of parts a spark plug ignitor and a flame sensor. im thinking if it doesn't start, its going to be the fire eye box which I'm thinking its a $500 dollar part . Then I might have another machines skeleton standing in the corner of the shop taking up room.

I didn't pay $2500 for it .i got it for a couple hundred . I was just Useing ebays pictures. The company that makes these said , the new ones are built the same as the old ones except for the electronics are updated. So, I couldn't figure out how to see what the cost to operate it will be. The name plate says 250 m btu. 1.000.000 btu = 10 therms = $9.00 I pay 90 cent a therm in mi. (How long does a therm last?) i know it can't cost as much as my math says.

I will do that formula and figure out what it will cost. Thanks

I do forge everyday. Mostly 1/4" 3/8" 1/2" steel and railroad spikes size is about my limit. Natural gas is cheap now, I thought that if it runs off nat.gas it would be cheaper to operate. I use around 300 gallons of propane a year. i built a ribbon forge and fired it up a few times , I only had 1" of kaowool in it and it got very hot very fast. I was just experimenting with it. And now I'm adding refractory 3000 on the walls of it. Don't take this personally, but do you know for sure that the Spiro-therm forge would be a gas hog? Thanks

Hi, was hoping someone had experience with one of these forges. There is one on eBay for $2500. I just got one in good shape needs some parts and some work. I really like that this forge use propane or nat.gas.its all automatic as far as adjustments ,set the temp and go. I do guess that this is how it works. I have been forging from a aspirated propane forge and it works great for me. im just wondering if this forge is worth spending time setting up and Useing as my daily forge? heres some pics.

Got the old pulley welded on for $45. Dollars. Couldn't quite figure out where to get a pulley to put on after turning a shoulder. The welder said it was good cast iron ,no sand in it . If this breaks then I will pursue the other option of finding a pulley with 2 grooves to have machined on. Yes, I am very fortunate to have only broken the pulley. Will let you know how it works after installing.

Found a guy who is going to weld it for me. Let you know how it turns out. Thanks for all your help. Keith

I think it maybe cheaper to fix it like peacock posted. Its just locating the right size pulley. I checked ebay And surplus Center , I just need to figure out exactly the best way to get it to fit the hub or clutch.

Yes it is a jardin. Artist I read your post on welding cast iron. Much more to it then realized. I did think about taking off the rest of the pulley and just getting smaller belts. Peacock ; I like the new pulley shouldered up and bolted on. Where is a place to get a 2 groove pulley from like that? Would you happen to have a picture of the other side of the pulley? I'm wondering if I have enough metal to turn a shoulder into? Thank you , Keith

Thanks for the info and offer. I'm going tomorrow to a machine shop where a couple of old timers work. Hoping they will like a challenge. They may have some material that may also work.

Yes I also think it is repairable. Do you think a minumum of 1/8" wall thickness would hold if screwed together and braised ? I have brazed steel but not cast, I know it must be preheated ,should I grind a channel around the cracks to have more brass adheishion ? Here are more pictures

Braising is what I will do to hold it in place . I will need to find a piece of 10" x 3 1/4"steel pipe to put over old pulley ,then drill and tap into cast,to fold it together . I took Sids class a few years ago , strange I brought the parts to ask his opinion of them , he said they all looked ok but, you can't get this part anymore.(the part I broke.) The saying ; Haste makes Waste is a reality to me now. I think I have done my very best work when I've taken my time. Do you know where I can buy a piece of steel pipe this size- 10" ID. X 3:1/4" wide x 1/8"-1/4" or any smaller thickness? (My other thought was to grind the rest of the broken pulley off and use the hub for a pulley? Any thoughts on that idea?) Thanks for your help and ideas.