Gundog48 Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I've been doing a lot of reading up about blacksmithing, and plan to make a 55 forge this summer, needless to say I am extremely excited. The only thing I am unsure about is the bellows. The way I see it, I have 2 choices, foot-operated bellows or a crank-operated blower. I have no idea what kind of capacity bellows I should be looking for, or what kind of blower would be up to the job! I have been trying to find places to buy them, but have drawn a blank, even eBay almost bare! I like in Kent, England if anyone has any suggestions as to where to buy supplies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Hey Gundog48, I lucked out and found a champion 400 that I have hooked to mine. Don't let the lack of a blower slow you down. If needed use a hair dryer until you can get a blower or you make a bellows. There may be a few detours but don't let that stop you. Good luck. Mark <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Since you asked about bellowshttp://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/4002-building-a-bellows/ Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Anything that moves will work, some better than others. Look for a squirrel cage blower that can be found in many types of machine as cooling fans. Do not forget the heater / blower from a automobile. Anything to get you started so you will have time to look for a second choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragnfyr Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 A possibility that is fairly inexpensive is a bathroom ventilation fan... You can get them new for less than $20 at Lowes, they put out more than enough air and are pretty easy to adapt to whatever pipe/tubing you use... If you are handy with sheet metal work, you could also use a squirrel cage/heater fan out of a car with a headlight dimmer switch for a speed control... Just a couple ideas to ponder... Hope they help... Drag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Works fine for charcoal, not adequate pressure for coal. Yes, I used one for a while, the cheapest one Lowes had. I don't know if a dimmer would have worked as speed control though. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 My personal experience would dictate that a small hand crank blower is all that is needed. They are so convenient to use and take up little space. The more complex units like the Canedy-Otto and Champion 400 I would steer clear of, unless you have to have a complex unit. These have very complex internal workings such as brass/bronze bushings and ball bearings/cones. They tend to require much more "fixing" as they are filled with worn bushings/ball bearings etc.etc.. most of which reqire you to search for good used items or make them to perform repairs. A much less forgiving blower, which employs NO bearings and is very reliable due to it's very sturdy/simple construction, would be the Champion Eureka 140 or a similar unit. They are small and provide a strong blast of air. Don't be fooled by the size. If you can fire with a hair dryer, this little baby will exceed your expectations. I have provided some pictures. They cost so much less than the more complex blowers. The 400 is nice, but the little Eureka is more then enough to fire a forge. I found one in use at a historical society on thier large masonary forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gundog48 Posted March 28, 2012 Author Share Posted March 28, 2012 Thanks for the advice! I have a car air blower I could use but I'd rather stick to manual blowers. I can't find many crank blowers, but I came across these bellows listed below. The only thing that puts me off is that he told me they move roughly the same amount of air as a car foot pump, do you think they are up to the job, or would it be too much work to get a decent amount of air moving? http://bit.ly/Hf7Qz6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 You want bellows that have a volume of about 1-3 cubic feet per lung. They do not have to be wedge shaped either. There is a PDF linked on post 8http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/8690-bellows-plans/ Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Can you buy from a source like e-bay? There are blowers on there all the time like what I described. Many times, just a blower and not the complete forge. I do see that folks have problems with the small Buffalo blowers. They seem not quite as well built from what I have read. I don't have one persoanally, but have turned one and it sounded like it it was full of metal chunks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Blowers get run up in price on ebay. Keep checking craigslist an you might get lucky. They are heavy, typical 60# or so, making shipping is expensive. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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