Rainbows Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 To replace the wok and gaffa tape forge here is a new forge, still no welding involved thought it is more permanent. Materials are used here are 1mm sheet steel, 5mm nuts and bolts, 25mm angle iron sections (3mm thick), an old pallet, some dirt/clay, some bricks, 25mm pipe (first half), hair dryer (first half), 50mm pipe with valve (2nd half) and some sort of snail fan (2nd half). Tools were a drill, a pillar drill (because my drill can hardly manage 1mm thick steel), 5mm drill bit, gaffa tape, chisel and a spanner. Here's the business bit Put it on unmortared bricks to raise it off the ground. Put a stone slab in the middle where most the fire is supposed to go and filled it with clay-ish soil from Staffordshire. Emptied the coal left in my old forge into it. Air is controlled by changing the proximity of the hair drier and the end of the tuyere. I then went to wales for a week so the forge hardly got touched in its current state while at Wales I found a nice scrap yard (all the local ones are automobile based) which had 3 200-300lb anvils (two were double horn one was london pattern), two post vices,ones hell of a pillar drill and if you felt like it a vintage crane but due to transport restrictions I only got a piece of piping and two fan motors (despite the brine-y air both worked). Valve is much more convenient than moving around the fan and the new fan is quieter than the hair drier for the same output, not as strong as I hoped it would be. In hindsight I should probably make some sort of chimney with all this smoke. Not sure if 5cm is too large a tuyere but I could screw a cap on and drill a smaller hole in that if needs be. I have practically no knowledge using sideblast forges but it seems to work atleast as fast as the last one. In hindsight I could of made it in a much easier fashion with some bending but it's done now. I forgot to post this so it has been sitting on my browser ready to post for a few hours, since taking the last picture the motor on the fan appeared to overheat and the fan cut out while emitting smoke which probably reduced my lifespan a bit. No amount of heat noticeable to the hand has passed up the tuyere as far as the valve and is only slightly warm closer to the fire so it must be the electrics on the motor, I suppose I can gaffa tape the hairdryer to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironwolfforgeca Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 I am sorry you're side draft forge will not last long!! side blast twerr forges are a English design mostly - you need an air pipe - with in a pipe of water & a water tank to keep that from melting the end of the air pipe thats in the fire-- ck out the forge page on this site for more info on that this is my portable side twerr forge the shop forge is the same thing but bigger with a side draft hood talk to a smith there ,most have side draft set ups so I understand in England mine is a copy of that design from an English Master smith here in the USA & works well ! I use coke in it & its 20 + years old now-- Ok it get a paint job ever so often :wub: & add to.s theres a hammer & tong rack & table now a days that bolt to it & someday a post vice LOL when I get the time it all comes apart & fits in the main forge pan for demos last pic is old its been rework since has table also No leg vice yet DARN ! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbows Posted August 9, 2014 Author Share Posted August 9, 2014 I believe I can add the water tank to the side which might help the pipe but making the two section water jacket will probably require yet another swap around. Based the tuyere off a rivet forge that had seen better days, it had a thick solid tuyere and no water tank so I thought I might be able to get away without water too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 I had an old riveters forge to start of with.This was a side draught with no water tank, the tuyere was cast iron. For a small fire with small items it started out ok but as I progressed with bigger jobs needing a larger fire it soon started to burn away. You could try chopping some straw and mix it with clay then build around the tuyere - think sausage roll but the clay needs to be a couple of inches thick.This would buy you some protection and the straw in the mix should help hold the clay together when it cracks.When the clay fails just add more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbows Posted August 9, 2014 Author Share Posted August 9, 2014 Anyone know what to use as a replacement blower? the last blower appears to be permanently dead and the hair drier overheats if you limit the airflow with the valve so I need something new and preferably cheap that doesn't have any heating coils attached. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironwolfforgeca Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 wood stove blowers work - & build or get an air gate talk to a sheet metal guy where to get one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Olivo Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 old oil burning heater fans work wonderful. you could also make a box bellows or any other style of bellows. You will want something that gives you plenty of pressure so squirrel cage blowers aren't so great but can work.(think like the one in your car) You want longer fins so that when it has to push the air past a bunch of coal coke or ash it will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbows Posted August 10, 2014 Author Share Posted August 10, 2014 going to try some off of a tumble drier, fans are plastic but bigger than the original one and the motor is the size where power starts getting measured in HP or Kw rather than watts (though I don't know its actual power). Only problem is I have to make the casing for it. Looking on ebay I think the last fan was from a boiler, though it had been in a seaside scrapyard for an unknown time so maybe that is why it didn't last long in use after all that briney air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 You don't need a water cooled tue at all. That is a common misconception. A sacrificial tue will work just as well. Use thick walled pipe, have it quite long and just keep pushing it into the fire as it eventually burns away. You'll find it will last a perfectly acceptable amount of time. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P. Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 "No weld sideblast tue" suggests that the ability to weld is a knack that can be done without. Make the effort to acquire a basic skill in welding, and it wil pay dividends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbows Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 The problem is getting a cheap welder more than acquiring skill. The times where I have some money spare and the times I think about buying a welder never coincide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobd Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 There are crackerboxes on Craigslist for $100 day and night around here man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P. Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Your access to funds will vary but cheap arc welders can be had for £100 or less. A few years ago Aldi had one or reportedly not-horrible quality that they were putting on special offer for £35! Seek and you will find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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