Wood blast

[dimag]

I was given a Canadian blower & forge forge, or at least what is left of it. It was defineltly rode hard and put up wet. The fire pot and tuyere is completely gone, and the handle also. I managed to get it freed up today and surprisingly it still blows air very well. It is model # 210. I got thinking ( I know, a dangerous thing) that I might build a wood burning forge in the Whitlox style that I could bolt on to the unit without compromising the integrity of the blower and stand. My first idea was a pipe tuyere with a tee that would be fed air from the middle instead of the end and it would be welded to a piece of plate that could be bolted to the blower outlet, then build the sides etc. The second thought was to make it a side blast tuyere. I would have to bring the pipe from the bottom of the air outlet , which is a ash and clinker trap sort of thing, and up to the forge. Would a side blast work in a V shaped wood burning forge or should I stick with the bottom blast configuration?

[swedefiddle]

Hi DiMag,

Long time no hear from. If you want a new Fire-Pot, John Newman makes the very best, in Hamilton. The Fire-pot is about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2" thick. They are not the cheapest, but they are the best. We have 4 in our forges at VIBA Blacksmith Shop.

The next CanIRON will be July 3-6, 2017. It will be held at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Cloverdale BC (40km from Vancouver, 35km from Abbotsford). The web-site will be updated shortly.

Neil

[Frosty]

No problem making a side blast blow down a V trench. It'll work a treat.

Frosty The Lucky.

[dimag]

Hey Neil, it has been a long time. This forge had a pan more than a pot. Sfduck has a couple of photos in his gallery of one he restored. I think it would have been considered a portable forge. The original pan may have been 20" across and may have come in various depths. Getting coal here is too expensive and propane is getting up there too, not to mention the tank recertification fees, so I am going to go to wood since I have copious amounts of it. The wood I have is mostly aspen and willow with some birch so we will have to see how it works out.

The last Caniron I went to was the one on the island. I had good time there. I'll try to make Cloverdale.

[dimag]

Frosty, do you think a 1" pipe necked down to 3/4 at the tuyere would work for the side blast? I just happen to have a bunch of those sizes in both pipe and fittings. I believe there are some schedule 80 3/4" nipples around here someplace that might extend the life of the tuyere that will be in the fire. This all new to me , I have been primarily a gas guy with some coal experience but never used charcoal or wood. 

[jlpservicesinc]

Pictures are always a welcome site.. Lots easier to see.. 

I'm not Lucky, but your gonna need more than 3/4" of blast to do any kind of work..   A wood forge has to be stacked deep.. If you have enough 3/4" holes it would work..  figure out the area with the opening that is there in the firepot.. it's probably 3" round or 2.5" round Guessing.. 

That forge was made by Buffalo forge of Canada.. That was there brand name up there.. 

You guys actually got a few items that weren't available in the states..  Kind of neat.. 

[dimag]

Well, if I go with the side blast into a v shaped firebox , I think that would mean that the metal being forged would have to be placed over top of the tuyere. Is that a problem?

[dimag]

Well, here is the rough, and I mean rough, prototype of my wood forge. Already I have to change a bunch of things but I couldn't resist firing it up. So far fire management is looking to be a major learning curve. The logic of a side blast is coming into focus too. This bottom blast but that could easily change now that I have a better idea for making it from the side without compromising the original design of the blower configuration.