irnsrgn

THE ANATOMY OF A FORGE FLUE by irnsrgn Hopefully this blueprint will clear up some of the mystery of why a forge flue works or doesn't. What we are attempting to do by having a flue on our forges is to come up with an efficient means of eliminating the smoke, volatile gases and heat produced by the coal fired forge fire we use to heat our medium IRON , to a suitable plastic state so that we can reform it into the shape of our choice, and maintain a safe environment for our selves. We are dealing with a heat source that generates a large volume of hazardous stuff we want to get rid of. As it is heated it expands and gets larger, which is a disadvantage, so is hard to control. Being that it is heated it becomes somewhat lighter than the surrounding air and naturally rises which is to our advantage. flue 01 - This drawing is of a hood which is an inefficient and less than desirable method of doing the job we want done. The undesirables rise above the fire and have a tendency to collect in the hood where they stagnate or collect and keep getting hotter and expanding. The really hot stuff stays more or less in a column immediately above the fire and goes racing up thru the pipe flue. This makes a sort of venturi effect and draws some of the smoke up into the pipe with it, but the volume in the large hood is too great to suck it all up and out and it accumulates till the hood will hold no more and then it spills over the sides. The arrow shown represents a breeze, and any breeze will push the smoke, fumes and heat away from the direct path into the hood creating a smoky atmosphere to work in. flue 02 - This drawing shows the basics of what is known as a SIDE DRAFT flue. The Area of the opening "B" cannot be greater than the area of the flue "A". flue 03 - This side view drawing shows the basics of how a SIDE DRAFT flue works. The block at the base cuts the opening down to about 3/4 the area of the flue and keeps the coal from entering the opening. The smoke shelf "A" gives the smoke something to climb up and also chokes off the area behind the opening so that the smoke has to go up and keep it from making a blockage in the large area behind the opening. The area "B" throttles the area down to about 2/3 the area of the flue and creates a vacum effect by expansion so that the smoke, heat and if its working right will even draw the flames into the opening. flue 04 - This drawing shows the top of the flue with a screen spark arrestor and rain cap installed. The rain cap should be rather flat with just enough slope that rain will run off. To determine the height above the end of the flue, find the area of the pipe, radius squared times pi (3. 1416) and multiply by 3. Divide this number by the circumfrence, diameter times pi. and the result will be the inches above the flue needed. flue 05 - This drawing shows why the area is 3 times the actual area of the flue pipe. In a brisk breeze all the volatites will need to exit out approxiametly 1/3 of the pipes circumfrence. flue 06 - This drawing shows why you don't want a high peaked rain cap. The severe angle will make the smoke roll in the top of the cap and in effect make a sort of plug that will block the natural flow from the flue pipe. flue 07 - This drawing shows the recommended height of the stack for a low angled roof, it should be 3 to 4 feet above the peak or highest point of the roof. For a steeper angled roof it should be higher as the wind is channeled by the roof angle and the air will kind of expand on the lee side of the peak and make down pressure as it rolls over the peak. flue 08 - The arrow is pointing to what is called an escushion, which is a tapered ring fastened to the flue pipe at its very top and it funnels the wind up into the exhaust area to enhance the natural suction of the flue pipe. This is a picture of my forging station, in my father and uncles shop that I took over, even tho the forge is completely enclosed on 3 sides, any draft would make smoke pour from the forge area, I solved most of this problem by adding a makeshift sidedraft flue to the left of the forge fire from 16 gauge scrap sheet I had up to the damper for the chimney, but still if I used a fan to cool myself in the summer, the smoke would pour forth from the chimney to my area.

I have used Open Office for a long time, wife got it for me a long time ago. it really works.

square inches of hood opening = 1872, square inches of 8 inch pipe = 50.26. That should tell you something. A hood is the most inefficient means of exhausting a forge. If the blueprint section ever gets back up, check out Anatomy of a Forge Flue. http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/brown-county-kansas-ag-museum-blacksmith-shop-pics-9-19-08-a-7463/index2.html look at the pictures in post #21

1/10/09 update, Cookie is going to have to go to a local care facility for physical therapy to gain back her strength as a result of too much time in the hospital. I have contacted both of her daughters and they are coming up for the Swing Bed Conference to be held this afternoon in Cookies room. It should be a Family decision, and it will cheer Cookie up to have both her daughters there for the decision making, altho Cookie has already picked the one she wants to go to. It turns out a lot of the hospital staff moonlights at one or the other of the fascilities and they concurr that she picked the right on. Jr. Thank you all for the Prayers, for Caring and being Concerned with her welfare. With people like you rooting for her, she can't help but improve.

Ooops, I brought her home shortly after 1 PM, they come and took her back about 4 PM. I couldn't get her up off the floor, so called the Paramedics. Jr. [O

Cookie update, January 5, 08. I fetched Cookie home from the Relaxation Center today, she went to the hospital in an ambulance with only her cell phone, she returned home with 4 Canvas bags of stuff, yarn, cards, etc. she drove her scooter out to the van and the wheelchair was wheeled out full by an aid. Thank you+all for your prayers and concern. Cookiie and Jr. Strasil

I finally found the pics. It has the latter idling device on it, so it must be a 60's model, one hint, the generator does not cool well if doing a lot of welding without the side curtains on it. I don't think the engine revs to hight idle when you press the trigger on a power tool, but they did make what was called a grind ease that can be retrofitted to the machine. Currently I think you have to pin the idler device in the high idle postion and turn the rheostat to 100 to use power tools. I can show you how to rewire it if you are lucky enough to find one of these old "grind eases". I also put homemade murphy switches on my usit that will shut the machine off if oil pressure gets low or it overheats, with standard off the shelf parts from an automotive store. Jr.

How about a picture or two of the welder TASMITH? my old SA200 was born on Dec 13,1950. If you contact Lincoln with the code # and serial #, they will tell you the date of Mfg, and when ordering any parts for it, you will need the code #.

Truckblog - Driveshaft Unbalance/Runout Sensitivity?

So you are gonna furnish the door prizes for the next confrence Randy, we wouldn't want your small shop to become overcrowded. Jr.

Serious is never as good or as artistic as spur of the moment.

I built one in high school for the school shop, used an old old Maytag square tub washing machine gearbox and motor. I built this bandsaw when I got outa the Navy in 65, gearbox is from the checkout turntable from a grocery store, 50 to 1 reduction, idler pulley bearing is a chevy water pump bearing, piece of channel for main bed, legs are the tapered pieces from the outside of a house trailer frame I made into a beaver tail round bale moving trailer for a farmer, motor is a maytag washing machine motor. blade guide bearings are generator bearings. it also works as a vertical saw. Band saws about 3 to 5 pieces in the same time it takes a power hacksaw to saw one.

more than likely, a high manganese steel, anti crushing and high abrasion resistance.

with DC welding machines, if you have the extra leads coiled seperately, when someone is welding, holding something in one coil will magnetize it, holding in the other coil will demagnetize it. FWIW

working ends up, so you see at a glance what you want, and rod handles on the sides so you can pick the whole thing up and go. scrap 14 gauge sheet with short pipe stubs tacked on top.

I simulated a blacksmith for 55+ years, I got the black part down good, was still working on the "smith" part when I had to give it up.

If its power plant coal, its not worth the bother, that stuff is very low BTU per lb. around 8,000 or less.

Thank you riarkin

Some of you may know that my wife Cookie has been in the hospital for a week now. She was treated to an Ambulance ride the 3.5 blocks to the hospital on 12/12 for immediate admission, her Dr. made a houscall and called the ambulance personally. It was too much stress on Cookie to get into our minivan. The COPD she is suffering from, from 17 years as a hair dresser in the 60's and 70's is taking its toll on her. Also after her first marriage, she and her Airforce husband moved to Sacramento, Ca, where the weather there allong with the beauty shop chemicals gave her Pneumonia 6 or 7 times in a year and a half, which scarred her Bronchial Tubes and her Lungs. Note-- During her Hair Dressing Career she had the Privilege of doing Patsy Clines Hair and the Misfortune to do Maureen O'hara's hair. By Friday night Cookie was in ICU hooked to several monitors and with several IV's, her heart rate was in 150 to 170 range which the Dr's have not determined what is causing that yet. Then due to the mass infusion of Antibiotics and Steroids to take care of the Congestion her blood sugar jumped to 350+ and she was started on insulin injections. Yesterday, Friday she was moved out of ICU, all the wires and IV's were removed and she is in a private room now. Her HR is now below 100 and her BS was 73 at noon yesterday. She is in good spirits although tired and has been keeping busy Crocheting hooded newborn baby sweaters with matching boots for her to be new grandson and also some of the nursing staff ordered sets for their upcoming new grandchildren. Thank you all for your Prayers and Concern for her. Cookie and Jr Strasil And a Special Thanks to Woody who after the untimely passing of his wife, gave Cookie and also delivered his late wife's Oxygen Generator for her use, Then one of his friends in California sent us a Portable Oxygen Generator which we keep in the minivan for when we have to travel. Thank You Woody and also your friend. God Bless you both. BTW the generator has over 50,000 hours on it and is still going strong. I take it to St. Joe, Mo regularly for filter changes and maintenance, it has been a Godsend.

A friend bought this measuring tool on an auction because the Auctioneer said he would tell whoever bought it what it was for. LOL and he didn't know. So I was asked if I knew what it was. I am stumped. Has a nice dial indicator that is attached to the center fork with a small chain going over a pulley. Has anyone ever seen one similar or by chance knows what it is for. bic lighter for size comparison. Its purpose seems to be to measure a gap in something.

Isn't the smithing world great, FWIW, in the old days a practicing smith would let a new smith use his facilities to make some of his tools he needed to set up his shop till he had enough to hang out his shingle. On the other end of the spectrum, one smith would not show another competitor any of his secrets, fearing he might make a dime off his knowledge. LOL

BP0101 Anvil Repair Many older anvils were crowned to aid in drawing out metal. Your Anvil has a wrought iron body with a thin hard face, forge welded on, if you mill too much off the face it will be thin and will crack and peel off with use.

dishing or planishing hammers. More commonly used by body shop men.

Lets say a prayer for those who gave there lives and those who survived the terrible ordeal on this day 67 years ago. And also for our service men and women and veterans wheree ever they may be. I will fly my son Jeff's Funeral Flag as I always do on Holidays and Special Days of Military importance. And it will fly at Half Mast till Noon, then be raised to Full Mast. I do the Half Mast on Pearl Harbor Day, Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Jeff's Birthday. Thank You Veterans for my Freedom. May God Bless you all. Jr. Strasil SWFCN United States Naval Construction Battalions (SeaBees), (Can Do).

On another note, if you wish to remove the steel wedge from a hammer handle without destroying the handle, clamp a thin piece of scrap to your welding table, place the handle wedge just above the scrap and tack weld the two together, you can then pry the wedge out and afterwards break it off and grind the weld off for reuse and also reuse the handle.