acrosteve

Still a work in progress. I picked up a piece of 5" shaft about 5" long for the start of my horn.  Tied it back to the main striking surface with some bar stock.  I will cover with some 1/2" AR plate to bring up to the level of my striking surface.

Also some more places for hammers and clamps.

So I added about 30 or 40 more pounds and more working surface.  I will likely get more shaft of smaller sizes to make the horn smaller in steps.  Maybe not ideal, but hey - it's cheap enough.

Thanks for the discussion.  It will likely help when i do build a forge which will be propane for sure.  However, for this discussion, the purpose of this flame is just heat, and not a roaring jet type flame meant to heat metal.  This is for where I work - a grey iron foundry.  I forget what the gas pressure is, but it is plant supply, not regulated like it would be for a device.

Let me describe what I did today.  It may or may not relate to some of the discussion, which are naturally geared to forge use.

To be clear - the picture I posted was NOT my actual burner.  Only the style I built.  Differences are - My orifice nipple is steel, not brass and 1/4", not 1/8. No flame stabilization nozzle flare. 

1st thing I did was to replace the 1/4" nipple with one made from 1/8" pipe.  I tapped my hole and installed a .030 welding tip.  Well, actually 1/2 of the tip, as it was too long to install and rotate, so I cut it in half.  I also used a 1/8" valve, rather than the 1/4".

This resulted in a smooth, stable flame, but I would like it to be a little more powerful giving me the option of more heat. The valve is wide open.

I was building two of these.  So with the 1st one burning and in use - I turned my attention to the other.  Wondering if the smaller nipple really made the difference, i kept the 1/4" nipple and valve, but tapped that hole for a mig tip also.  This one I used a .045 tip - hoping to get more flame.  I did not have another 3/4 x 6" nipple, so I used a 3/4" x 5".

Well, this one would not even light at all.  I could hear more gas coming through the bigger tip, but the 1/4" pipe must block too much of the air.  Strange, I thought, as previously I had a very strong flame from a .0625 hole and slightly longer nipple.

I had other stuff to do, so that is where I left it.  Next, I will change it to the 1/8" pipe with the .045 nozzle and see how it performs with the shorter "nozzle".

Thanks.

I did use the 3/4 x 1-1/2 bell reducer.  The photo above is not mine.

I built a basic burner using Ron Reil's design.  Sort of like this, but without the nozzle on the end.

Now, at this time I am not using it in a forge, nor do I intend to yet.  Just in free air.  But there is a problem with it I would like to work out without a whole lot of fuss.

I am running on natural gas with pressure of a few psi. My problem is that I can "blow" the flame out quite easily.  By this, I mean that as I open the valve, the flame gets pushed away from the end of the nipple.  Up to nearly 5" or so before it "blows" out.  I don't really need more heat, just a stable dependable flame using the line pressure I have on hand.

I used a 3/4 x 1-1/2 bell and have a 6" long 3/4 nipple in it.  I am thinking that the nozzle pictured on the end of the nipple is not needed in my application.  Where I differed from the original design is that I used 1/4" nipple for the gas, rather than the 1/8 recommended.  I started with an orifice hole of 1/16" but increased it to around 3/16 and improved things a little but not much.

Is the 1/4" pipe obstructing the airflow that much?  I am thinking that is the 1st thing that I am going to try is going to the 1/8" pipe.

I have also seen that perhaps my 3/4 nipple is not long enough - something about cross sectional area to length ratio.  Perhaps using a 1/2 x 6" nipple in the same bell assembly?

We have some other similar burners, not using pipe fittings and the gas orifice opens into a much larger diameter pipe - perhaps 2".  And an orifice size of around 3/16 - 1/4".

I would like to keep the nipple type design, as it allows me some flexibility in mounting or holding it.

Thanks

Well, I went ahead and took some pictures.

What I started with for the 4" piece.  I am using the drops for another anvil of sorts.  I can put this one onto my workbench which is only 3/16" thick and not very well suited for hammering.

The start of my "horn".

Thanks all.  I did update my profile.   I am in Southern Ohio.

The belt sander was made using scraps and materials I had on hand, other than the 3 aluminum wheels.  Main tube is 3x5, and the base is a heavy 10" channel.  Motor is 1.5 hp from a treadmill, but is a little weak compared to the rest of it.  We shal see how well it works.

The anvil top is 4" thick 7x11 I believe setting on an 1-1/2" base plate.  The hardy hole is 1" - I "cheated" and had it done with EDM, rather than a proper drift.  EDM and Pritchel holes are through the whole 4" thickness.  So, I(or the next owner) do have the option at some point to flip the plate over for a new surface.

I have had a piece of track for a long time with intentions of making it into an anvil, but never did.  After reading up on the shortcomings of track anvils and learning about striking anvils I decided to go that route.  Then I was fortunate enough in finding the other plate metal for free, basically.  The legs where from house trailer axles I shortened for other purposes.  Basically 3" pipe with 1/2x4 bar for the feet.   They are filled with a mixture of sand and oil.  It weighs about 200lbs.

This metal is all just mild steel.  I am also considering adding a piece of hardenable steel to the lower striking are of the anvil, and probably creating a horn of sorts.  More pictures on that in the future.

Keep in mind that I don't have a specific use or focus in regards to the anvil.

I do have a concern where the main part of the striking surface of the 4" surface is over an area of the 1-1/2" plate that is unsupported from below.  I am considering tying the middle area of that plate to the front leg near where the existing braces join.  I am thinking there may be some flex experienced during heavy striking which over time may case it to sag in the middle.

Is that concern reasonable?

Hello,  I just joined today.

I am working on getting myself equipped for forging some metal.    I have recently completed building my own 2x72 belt sander/grinder and also a striking anivl of sorts.

The belt sander is currently off getting powder coated - Kawasaki Green.  lol

I do not yet own a proper anvil, but this will have to do for a while.

I think my next metal working project will be a propane forge that I will likely construct using an old compressor tank.  I am thinking that I want to go ahead and build a ribbon burner for it also.

Then possibly a power hammer.

But 1st I am starting my research on forge building.