WillyP

:cool: Move to Florida? That's the best advise I've ever got! Although I hadn't actually planned on Fla. But somewhere about halfway would be awesome!!

Hopefully someday....

:cool:

Thanks everyone for the great input!

Thanks Glenn for sterring me aright. I'de looked through a doz or so pages of posts but didn't realize the search yet.

I'll read them links. Thanks again.

Willy

First off - if there is a thread on this out there already that I have missed, just send me to it and I'll read it - I've been scanning through the pages of posts and reading through a ton of great stuff but just have not found the answer yet.



How in the world do I keep my propane cylinder from freezing up?

I'm sure you all know this story..... I run fine for a while and as soon as that puppy gets frosty..... no more pressure.


My plan to solve this is to get my hands on a 100lb (min) tank. Will it work?


Thanks in advance!!


Willy

Ok! Thanks for the input Fella's! I'm going to give this a shot and see if I can fix something up that I can pump with a foot pedal. I wish I still had my Pake's (Grampa's) old hand bellows. it would be perfect for this operation.

Here's another question:

I've made the tuyere in similar fashion as the Lively Washbucket Forge. Tube wall is approx .100". How long can I expect this tube to last before it burns out. There is a small layer of refractory cement on top of the tube; I stuck golf tees in the holes to keep them open while the cement cured; but it's so thin that sooner or later I am sure it will break down and the steel of the tube will be exposed to heat.

Hi all,

I've got a question on the air requirement for burning charcoal.

I've built myself a small forge out of an old temporary spare 'dummy' rim. I've lined it and placed an air tube in the bottom by cutting a 1-1/8" hole through the rim. I left this tube long (like about a foot outside the rim) for now until I get an idea of what the thing is going to need at the finish.

I tried this little guy for about 10 mins tonight with about a half a tomato juice can full of charcoal that I "made" by scooping a couple small scoops of hot coals out of my woodstove and putting them into the tomato juice can and covering them with a piece of sheet steel. I did that a couple weeks ago when it was still cold enough to burn a fire in my woodstove.

I used a hairdryer for the air source - tried a bit on high and a bit on low - of course I need something in between...

So the charcoal was not really the best but it did burn pretty hot, I stuck a piece of 1/2" mat'l (the straight end that used to be a tire iron) in the coals and in about 7 or 8 mins a section about 4" was dull orange - from dead cold - so I was kind of impressed.


I had thought of using a small hand pumped bellows. The tube would be perfect for it, and it would give me pretty good control over the air. This is a small forge - the fire pot is only about 11' long and because the tuyere is a pipe with holes it's long and narrow - an inch or two wide.

Here's the questions: 1. Will the charcoal die out if I get to working away from the fire too long without pumping air?

2. Since I just had a handfull of charcoal tonight the fire was long and skinny, but once I can get a better load of charcoal in there will the hot coals become much wider? I've never used solid fuel.

3. If using more charcoal makes the hot coal bed larger, will a hand pumped bellows be enough?

That's the questions that are on my mind for now, any help or suggestions or critisisms (as long as they are constructive) are appreciated!

A 0.035 tip is WAY small for a 1.25 burner. I haven't run any numbers but 0.045" is what I run in my 1" burners so I'd start at 0.055" and see how it works.

Frosty

Thanks Frosty, I actually started with an .045" tip, and I had a different stle of flare - I was having some difficulty with the flame being stable, so I asked some questions and was advised to change down to a smaller tip ( I was told that an .025" may even work better ) - And at the same time, to change from an external flare to adding a piece just inside the burner tip.

Well I did both. It worked. I was HAPPY! :D:D Just cause it worked! Anyways, I ended up trying both an .025" and the .035" and since the .035" worked as well as it did I stopped. I'll try the .045" today.

Lesson learned: Only make one change at a time or you'll never know which change was the one that made the best difference.... I wish i had a nickel for every time I've had to relearn that one!


Question 1: When I change tips, how - or - must I change fuel pressure accordingly?

I've been running the .035" at roughly 12-15lbs propane.

Question 2: Is Question 1 dependant upon my air choke? i.e. Can I run "any size" tip at "any pressure" simply by tuning it via the air choke?

Ok now that I went to the FAQ I can post a couple pics of my forge.

I included one with the burner going - before I put the doors on :)

John B -

In regard to my coment and your question.

I'm just new at Blacksmithing. All the metal working experience I have comes from working in a Metal Stamping Facility for about 19 yrs. I am laid off now so I am taking the oppritunity to learn in a new area (Blacksmithing). In the factory, I Started off just a labourer, worked up to "Senior Press Opperator" and then moved into set-up, and then what they called QDC (Quick Die Change in case you're not familiar). Anyways, I've worked along side the Tool & Die Makers for 4 or 5 yrs, not along side like an apprentice, but being at the top end of the Press Shop, when there was trouble and the Tool Room had to be involdved, so did I. A good friend of mine is one of those Tool Makers and I've learned some things from him etc. etc.

Now the reason I said what I said is simply because when we had to make a jig or fixture at work - or if something broke and had to be either repaired or remade (and hardened) it was generally made from tool steel. I've just always learned that once you've heat treated a part, you need to draw it back slightly to be sure that it does not shatter.

I'm just learning more - or more details now.

Kind of a lot of words to just say, "Ah, I really did not know, but thanks for pointing that out!"


Jaret-

I also use 2" kaowool with 3 half fire bricks on the floor of the forge (with kaowool underneath too).

I measured my forge (now that it's cool) - My propane cylinder forge has a 6" opening (at each end - although I keep the back closed whenever possible) with an internal usable diameter of about 7" - 71/2" - The length is about 12" - and I can easy heat a length of 10" using one 1-1/4" burner using an .035" nozzle. I built my burner after the Mini-Mongo style.

I still have to learn more about my flame though. I think I'm usually using an oxidizing flame. (That's too lean right? I'll need to lessen the airflow a little?)

If I can figure out how to post a few pictures like you guys did I'll do it.

Any help or suggestions can't hurt.

Thanks

Willy

Hi, just reading your post here, I thought of a suggestion.



Please realize that I am by NO means an expert, I'm very new at Blackmithing, (like I've been at it 'maybe' 8 weeks). I've just been reading up as much as I can, asking questions where I can, and trying to build what I can!

Here's my $.02 worth.

Why not just cut round holes in each end about 7 or 8 inches in diameter. You can keep the circles that come from that and line them with your Kaowool and use them as "caps" for the ends.


I did this to an old propane cylinder that I used for a forge body. I welded some round rod to the caps as hooks and hangers (on the forge body) out of the same rod, lined the plugs with kaowool by using a couple 2" dia X 1/4" slugs that I got from work. A bolt goes through the slug, the kaowool and outside of the end cap. I realize that eventually I am going to have to replace that 2" slug because they take A LOT of heat, and eventually it will deteriorate. I left lots of extra koawool on the back cap so it seals very well, and the front one I made to sort of fit inside the hole; it does not have to seal tight but it can; which is handy for keeping the heat inside after the burner is off; it's sort of perfect (or as perfect as my limited experience has seen) when you're annealing a piece that you've case hardened.