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Showing results for tags 'bloomery'.
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So I'm about to make a purchase and buy my first furnace for casting, and I don't know whether to buy a propane or induction furnace. Ignoring the cost of running and purchasing either, what are the pros and cons of each? Also, would I be able to smelt or make in iron bloom in either of them? I saw a Cody's Lab video where he makes a bloom in his induction furnace and I'm wondering about how realistic that would be and how well that would work. What do you guys think would be the best option to buy, for both casting and also smelting down ores into usable metals? Thanks in advance! -
I am interested in doing some primitive blacksmithing by getting iron ore and making a bloomery to get my iron. I have all the necessary primitive skills except i don't have a way of making bellows. I know that bellows greatly improve a fires heat but would it be absolutely necessary to have them for a bloomery, even if its difficult without them?
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Bit of iron bloomery goodness. -
Bloom straight out of the furnace. Tried to compact while too cold. Broke into pieces, some furnace bottom and slag still attached. Forced to stop at climatic moment to deal with wife's chicken customers who showed up unannounced, driving my dog insane. Hit it while too cold. Sigh......Well, got some good pieces to reheat and refine. -
Bloom immediately after pulling out of furnace. Too cold! Some of my wife's customers showed up unannounced, dog going nuts, forced to deal with them. -
Furnace was damaged by thermal shock of cold rain on hot clay. Eventually started coming apart. Had to patch quite a few times. Gave up on recycling slag after awhile because tuyere was getting blocked and I didn't think the furnace would last. -
view down the "spyglass" into the tuyere. -
furnace after first charge -
Firing the rest of the furnace, and preheating -
Well, chicken emergency is over, supposed to rain tommorow, and gotta work in the morning, so firing what I've got to harden a little against the rain. Loaded up with charcoal remnants and stuck a blow dryer to where it would force air in the slag hole. Nice effect. Probably should have built a fire around the outside too, but not gonna have the opportunity to watch it and make sure nothing relights from the ashes. Such is life. Finish tommorow or the next day, weather depending then ready to smelt! -
well, tuyere's in, got the first 20 inches up, minor chicken emergency, finish it later. Gonna be about 14 inches i.d. at bottom by about 30 inches tall. 12 inches i.d. at top. Walls about 3 inches thick. Tuyere is black pipe at 10 inches high, pointed about 20 degrees-ish. Built around a box wire frame. -
log stuck in for slag hole -
Bloomery attempt number 1, the muck and a very puzzled four year old. Daddy, didn't I just get into trouble for exactly the same thing? About 2 parts red georgia earth (a lot of clay, but a little sandier here than some spots) to 1 part fireclay, and a nice helping of pine wood chips to honeycomb it a bit once fired. -
Base for my first bloomery attempt
