Since my neighbor has so kindly donated a defunct lawnmower with a steel base I thought I'd build myself a solid fuel forge. I like my gas forge but it is very awkward to do three dimensional decorative items in it.

My question is this what are the pros and cons of side blast in comparison to to bottom blast. I'm going to have to use coke and or wood charcoal for fuel. My surban neighborhood is just too dense and picky for coal smoke.

One smith Decorative Iron smith that I greatly respect is Ivan Bailey. He does his work with a side blast coke forge.

I've read that until the switch was made to coal nearly all the forges were side blast. It seems that the introduction of the water cooled twyere was a result of the over heating and glass formation on the uncooled twyeres.

So anyway what are your experiences if any? I've used normal bottom blast coal forges but not a side blast.

I have the impression from seeing side blast forges in action that they work a little differently in how the steel is place and the fire built.

for blade work i am very fond of the bottom blast with coke......allows me to keep the blade away from the oxygen

i havent used a side blast:(

There are a lot of posts on this subject but it primarily boils down to what you learn on and are comfortable with. European smiths are often more accustomed to seeing a side blast than in the US, where the cast iron bottom blast factory pot became common place after the Civil War.

Based on what you are using as a hearth, I'd say bottom blast since a side blast will likely be more work to build. OTOH, a big permanent brick hearth lends itself to the side blast but in the final analysis, I really don't think one is better than the other - just different.

At the last CBA conference somebody had a side draft setup going. I didn't get a chance to use it but it looked like it used quite a bit more coal. Could have been the operators too.

Just thought I'd throw that into the mix....

I trained using sideblast forges. As was mentioned they're far more common here in Europe. Personally, I can't see any pros or cons in using a side blast compared to a bottom blast, once you're used to opperating it, but I certainly prefer the simplicity of a bottom blast forge. Less to go wrong, and you don't have to constantly check waterlevels! Having said this, I know plenty of Smiths over here who'd disagree...

here are a few of my ideas,

Side blast is simpler to construct - no ash dump, clinker breaker etc.

The air supply can be more 'in line' which I imagine is ideal if you have a hand cranked blower.

I made mine side a side blast, largely because I wanted to sit mine on top of an existing structure and there was no room for a bottom blast and clinker breaker.

Bob

I use both side and bottom blast and get on fine with either for most things. But i find working of odd shapes it is much easier on a bottom blast as there is no wall in the way!

I like bottom blast. I don't have a klinker breaker and never needed one. I just have a fire pot (11" brake drum), with a 1/4" cut round plate in it with 6 holes of 1/4" drilled in the center of it. Then I fabricated a steel grate which is in a circular pattern and then my wood or coal or coke sits on top of that. Most of what falls through the grate doesn't block the holes and if it falls through the holes then it falls down into a pipe reservoir for clean out later and thus doesn't block the airflow.

You can see in the pic above how most people T-off their brake drum. I stick a hair dryer in long side using a rubber pipe fitting with pipe clamps. Air dryer fits snug in there. On high the hair dryer will forge weld really fast. Crazy hot. I also am very cheap when it comes to what I throw in there for some reason. So I throw cut up palettes, fallen sticks, and even paper/cardboard, and other stuff i'm to lazy to take to the dump. This area of Massachusetts has tons of wood so I have tons of wood fuel. So I build many bonfires in my forge. I wear long sleeves, pants, gloves, and a shade 3 or my shade 5 UVEX face shield. So I can get very close to even a raging fire with no issue. But without cloth covering or a face shield you'll seriously get like a nice face melt. Not good. lol kinda like a minor sunburn. So wear protection and then use all the wood you want. That said I believe wood creates more smoke then the coal/coke does, but I may be wrong. Around here I can make as much as smoke as I like. In fact I think people like the smell, I know I do.

we have five back blast forges and no bottom blast forges, I have used bottom blast forges but they have only been small forges I don't know if they would work so well if built as large as the back blast forges we have.wot size of material is generally heated in a bottom blast?

Depends on the forge---I have a bottom blast "rail road forge" where the previous owner burnt a heavy duty rail road rail in two in it---do you work much larger than that? (he got a call, ran into the house to tell them he couldn't talk, he had steel in the forge, ran back out and it was laying in two pieces one on either side of the forge.

I've seen bottom blast forges used to heat anvils for repair as well.

OTOH I have seen a bottom blast forge made from a frying pan...

Edited June 10, 200916 yr by ThomasPowers

mine is a bottom blast,coke fuel,the largest piece i heated so far,was a hammer~3 kgs,and it was hot quite fast. and the forge to build took a weekend,(with no hurry).i could use with charcoal too,just need to reduce air flow. i dont even think,it is more difficoult to build-just need an angle grinder,a welder,and the metall plates.-and a bit of time...

i built my forge on the design of the forges at finch foundry - oakhampton in devon (uk) they are all bottom blast forges and they are hearths that were constructed in about 1814 so we use both types in the uk. ive used side blast forges but have found bottom blast easier to make and maintain.

I think I've only ever seen one bottom blast one, and it was an unusual design. It's in the lifting shop at Didcot Railway Centre, and it's circular, with the conical smoke hood suspended from the roof, and not attached to it in any way, so it's clear to work right around it, 360 degrees.

I think I've only ever seen one bottom blast one, and it was an unusual design. It's in the lifting shop at Didcot Railway Centre, and it's circular, with the conical smoke hood suspended from the roof, and not attached to it in any way, so it's clear to work right around it, 360 degrees.

My little "Mk 2 coffee can forge uses a side blast that was directed alond the side. The result is a vortex that swirls the heat through out the forge. Right or wrong, that's what I have. Any suggestions welcome.

Jim L.