thecelticforge Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 it's Tannis of Anvilfire. I am new here and saying hello to all! Now, Paw Paw once told me of a grand old book that had instructions for making a bellows. Anyone have a clue about what it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Welcome to IFI Tannis! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PICKETTR Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Try looking at bp0141 and bp0127 in the bluprint section. They were a big help to me. A few suggestions not covered in the blueprints. 1-make your valves as light as you possibly can (otherwise as your lower leaf is dropping to fill the lower chamber you will have to overcome the weight of the valve). 2 make your lower chamber half again as large as your upper chamber (reduces pumping). :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Welcome aboard Tannis, glad to have ya. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Ameling Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Kind of sounds like the book The Village Blacksmith by ... Aldin or Adkins or Watkins or something like that. My copy has been out on loan for over a decade, so foggy memory has kicked in. I can see the cover and the title, but can't remember the author. As I recall, it was a good introductory book. But there are many other places that show bellows construction - like those plans in the blueprint section. Mikey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Good to see ya here TAnnis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 (edited) There is a nice litte pamplet titled "How to make a blacksmith's Bellows" by Robert (Bob) M. Heath. Bob has been selling these little books around the Gulf Coast, along with a number of others he publishes for 15 or so years. Is business email is HEATHIRON@aol.com Bob is a well known and respected member of both the Alabama and Mississippi forge councils and one of Clay Spencers buddies. Book contains dimesion drawings and explanations Edited June 5, 2009 by Charlotte add P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Howdy Tannis. Glad to see you still takin air in. Been a long time. Sorry can't help on the info you want. Regards, Ten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Ameling Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 (edited) I found that book back. It was only 2 foot down in the third stack behind the front stack of books. But I needed to dig out Postman's book Anvils in America anyway. The Village Blacksmith by Aldren Watson. isbn 0-690-01449-x originally published in 1968. There are detailed drawings of making a large double bellows in the back of the book - including valve design and leather cutting/stitching to fit and seal it. Mikey Edited June 5, 2009 by Mike Ameling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 Big thanks to everyone! I think I am a gonna use the plywood instead of 1X6's. Call me crazy, errr... LAZY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnr Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Keep in mind that ply isn't great at holding edge nails. Finnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmercier Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I just built a bellows a few weeks ago, couldn't find any good 'complete' plans so I just winged it using pictures from this site and others. It came out fine but wasn't pushing as much air as i felt it should because the top wasn't 'ratcheting' up as i pumped it. I used canvas for the sides, and bellows themselves were pretty large and the planks thick. Turned out I had the opposite problem that many old bellows have, where they need to put a rock on the top to push the top plank down faster, and instead I had to put a pulley on the top and hang a 3lb hammer head from it to reduce the total weight of the top panel by about 3 lbs and now it works just great. I made the 3 panels of mine out of 1x12s joined side to side with dowel joints. I made the stand to hold it so that it comes apart into several pieces and lays flat in my truck for transportation I didn't remember to take many in progress pictureshttp://www.tharkis.com/images/hi/nebspring09/DSCN0078%20(Large).JPGhttp://www.tharkis.com/images/hi/nebspring09/DSCN0079%20(Large).JPGhttp://www.tharkis.com/images/hi/nebspring09/DSCN0080%20(Large).JPGhttp://www.tharkis.com/images/hi/nebspring09/DSCN0081%20(Large).JPG and lastly the finished product, overall 5 feet long, 32 inches wide, and both the top and bottom sides open up quite deep to ~22 inches each. One thing that I did was put my center valves for the middle leaf and the bottom leaf on removable pannels so that I can get inside and service them in the future.http://www.tharkis.com/images/temp/bellows.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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