If it looks like the flame swirl in this thread

you have a nozzle alignment problem or an artifact from trimming the contact tip nozzle shorter. The first can be resolved by using a box wrench, say 3/8 or 10mm, and putting that into the intake of the burner and bending the contact tip to make it in line. The second issue you need to clean the end up then use torch tip files to clean the tip out, but you probably will need to re-align the tip again after installing the cleaned tip.

"Huffing" is an issue on these burners until the forge cavity is up to heat, then it should stop. If you are testing in open air it will not perform well. Stick it in a small brick pile.

Phil

For the gas tube, I bought 5/16" OD brass (not copper) tubing. This is basically the same diameter of a MIG tip. drilled and tapped the tubing to accept the tip and used a compression fitting to connect it my ball shut-off valve. Instead of just drilling and tapping Tee for fitting I drilled and welded a slug of 9/16" OD X 5/16 ID X 1" heavy wall pipe so my gas tube can be slid in and out and I can also use the same tube in my forced air forge. I have a HF mini lathe which made the proccess easier but the same could be done with care in a drill press. The Tee in the picture is 1.25" reduced to 1" pipe as I thought I wasn't getting enough air when I bench tested, but I changed to a 1" Tee and and it seems to work fine.

Dodge, is that copper tubing I see there or what? I'm wondering why it wouldn't be a good idea to connect the propane hose directly to the burner versus connecting it to the copper tubing and then to the burner.

Thanks,
Zachary

Dodge, is that copper tubing I see there or what? I'm wondering why it wouldn't be a good idea to connect the propane hose directly to the burner versus connecting it to the copper tubing and then to the burner.

Thanks,
Zachary

The metal line to the burner is a safety feature. While the burner runs cool, when you shut down it typically heats up considerably. A rubber hose may have problems with this heat. It also prevents the hose from being somewhere too hot during operation as the shell can heat up after a while.
Phil

Hey all. I got everything assembled, kicked it on, and for some reason the burner is sputtering. It is very odd, and I can link to a video if need be. It seems like some gas is escaping from where the mig tip connects to the compression fitting. The tip is screwed in there tight, but it is still happening. I'm not sure what could be causing it, so thought that I would toss is to you folks and see what you could make of it.

Eggnog, If you have gas leaking around the tip ,then the fit is a little loose. I drill deeper than I need and tap only 3 or 4 full threads, that way the tip gets bound on the sides and not from the rear. that will keep it from leaking.
Make sure you cut a flare into the insulation, that can have an effect on the huffing. so can a down tube that is too short.

Okay, thank you. And what is the end piece of the burner you have in the 12th picture? Is it the flare?

In pic12 and pic13 is a coupler that I ground the threads on one end out to act as a flare. Grinding the threads may not be needed, but that is what I did for these tests.

I purchased some stainless flares from Zoller before I installed in the forge. As mentioned elsewhere in this thread by several people you can form a flare in your insulation and do without any flare when in a forge cavity, but the burner will not operate in open air without a flare.

Phil

Thanks.

Zachary

Hey Phil, a lot of the links you posted in this topic are broken. Could you fix them?

Thanks,
Zachary

The first post links are all from this thread (I think) the forum system has been up several times and links have been broken, and the posts are too old for me to edit.

Phil

Great, thanks!

How many PSI does this burner run on? Would it be okay to get a 10PSI regulator and hose or a 30PSI?

Thanks,
Zachary

I typically run at about 7psi. It runs stable down below 3psi (once hot), all the way through the range over 15psi.

Take this with a grain of salt because my gauge is not calibrated, but I think it is close, I have no reason to think otherwise.

Phil

That helps, thanks!

Are you using refrigeration copper tubing or just copper tubing? If you are using refrigeration copper tubing, then what size are you using? I think it measures differently.

How tight does the compression fit between the copper and the compression fitting be?


Zachary

I think it is copper water tubing, I bought it at Lowe's along with the fittings. After the compression fitting is joined it crimps into the tubing, so it does need to fit right to start with.

Phil

Went out and bought all the stuff I needed to make me one of these burners. I spent enough to make any of ya'll cringe...

First off, I could not find a 6 inch pipe nipple yesterday so i got a longer one. Today I found the right size at another store. Then I have never tapped a thread so I had to buy the taps and something to tap it with..(decided to try a hand type so I probably should have bought some bandaids)..

I could not find the 1/8 MPT to 1/4 compression fitting at either of my local big box stores, so took a trip to a local plumbing supply for them. While there, I figured I better have a ball valve in line as a cuttoff near the forge. They had 1/2 inch (or maybe 3/8) and then gave me connectors to step down to the copper tube... Another $20 spent.

I did find a "high" pressure woven steel tubing for the propane tank a 0 to 20 regulator at a bib box store. They sell them down here for crawfish/crab boiling tanks and for frying turkeys. I'm hoping that will get me started. Nobody had anything bigger and a couple stores only had chintzy bar-b-que regulators.

I decided to try to save a few bucks by going to Harbor Freight for the hand wrench thing for the taps... I remembered seeing how I need to grind off excess mig tip to tune the burner so got an off-brand dremmel-type tool and grinding/cutting discs..

Now I can play......

Dodge,

Are you using a galvanized "T"? I have been having a hard time finding the right size black iron "T" and I have been staying away from all things zinc coated for the forge. 

Yes, I did in fact use a galvanized tee. That part of the burner doesn't (or shouldn't) get hot enough to burn zinc.

Thanks Dodge, that will make things a good bit simpler for me since there is a heck of a lot more options with galvanized than not around here. 

If the T gets hot enough to burn zinc you have bigger problems. I don't plug the other burner when running only one so it's a chimney with positive pressure heating it and the tube is only blue for maybe 3" above the forge lid. Galvy Ts would be fine on mine and it pumps heat up the off burners.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Good to know, I have stopped guessing about this stuff a while ago so I ask now. I was reading a post about hexavalent chrome problems from overheated stainless steel but since so many people use SS flares on the end of SA burners I am left to conclude this is not a problem. My best guess to why this is not a problem is the time it takes for a flare to burn up is long enough that a well vented shop will not build up enough free floating hexavalent chrome to be an issue.

I don't know about burning SS flares either unless it's high temp SS, inconel maybe. I don't know how well venting is going to work, chrome is a heavy metal and once in you, it's there to stay and it is a carcinogen as in it WILL get you eventually.

 

I don't use SS flares, heck I don't use flares, I have a black iron thread protector on my burners and they work fine.

 

I am building a new forge though, something more portable so I don't damage it taking it to demos. I thought it'd be interesting and a good time to try a little experiment. I'm making flares for these burners but I'm casting them from 3,000f Greencast 64 high alumina refractory and using wax to make the cores. The real experiment . . . I'm flattening the flares to HOPEFULLY make a fan flame.

 

Every butane torch kit I've ever seen has a fan tip and my new burners will too. If it works maybe it'll be good. If not I'll just knock them out and cast regular truncated cone flares.

 

I'll let you guys know how they work. Maybe even post a pic or two.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

That is going to be cool if it works!  Good luck.

That is going to be cool if it works!  Good luck.

 

Oh I HOPE NOT! If it's cool it isn't working, is it? :blink:

 

I have hope it will make a fan of the primary flame and sort of a flame curtain to help limit fresh air being entrained in through the door.

 

Frosty The Lucky.