Dano50 Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Here's a question from a complete beginner. I built a brake drum forge (11 inch diameter pot, 4 inches deep) over the weekend, had the pot for about a year, just got the black iron 2 inch pipe sections. Wife gave me an old hairblower to use as an air source. I diligently took the thing apart and cut off the heating element...guess what, not working, go figure. How does one modify a hair blower to use in a brake drum forge? Do you remove the heating element or just leave as is until it melts? Your thoughts, your thoughts and suggestions! Possibly looking at other sources for air (vacuum cleaners, other blower sources), this one just seemed so convenient with minimum set up. (i.e, I've looked through a couple other threads regarding blowers, squirrel cage type, waterheater, leaf blowers, etc). Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dano50 Posted August 24, 2009 Author Share Posted August 24, 2009 Found some information form an older thread. Thanks for any input, anyway. (Isn't search functions great). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkunkler Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 On some hair dryers the motor is in series with the heating element (the current flowing throught the motor must also go throught the element). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unkle spike Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 You can get hair dryers that have a "cool" or "cold" setting, where the heating element is not used. I had a cheap one from Walmart when I started that was that type. However, gasses belching back through them and popping will blow them up... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Dan, I recently started using a blower fan from an old clothes dryer and I can't be happier with it. It is powerful and quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thingmaker3 Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I don't think a hair-dryer will get hot enough to melt a brake drum...:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Melt the plastic hairdryer, not the drum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf's Den Armoury Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Dan, I recently started using a blower fan from an old clothes dryer and I can't be happier with it. It is powerful and quiet. I have a question related to this. I'm currently using a pot forge with an old hair dryer as my blower. The hair dryer just plain isn't moving enough air, and read on here (and Anvilfire) that the fan unit out of an old dryer will work quite well. My question is: obviously an old clothes dryer will have a motor to run the fan, but typically these motors are 220V motors. I only have 110V available to me as an outside outlet on my house (my silly wife won't let me run the forge in the basement where our 220V line is). what do I need to do (that won't cost me anything) to run a 220V motor on a 110V line? David ====== David Stous Chief Maille Smith Wolf's Den ArmouryWolf's Den Armoury -- Fine chainmaille since 1995 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Dean Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Dan unfortunatly you probably won't be able to change to 120V however you don't need much of a motor to run that size of a blower. 1/6 HP would be plenty. Here's a link to surplus center https://www.surpluscenter.com/ Look around a bit I could be a poor man there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf's Den Armoury Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Well, I just got back from a local appliance store. I asked to speak to the service manager and while chatting with him I said the magic word...."Blacksmith". I asked him if he had any dead dryers in the graveyard that I might be able to get a blower and motor out of. He told me that there *might* be one. While there, I asked him what would need to be done to convert it from 220V to 110V so I could run it off of straight household current.... Good news!!! The heating element in dryers is what runs on 220V...the motor is 110V! Makes it easier on them when they convert from an electric dryer to gas. Sooo....got myself a new blower! Now I just need to grab a grounded extention cord and wire it up.... Any thoughts how best to do that? [grin] If it matters, the motor itself is a Maytag Model 558nxeet-2895 David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 First thing is to look and see how many wires are coming out of the motor and what color they are. *Usually* green and white are ground and all the other colors would be hot. You are looking for at least one ground and one hot. From here it seems to have a lot of mystery wires. Maybe someone on the forum has played with one before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedwards Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Be careful. In a 120v AC circuit green is usually earth ground or chassis ground. White is usually the return line and if the circuit is in use it carries the same current as the black or "hot" side. If you get the white to earth ground you could have problems. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigcity Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Melt the plastic hairdryer, not the drum. i have had that happen to me before made my mom really mad when i melted it for her lol:o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I'm not an electrician but work with electricity often enough. White is "common" and in standard convention is taken to earth at the transformer on the pole. It is also earthed at the main breaker panel. Connecting white and green, while works, is dangerous as you can create a hot chassis. If you get into an unfortunate wet situation, you may get your lights lit. 110v probably won't kill you but it won't feel good, and may cause serious injury, and secondary injury from loss of muscle control. Then again, it may just kill you outright. Electricity is mindless in seeking ground. You might also want to use some sheet metal and make a housing for your motor to keep debris and fingers out of the moving parts. Nice score. I hope it serves you well. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Note when working on wiring that has been worked on by someone else previously *NEVER* BET YOUR LIFE THAT THEY DID IT RIGHT! *TEST* *TEST* *TEST*! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinetar Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 The white and green is connected on a home buss panel but I had to consult the Nat. code one day and found that outdoor house trailers and such need to have the grnd (green) and neutral (white) isolated and not on the same buss bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Pinetar: That's why I hire electricians to work on my panel. I rough in, and install devices, but I pay pro's to install panels. I will remember that tidbit and look it up if I ever need to work on a "mobile" home. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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