ebay blower for solid fuel forge

[Crunch]

Hey, all,

I'm putting together my first coal forge and was looking at various options for a blower.

On ebay I found a 200 cfm centrifugal blower that looks interesting:

http://cgi.ebay.com/MCLEAN-1NB412-CENTRIFUGAL-BLOWER-110-V-200-CFM-NEW-/230530125104

On the performance curves from the mfgr, it looks like it does 150 cfm at a pressure of 1 inch of water or 100 cfm at 1.4 inches of water.

The forge I'm making is from a light truck wheel with a home-fabricated 3" ID tuyere or whatever you call it (I'm totally new to this). The main part of the firepot will be maybe 6" in diameter. I don't have a clinker-breaker yet; for my first foray, I plan to use a cast iron "grate" over the air inlet.

Does anyone have a feel for whether the blower referenced above will be "up to the task" for my application? Has anyone used a blower like this?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Pat Roy]

Not knowing what I really needed, a half dozen years ago I bought a 400 cfm blower, I don't recall what pressure it can deliver. It is way too much in any case and I have put a speed control on it. I run it nearly as slow as it can go. At full speed the noise was also just to much. I also have a slide gate damper for shutoff.

I would think that 100 cfm and 1.4 inches of water column would be plenty.

Obviously another option would be a hand cranked blower.

I'm sure more opinions will follow.

Good luck

[Frosty]

It's a squirrel cage, high volume low pressure and not as suitable for a solid fuel forge as other alternatives. Still, if it's what you have it'd probably be more than enough to blow a brake drum size fire all over the shop. Seriously, for a brake drum forge a hand held hair drier works fairly well and one out of a car heater can make a big blaze.

Frosty the Lucky.

[Duke of Nada]

I'm using a old Kerby vacuum for my forge. I just put in a t in the pipe and a valve to control how much goes to the fire. If I need to expand the size of my forge there is no worry weather my vacuum can supply enough blast. Just get you an old vacuum and hook up the hose to were the bag is suppose to go.

[Wesley Chambers]

I have been very happy with the drop on hand crank blowers on ebay lately , I saw a nice one go for 130 and one that only needs cleanup for 65! these are great deals, and honestly if your going to use coke hand blowers can save you a lot of fuel by not blowing constantly!

[Marksnagel]

I have an old hand crank blower. I wouldn't trade it for a power blower. I don't mind cranking and like Wesley mentioned, it doesn't constantly burn up my coal. If I had more than a few 'irons in the fire' at the same time, then I might want a constant air flow but I can't keep track of but a few things at a time.
If I had the need to go with a powered blower, I would probably go to the nearest junkyard and scavange a heater blower. Can't cost too much.

[Sweany]

doesn't constantly burn up my coal

I use a on/off switch :)

[MattBower]

200 CFM too much for a forge of the size you're describing. Even though it won't handle back pressure very well (i.e., it won't be able to deliver an actual 200 CFM to your forge), you'll have to find a way to reduce the blast. But the price is right, so in your shoes I wouldn't be afraid to go for it.

[Crunch]

Thanks for the advice and expertise, guys.

I use a on/off switch

I'm thinking of rigging a fan speed control on a foot pedal (like a TIG amperage pedal). Here's one for ~ $13:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Solid-State-AC-speed-Control-Blower-motors-/140459712345

[HWHII]

Thanks for the advice and expertise, guys.





I'm thinking of rigging a fan speed control on a foot pedal (like a TIG amperage pedal). Here's one for ~ $13:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Solid-State-AC-speed-Control-Blower-motors-/140459712345

On one of the first forges I built had a blower simular to the one pictured. I wired a sliding ceiling fan reastat to it and it worked fine. It was a gas forge though.

[arftist]

I suggest you try a sliding or swinging plate over the inlet side of the blower. Easier on the motor that way and works very well too. Additionaly, since you are still building it, rig up your ash dump so it can also work as an air dump. Between these two methods you can tune your air flow precisely. If you insist on using additional electric devises, rig a foot switch, the fan only runs as long as you are standing there, saving both coal and nearly finished work, if you get distracted.

Both of my workaday forges have inlet side air controll.