Where Do Blowers Come From?

[thingmaker3]

Like many smiths, I find fascination in the history of human ingenuity.

I've read a lot about early bellows and the speculation of how they may have come about. Plenty of material from the bronze age bladders to Theophilus Presbyter's pig-skins to the famous double-lungers.

But I find very little on centrifugal blowers. Based on written opinion of late 19th century smiths (who swore never to return to bellows after using a blower) I'd guess they are Edwardian at the earliest. Does anyone know for sure? Are they a German gadget? A French find? An English innovation?

Where do blowers come from?

[wolfshieldrx]

I think Al Gore invented them... ;-)

[arftist]

Clearly they were invented to relace the fillibuster.

[fciron]

I think Al Gore invented them... ;-)

Al Gore was a noob. I blame Strom Thurmond. :P

[Frank Turley]

I found some information at http://www.sturtevantfan.com/History.html The article says that the centrifugal fan dates back to the 16th century, but it was unclear why it wasn't more used over the years. Most of my forge blowers with the hand crank carry patent dates around the turn of the 20th century.

http://www.turleyforge.com Granddaddy of Blacksmith Schools

[clinton]

Very interesting article there Frank, thank you for the history lesson

[chyancarrek]

The history of the fan is definitely one of those things you just take for granted. Thanks for asking the question TM3 - and to you Frank for a great little piece of history!

[John B]

Centrifugal fans in Europe were often water powered along with trip hammers etc, see ref scythe works etc but what date they were first used, as said,is a good question.

[ThomasPowers]

May I commend to your attention "De Re Metallica", Agricola, wherein you will find a large number of devices for moving air and pumping water out of mines dating to the Renaissance. This is a must have book for anyone interested in the history of metals processes, it's available in English and fairly in expensive from Dover publishers. The massive number of original wood cuts in it make it a real treat!

I believe that the major reason why centrifugal devices were not used as much for air was that to get a good pressure from them you need tight clearances or/and greater speed; both were much more expensive to produce than to use the simple bellows (which were ganged and then waterpowered too!) The "blowing engine" of the early industrial revolution was merely an advancement on the bellows using a positive displacement piston cylinder set up.

[pkrankow]

So...would early versions have been made of (mostly) wood instead of metal?
Phil

[dablacksmith]

So...would early versions have been made of (mostly) wood instead of metal?
Phil

the ones ive seen referenced to were a combo of wood and sheet metal(1810-1870).

[stretch]

I think Al Gore invented them... ;-)

Thats a blowhard, not a blower ?????

[ThomasPowers]

One of the earliest I have seen was made from wood and feathers---in De Re Metallica.

[firebug]

First you have a Daddy Blower and he finds a Mommy Blower and the Daddy Blower, well you know the rest of the story. I couldn't resist, sorry for the stupid reply. But that was a good question. I promise not to make a habit out of this.

[Ferrous Beuler]

"Where do blowers come from"?
I think they come from the blower fairy, honestly.
I bought a Champion 400 from a man once for $50 and he threw in another complete but disassembled 400 for free.
The blower fairy works in mysterious ways...