Glenn Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 A old blacksmith down in Mississippi suggests that if you leave your fire for some time and find it almost out when you return. To bring it back to life, throw a handful of dry sawdust into the fire. If there is any fire left, it will come back to life. Another trick is to put a block of wood in the fire and cover it with coal. When you return, just add air and the fire comes back to life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 you can also block open the drop gate(not all the way) it will pull air up and through the fire keeping it burning for a long time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Another trick is to put a block of wood in the fire and cover it with coal. When you return, just add air and the fire comes back to life. Works with coke too (for up to about an hour using a 4x2x4 block of wood) Another way with coke, is to have a small hole (1/4" approx) drilled through the slide valve (allowing a small amount of air throuh when the slide valve is shut) and leave the blower idling, (in a side blast, this is the equivalent of Jimbob's leaving the drop gate/ash dump ajar), Then when you return give the fire a quick blast to rekindle it, then you can fish out any clinker that has solidified during the shut down, then restart again with a clean fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 In the olden days in horseshoeing school, we were told about the piece of wood in the fire and opening the ash door. We were also told to bank the fire over the top and sides with about 1" of pea sized coal, preferably dry coal. A Britisher told me that he simply stuck a 1" pipe into the fire vertically. I haven't tried it. http://www.turleyforge.com Granddaddy of Blacksmith Schools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 you can also block open the drop gate(not all the way) it will pull air up and through the fire keeping it burning for a long time! I've done that and left the forge to go fix a leaking pipe under the house. Came back an hour later, turned the crank and TADA! FIRE! Mark<>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 i take a thick peice of either cedar or spruce bark and bury it and leave the ash dump open, it stays as coals for up to 3 hours, i have also done this with a handfull of lump charcoal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I've used the saw dust trick several times and it works great. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhw Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 A half cup of rubbing alcahol starts charcoal or coke from cold without making smoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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