Here is a new project that I have started, showing a photograph of a wooden
template that I made and used to bend the front end of the
frame for a portable forge (Army type - mid-1800s).

I used scrap wood because I only plan on making one frame. I tried to bend the
whole 120" length of iron for the frame as one piece and found that to be too
unwieldy for a single person.

My hope is to encourage more people to try making a bellows forge. Bellows are
very enjoyable to use and great for public demonstrations, nice and quiet, and
bellows fit in nicely in presentations at museums and historical events.

The resulting front of the frame is shown in the jig being checked by one of my
supervisors.

Also shown is a circa 1850s drawing by Capt. Albert Mordecai U.S. Army

Thanks for sharing this, Dave. I too enjoy working a bellows at a historic site and have considered making a set for my shop, too. Maybe I just needed a nudge to get busy on it. Keep us posted on your progress. Thanks. :D

My pleasure to share, hopefully we can encourage more people to use bellows.

For my purposes, I have up-sized the forge from the original drawings so that it is 1/3rd wider and longer than the government drawings.

Here are changes I have made to the drawings.... so far.

The rear hinges on the frame are what I am working on now. When the rear legs of the frame are extended, the hinges grab and hold the cross-bar on the bellows... then when the rear legs are folded forward the cross-bar is released.

i use a portable forge based on a tinners forge from around 1800 ...i prefer bellows over most hand cranks and like the steady air flow...

I'll be using two single action bellows with my Y1K forge for the next week.

I'll be using two single action bellows with my Y1K forge for the next week.

How does that arrangement compare to a single two-chamber bellows? Is there any problem with blow-back of sparks? Are two single action bellows less or more work to use compared to a two-chamber bellows?