Furnace1 Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Here is an old forge a friend of mine gave me the other day. He just wanted someone to get some use out of it and would not take anything for it at all!...He's almost 81 and figures he won't ever use it so here it is at my place!! Anyway it is a Champion midway spiral gear blower and I quess the forge is made by them as well?.....no markings of any kind on it. Already set a place in my shop where it will be once I have it up and running. I do have a question on the blower, it seems to be leaking oil from a few places. It works fine and blows air like anything but I'd rather ask first before I take it apart what they used for oil seals in these things? If it turns out it's not leaking much I may leave it alone but if it pours out than I'll have to try and fix it. Usually when I have had a situation like this in the past, I've used grease instead of oil and that took care of it. Any input would be very much apprecited......thanks, Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Blowers will leak oil, they really do not need much oil, just enough to catch the gear and get flung about inside. You want to use light weight oil Like automatic transmission fluid. You can put a drip pan under it or wrap a rag around it to control excessive leaks. If it works you are better off not taking it apart, it is easy to damage parts while trying to disassemble one of these. Did you get a fire pot? I did not see one in the photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 It looks like it is in pretty good shape. Everything seems to be there except the tuyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Oil Seal? Harbor, leopard---any seal that waddled through the shop. if your old blower isn't leaking it's probably sick! I would not advise grease anything that cuts down on the ease of turning the handle is BAD! I like my blowers to make 3 complete revolutions of the handle when I let go of it. For an improvised round tuyere look for an old set of jackstands made from the axle covers from a '30's banjo rear end. I've found them in AR, OH and NM so far without problems and paid $5 for a set of two for the expensive ones. Grind out the ridges and the bearing holder with an angle grinder and you have a spiffing firepot---mine is now on it's 3rd forge been using the first one for 25 years so far and have the other as a backup; but it may go with the forge at my estate sale as the first one looks great still and that's with a lot of rain and forge welding in it's use life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furnace1 Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 Blowers will leak oil, they really do not need much oil, just enough to catch the gear and get flung about inside. You want to use light weight oil Like automatic transmission fluid. You can put a drip pan under it or wrap a rag around it to control excessive leaks. If it works you are better off not taking it apart, it is easy to damage parts while trying to disassemble one of these. Did you get a fire pot? I did not see one in the photos Thank you, I was leaning towards not taking it apart if it did not really need it. I'll change the oil and put in just enough as you suggested. No fire pot, it seems to have that built in depression near the opening that's about 4" deep. I do have the Tee that connects to it and the blower piping. The only thing that he said was missing is the clinker breaker and the tuyer that had burned up at some point. Thanks again.......Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furnace1 Posted April 17, 2011 Author Share Posted April 17, 2011 Oil Seal? Harbor, leopard---any seal that waddled through the shop. if your old blower isn't leaking it's probably sick! I would not advise grease anything that cuts down on the ease of turning the handle is BAD! I like my blowers to make 3 complete revolutions of the handle when I let go of it. For an improvised round tuyere look for an old set of jackstands made from the axle covers from a '30's banjo rear end. I've found them in AR, OH and NM so far without problems and paid $5 for a set of two for the expensive ones. Grind out the ridges and the bearing holder with an angle grinder and you have a spiffing firepot---mine is now on it's 3rd forge been using the first one for 25 years so far and have the other as a backup; but it may go with the forge at my estate sale as the first one looks great still and that's with a lot of rain and forge welding in it's use life! Ok, I'm not worried about it leaking anymore. If you guys say it's normal than that's fine with me....didn't want to fix it if it wasn't broke anyway and no grease!!! but I don't know when it will ever get three revs after I let go of the handle. It's going to need to be much warmer here for it to spin that free!!! only 32 out and still waiting for spring. I quess I'll have to get that up and running with a good fire to thaw everything out! I will look for those axle covers or something like that given the tuyere is gone and I'll need to make another. Thanks for the reply Thomas.....I'll post more pictures as it progresses......Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furnace1 Posted April 17, 2011 Author Share Posted April 17, 2011 It looks like it is in pretty good shape. Everything seems to be there except the tuyer. Yes, it's not too bad except for the part you mentioned and a little work on the legs. I think the chimney will take more work actually but, it will be worth it. I've got a gasser right now but could not turn this down. I wish that forge could talk....can't imagine how many fires it had and work it put out....lot's of history in these old tools. Thanks for the reply.......Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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