Small Champion forge questions, now for sale

[JimsShip]

I wanted to post this in the "It follwed me home" or Forge threads, but don't know how to attach pics using the reply options, so please excuse the new thread.
I just found this litle guy an an old antique barn. I can't find another like it on the web (with or without the ugly home made garbage can windshield!). The pan is 16X12 inches and about 2 and 1/2 inches deep. The center cricle is 6" round.
The blower is all jammed up, probably rusted in the bearings (if it has any). I can get everything to turn when using both the large wheel, and the small wheel under it, but not by the large one alone. My hopes are to get this thing apart and replace any parts it may need.
So- That being said, where do i find replacement parts for the blower? The rubber grips that grab the small gear wheel will probably need to be replaced. They hold tightly, but it's cracked in the center (see pic),
Anyone know what model this may be or what it's worth? The legs have a small opening in the bottom, so I'm assuming I can fit it on some longer legs, or else just work off the back of my truck.
Also- assuming I can brush this clean, I'm thinking of painting it with high heat black paint, (with red for the blower and nameplate) Do you think this is a good idea, or should I leave it as it is. (I want it to last, but don't want it to lose value.) Do I need to put clay inside this thing before firing it up?
Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!

[bmazingo]

super sweet find

[Old N Rusty]

use sand/ portland cement mix 3 parts sand to one part cement mix moist and put a liner layer in it almost as high as that bolt do not skip this it will crack! let the cement mix set overnight and fire up the next day . You got a lot of cleaning and carefull dissembly to do on that blower, soak it in KROL or some other penetrating oil then clean it I hope it is just crud in it.

[JimsShip]

use sand/ portland cement mix 3 parts sand to one part cement mix moist and put a liner layer in it almost as high as that bolt do not skip this it will crack! let the cement mix set overnight and fire up the next day . You got a lot of cleaning and carefull dissembly to do on that blower, soak it in KROL or some other penetrating oil then clean it I hope it is just crud in it.

Just on the bottom? I don't need to do the sides? I'm not sure how i'll get the cement that high without burying the tuyere, although looking at the picture I guess I could at least make it flush with it.

[Old N Rusty]

yes dont bury the tweer pack the moist mix right up to it I think I got a fan belt blower just like that and it blows good if yours cant be fix we deal ok?

[JimsShip]

Sounds good, i'll keep you posted.
On a funnier note, I just Googled "KROL" and came up with a type of vodka, and after further suggestions found KROIL, which I've never heard of. (I wasn't sure if you wanted me to drink the vodka or soak the blower in it!)
Is PB Blaster about the same thing, or should I special order some KROIL?

[CurlyGeorge]

Here is a thread that was just recently posted and it shows how to do the tuyere.

[Old N Rusty]

As far as I know ANY penetrating oil might do it, even kerosene, soak and clean the paint job you spoke about will be very nice, Juts do not paint it purple!

[Francis Trez Cole]

It looks like a champion bench forge model# 21 hearth 13"x18" the sales ad says it is used for light work can be set on a box easily moved around and can bring 1" iron to weld heat in ten min. sold for $16.00. weight 45 pounds. was also sold with a hood partial or full option. From the picture it had a piece of steel as a wind and gear guard half moon shape just an inch above the big wheel the with of that side. hope this helps. it looks like it has set screws to had taller legs that can be held in place. The leg configuration is different from the ad

[JimsShip]

It looks like a champion bench forge model# 21 hearth 13"x18" the sales ad says it is used for light work can be set on a box easily moved around and can bring 1" iron to weld heat in ten min. sold for $16.00. weight 45 pounds. was also sold with a hood partial or full option. From the picture it had a piece of steel as a wind and gear guard half moon shape just an inch above the big wheel the with of that side. hope this helps. it looks like it has set screws to had taller legs that can be held in place. The leg configuration is different from the ad

Do you have a link to the ad? I'd love to see it. Does anyone know where I can get blower parts?

[JimsShip]

Ok, dissasembly wasn't all that hard. There's no gears or bearings, just the rubber wheel you see in pic #3 that needs to be replaced. (Although it looked like it griped the wheel tightly, you can see it's dried out and split in the center.) It looks like it was originally one piece, held tight by a spring and cotter pin. (I'll try and post a better pic as soon as I find the wifes camera.)
The big question is- WHERE DO I FIND A REPLACEMENT? :(

[Francis Trez Cole]

the ad is in the book A Blacksmith's Hammerman's Emporium by Douglas Freund isbn 0-9657652-1-0. as for replacement parts you are going to have to make your own

[JimsShip]

I was afraid of that. Anyone know the proper name for this part?
They must make something like it for for some gear out there, I just need to start looking.

[chanowk]

hi. just saw your forge on google.i just picked up the same one a few days ago.it had 3 roles steel legs that pinned in.mine is missing 1 part. but the two friction bushings are supposed to be seperate. (the leather looking wheels),they are two seperate wheedls that should squeeze lightly against the iron wheel.i talked to a man in ohio,he told me that iron wheel,which is set between the bushings,should be fairly smooth so as not to eat up the bushings

[chanowk]

i just became a member hoping i could communicate with you.my forge is identical.only problem is its missing the post that holds the large gear to the pan... and the small(1 1/2" or so diameter)gear that connects the large gear to the drive shaft under the pan.pretty sad.would you do me the kindness of messuring the diameter of that small gear??? also, my composite bushings are deffinatly 2 individual pieces.they aught to squeeze the SIDES of the wheel. is it possible that the've worn to where the iron drive wheel is bottoming out in the gap???would shaving down the FLAT of the wheels between them help bring them closer togehter to help get the pressre right???? chris

[JimsShip]

Hey Chris- Thanks for the input, I'd love to see pics of your forge. I like that i'm now a Google search! (I couldn't find another like mine!)
Actually I just finished restoring it, and I did simply clean up the bushings and put them back on with a new spring. (I think it was at one time one piece, maybe to protect the bar, but after I trimmed the uneven middle section off I noticed it was working fine as 2 separate sides, so I went with it.) This thing makes a hell of a racket, but seems to move a lot of air! I'll post pics tomorrow in this thread, and will definitely measure the gear for you. The crank wheel pin should be easy enough to replicate, I'm not sure about the small gear though.
Funny thing about the pin legs, I knew it had them at one point, but I didn't realize you needed them to run the forge or the small wheel that turns the paddle hits against the table surface, (Grrrr! It took me so long to figure out that's why It would work on it's side but not standing up!) So I simply put some small lengths of black pipe with bolts to raise it a bit. (Longer pipes seemed to make it wobbly and unstable.)
Welcome to the site by the way, and please feel free to ask me for any help you may need. The folks here have been more than kind in helping me get started and I'm happy to do the same for you!

[JimsShip]

Here are the pics of the finished restoration! What do you think?
I was worried that the sand/cement lining took too much space in the pan (I was told to try and get it close the bolt) but I think it's better to be safe than sorry. I'd rather work in a shallow pan than crack the forge.
Now all I need is some coal...

[ThomasPowers]

looks a beaut! Though I would have sloped the lining up on the sides to "funnel" fuel toward the tuyere during use.

If it's still making a lot of noise check to see if one of the fan blades is out of alignment and decide if you want to risk bending it back into alignment or trimming the blade to keep it from hitting. Sometimes adjusting the "bearings" can help too.

Note that real chunk charcoal will work quite well in that forge, no need to wait till you find decent coal even walmart has real charcoal if you hunt around the briquettes area! (if you use real charcoal you may want to place a firebrick in the forge on either side of the tuyere to get a deeper yet smaller fire

[JimsShip]

Thanks Thomas. I wanted to do that but the tuyere is so raised in the middle I was afraid I'd lose all side space trying to get the botom flush with it. (Not to mention burying that bolt! I'm already a bit concerned i buried all the screw heads that hold the blower on!)
As far as the noise, everything is running clear of itself it's just a bit of play in the works I think. I've never had one so this may all be normal.
Thanks for the brick idea, i'm going to do that!

[JimsShip]

You can see the thread regarding it's renovation here:


Please contact me if interested.

[Marksnagel]

If I had the $$ I would have my brother come and get it. Somebody had better jump on that one. Nice looking forge.

[JimsShip]

I already posted this, dude

Where did you post it? I looked fore the "first come first serve" post (I think that was the title) but didn't see it anywhere.
Thanks though!

[Harley]

How Much ?

[JimsShip]

I'd like to get $300 for it.

Stewart, I know you were about an hour away, right? You had invited me to a show you were doing, but I was unable to get away from the family at the time.
I would love to get together sometime and see your shop though. So far I'm just working out of a packed garage and my forge time has been extremely limited!

[Wesley Chambers]

I like this design a lot! I wish I could afford to help you out and use this for a demo forge.