keithh999 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Heres the freebie forge i got today and it appears it has a few missing parts cause i cant work out how the flywheel is turned.....appears as if there is a one way clutch hub for the flywheel but i cant work out how pump handle transmits power to the hub(handle is missing as well). anyone ever seen one of these styles of forges?? blower says Champion Model 81......any help with the mechanics of this thing would be appreciated before i end up removing all this stuff and converting to electric blower. Thanks Keith MMM Fab & Forge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 The firepot is broken away and will need replaced along with the tue and ash dump. The outlet of the blower is broken too. The belt is missing, as is the pump handle, and related pump handle parts. Does the ratchet function, if it is present? Rebuilding it like original may be pretty hard. If the ratchet works, or can be made to work, and the blower doesn't have more damage then getting it working and looking nice, but not original, should not be too hard. I would fabricate a drop-in firepot and cut away much of the original firepot as an expedient. I would connect the blower to the tue with a rolled piece of sheet metal held by clamps of some type. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 I believe this used the 2 leather belts that are fastened to the shaft and then fastened to the arms that work it. (Pic #3) The piece with the eye bolt is the arm piece I am refering to. That is connected to the lever by a rod with eyes on both ends and then another eye bolt at the end of your lever. I have seen several of these in action but for the life of me this is the best I can explain it. You are missing the turye and the 'ducks nest' that the blower connects to as well. The ash dump is on the bottom of this. Once you get it restored you will have a nice forge. I strongly urge you NOT to try to weld any of the cracks up...you will only frustrate yourself. Drill 1/4" holes on either side and bolt a 1/4" x 1" x whatever length you need. This fix is so much faster and does the trick. On the far side of the forge (Pic #2) you can do the same with a wider piece of 1/4" flat stock. either bend a lip on it to fit under the bottom or weld a couple of tabs to bolt on, then match drill holes across the bottom and 2 sides. It really is an easy fix and doesn't look bad either...Much better looking than a bunch of weld metal that will most likely end up cracking out anyway....and look worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Good ideas on fixing the firepot Phil. but this forge does not use the ratchet, no gear on the shaft. Definitely a big project to restore but I believe Phil's ideas along with what I suggested may eliminate some of your grief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Ok, found this http://vintagemachin...il.aspx?id=4794 although it is only the blower this is the type of mechinism that powers your blower. At least that's what it appears like to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithh999 Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 was kind of planning on cutting out the tuyere and bottom of the firepot and building my own to attach to the blower. biggest issue was how the weighted arm was attached to the drive shaft of the flywheel. like i said i believe its a one way clutch kinda thing on the flywheel shaft. will know more when i dissassemble it to investigate further Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithh999 Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 PS...what would you guesstimate its age to be?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 mid to late 1890's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 If that picture Thomas linked is accurate then it will be easy to repair the mechanism IF the wheels turn freely, or can be made to turn freely. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithh999 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 UPDATE....got the forge totally apart and a new flywheel shaft made on the lathe and the one way clutch apart and in electrolytic derusting...legs off and making new ones today as well as fabbing up a new firepot and pipe connections to the blower. Question i have now is about the flywheel shaft lead/babbit bearing....they were worn totally away so i melted the old stuff out and cleaned the bore and want to pour new bearings....how do i pour the bearings?? with shaft in place or not??? and if so how to keep the shaft from adhearing to the lead as its poured? Or do i pour it solid and then drill it out for the shaft? obviously i need to kinda get the shaft up off the bottom of the bearing socket and thats no problem really but wont the lead stick to the shaft or is there something i can put on the shaft to keep it leadfree? ive changed the ends of the shaft from the stepped shaft to one continuous dimension from end to end and there is plenty of wiggle room in the bearing blocks. should the shaft be kept like original with stepped down ends or will single dimension shaft be ok?? Thanks guys!! Keith MMM Fab & Forge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 http://www.iforgeiron.com/page/index.html/_/articles/a0010a-babbiting-a-hammer-r46 This is a hammer, but the process should be the same. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 To prevent babbit from sticking to the shaft, blacken the shaft with soot from acetylene torch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Have you considered using a bronze bushing instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithh999 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 Yes i did consider bronze bushing instead of babbett but with the bearing block being worn egg shaped i thought it would be best to go back to a poured babbett bushing. got the one way clutch up and running now...took several trips to the belt sander to get the geometry right so that the 1/4X1X1 1/8" teeth catch correctly and release back into the hub. all parts are painted and now going to get the pipe and other things needed to rebuild the firepot. this forge should be ready to fire up this coming weekend if i dont have too many problems getting the new firepot built and installed. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragnfyr Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Hmmm... When I make a brake drum forge, I bolt a pipe coupling (cant remember what its called right now) to the bottom, make a tuyer out of some plate, and run 2" Black pipe down from it to the blower and ash dump... Couldnt you do the same to the original fire pit your forge had?? seems a waste to not use it... Drag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithh999 Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 actually thats kinda what im going to do but a wee bit different....check out the next installment of "how its made" LOL will update tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithh999 Posted March 28, 2012 Author Share Posted March 28, 2012 why wont this silly thing allow me to post updated photos of the progress on this forge?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 It broke again. 400x300 is posting fine still for a picture size. I know, not much better than a thumbnail. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithh999 Posted March 28, 2012 Author Share Posted March 28, 2012 well with the exception of the belts that are on the way the forge has been completely rebuilt and lubed and painted....new main shaft and new babbett bearings.....new tuyere and firepot utilizing the not totally rotted out parts (just supplemented)...layer of refractory cement under the new firepot to keep the rotted parts out of the heat as well as an airgap between new and old firepot....totally wirewheeled or sandblasted to remove rust and a hefty layer of primer and heat resistant paint .....new legs.....new pump handle with some fancy stainless steel chain i had laying around. Even highlighted the champion logo on the blower!! If the uploader gets fixed i will add pics of the rebuild Keith MMM Fab & Forge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forestgu3 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 In my quest to find more info on the forge I just bought I stumbled across your post. Awesome!! I have the exact same forge and blower but mine came missing only the flywheel belt. I don't know how much of it is original (handle, connecting rod, tue., etc.) and the paint options are mostly artistic license. Does anyone know color schemes and details? From my experience something of this nature would have pin striping and other decorative elements on the fly wheel and pump handle. P.S. After looking at the photos posted on the website I now know every spot that needs some touch up paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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