NoviceSmith15 Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Hi everyone, the names Matt--I'm a new member here and have recently become interested in blacksmithing. I have already built my own brake drum forge, and I've got a solid block of steel, a little over a foot long on all four sides, and plan to use it as a starter anvil. I'm hoping to get to the banging of certain shiny objects soon, so I need to ask a question: how much air is needed to get your fuel (I don't have any coal yet) hot enough? I actually had planned on using just a recently-replaced bathroom vent fan as a starter blower, but I'm wondering if that would generate enough air? I know that blacksmiths have used anything from a hair dryer to intense leather lung bellows and champion 400 blowers, so I just don't know exactly how much air flow will be needed to actually get the metal hot enough. If anyone has any answers for me, it would be very appreciated. Thanks! Matt, 15~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a62rambler Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 I'm not yet started but I did remember a post in the solid fuel forge section. See the fourth response from someone who knows more than you or me. http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/26659-blower-recommendation-for-55-forge/ Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoviceSmith15 Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 Yes, that definitely answered my question--I was thinking of using charcoal for starters, so that helped a lot. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a62rambler Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Your welcome. There's enough info on this site to keep you reading for months. I let you know how many months when I finish reading all the information. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borntoolate Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Matt, where are you located? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Welcome aboard Matt glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in your header you might be pleasantly surprised to discover how many blacksmiths live in visiting range. It'll also mean us old farts won't have to rely on our memories when we're traveling in your neighborhood and want a snack, nap or beer. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 The bathroom blower will be enough for charcoal, but not coal. I had poor results with the bathroom vent. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoviceSmith15 Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 K, thanks! I think I know how to put that on my header.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoviceSmith15 Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 Alright, I got it up. Also, I wanted to inform you all that if you're in my neighborhood, snack and nap are a given, but...eh...me age be fifteen, so...Negative on the beer, OK? But hey, I've got plenty of H2O, if you can handle that! B) Matt~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Look for a squirrel cage fan from machinery such as xerox machine, or any machine that needs cooling. Bigger is ok to as you can vent what ever air you do not need for the forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 The discharge from a Vacuum Cleaner, or Shop Vac is more than adequate, ... and a simple damper, or "throttle" gives you infinite control. I use an old Clothes Dryer, that I gutted, ... retaining only the stripped out cabinet and the blower. And redirected the vent pipe up to a homemade "Throttle Body". ( made from a 1 1/2" pipe "tee" and a plug ) The Fire Pot and Tuyere are from a little "Rivet Forge", ... and the Fire Pot sits right on top of the old Dryer cabinet. I pulled a lot of the bits and pieces from existing "stock" :P laying around the Shop, ... and the old Dryer had already served us well for about 20 years, ... so the only thing I had to actually "buy" was the pipe "T" and plug. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry H Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 I'll tell ya what......when I first started, I needed a mobile forge, ( shoeing horses ). I went to the auto junk yard and bought a heater blower, it was plenty of air for coal, 12v, ran off truck battery...even at flea markets. And it was quiet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoviceSmith15 Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 Just wanted to say that today I finally got my feet wet in this trade: I got some charcoal, put it in my forge, lit it, and after a struggle to keep it aflame, turned on my blower, put a small steel rod in the heat and presto! I got a thrill as I pulled the rod out of the fire and saw cherry red-heat! I quickly brought it to my makeshift anvil, hammered it, and after a few tries, had a piece of metal shaped like a candy-cane, which I will use to scrape and shift the coals. Thanks all! :D Matt~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quick60 Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Thats awsome Matt!! I dont know if you already have ability built in to do so but turn your air down while working at the anvil and you will save a lot of money on coal. Its always exciting to pull the piece out at the heat you want and go right to work!!! congratlutions on your progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoviceSmith15 Posted April 26, 2012 Author Share Posted April 26, 2012 Thanks! unfortunately, I'm not able to turn my blower down, as it has only one function: blow. But hey, so far it works for charcoal--dunno about coal though... :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewayforge Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 Try a mixture of coal and charcoal next- It helps when you don't have ideal air going through the forge. But congrats on your first blacksmithing! I definately reccommend getting to spend some time with an experienced smith. They'l guide you so you don't get into bad habits while forging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoviceSmith15 Posted April 26, 2012 Author Share Posted April 26, 2012 Thanks! I will have to try that and see--I've also been interested in trying corn out for fuel, after reading what other members here have said about it. I hope to get some teaching from an experienced blacksmith someday soon--I've studied a good bit, but that can't equal actual experience. I've heard of a few veteran smiths I might be interested in learning from someday... :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewed Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 Charcoal is much easier to light than coal, so I would work on your fire starting practices. I useally start with some torn up cardboard or such. Light that and toss in a few hunks or charcoal. Turn the blower on as soon as the charcoal is in the fire. It should fire right up. Once I get a charcoal fire burnign, then I add the coal. Add a switch to your blower, you will save a lot of fuel that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 Thanks! unfortunately, I'm not able to turn my blower down, as it has only one function: blow. But hey, so far it works for charcoal--dunno about coal though... :D If you have too much air, use a sliding gate, or a waste gate to either restrict or dump air. Interesting thing is some blowers will put out MORE air if you waste some air! If your setup works fine, run with it for now until you can make a definite upgrade. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoviceSmith15 Posted April 26, 2012 Author Share Posted April 26, 2012 Thanks! I'll keep your suggestions in mind when I get back to lighting some coal :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Cable Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 if your using an electric driven blower, for an on off switch while working at my anvil i use a powerstrip/surgeprotector, just hit the on/off switch on the power strip with your foot when you take your peice out of the fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I haven't dabbled in a while but I used a " bucket vac" its a small shop vacuum that fits on a 5 gallon bucket. Bought it at home depot ~15 dollars not huge flexible just have to watch how close your inlet is to the heat easily avoidable though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEmory Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 an easy on/off switch is the safety plug off a hairdryer or other bathroom electrical device. Hit test for off, reset for on, but I dunno how long would last under heavy use. Just rigged my first one to the drill press I salvaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 The GFI safety circuits tend to go bad really really fast and then be expensive to replace when tripped---like one of them should cover getting a powerstrip with an on-off switch. Now including such a outlet in your total system is a good idea and any external outlet should already be on such a GFI circuit. When I dug a trench forge for working a long piece I blew it with a shop vac and dealt with the excess air by having the output hose of the vac *not* fastened to the inlet of the 3' long tuyere. I left a gap between then and could adjust airflow by how close or how concentric the pipes were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 an easy on/off switch is the safety plug off a hairdryer or other bathroom electrical device. Hit test for off, reset for on, but I dunno how long would last under heavy use. Just rigged my first one to the drill press I salvaged. Why not use a lightswitch? I use one on my belt grinder. I just wired it into the power cord, and fastened it to the table (I don't really need it fastened, but it is nice to have it stationary) I went "fancy" and used a metal box, conduit clamps, and even a switchplate. I could have just used some scrap wood and went straight to the table. Grandpa wired the lathe up the same way (was his grinder too, but he didn't have a switch on it) Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.