Side Drafting Kitty Litter

[Ron Hicks]

Sorry to keep asking about things

When I first put together my forge I used Kitty Litter clay mixed with water to make a bed to sit the fire pot in and raise it to the level of the drop down on the forge body. Bad idea the cat litter when dry is crumbly and is impossible to keep from getting in the fire.
Also I made my hood to sit in the forge on the edge of the fire pot. It worked like a Hoover Vac. I had fire in the hood all the time and seemed that side of the fire pot stayed hotter all the time + It took up to much room in this little forge.
Heres a pic. of it before reworking it-


I reworked the Coal Forge and moved my hood over 7 inches and raised it up .I made a stand for it and looks like its sitting on the outer rim of the forge body.

I removed all kitty clay and dry set bricks under the pot to rasie it up.
Its only sucking about 1/2 the smoke now.
I have 12 in. pipe on it and is about 3 1/2 feet above the roof peak.

I was wondering If a Shroud type of thing on the front of the hood would make it work?
How far should it stick out?
I was thinking like center of fire and tapper back to the hood at the bottom??

I really dont want to sit it back in the forge it takes up to much room.
Any Ideas ?
Thanks Ron

[Glenn]

The hood needs to be close to the fire. The closer the better until it interferes with your work at the forge. A roof helps as it controls the air being drawn into the hood to only the front and two sides.

Don't be afraid move things around till you find what works best for you.

[skunkriv]

Nice hood Ron. You already had it about where it needs to be. If you want more room I think you will be happier if you build a table to put your fire pot in. Set your pot maybe an inch further out than you had it when it was drawing right and build the rest to suit you. Make the table top out of 1/4" plate and you should never need another one.

One of these days I will get a good digital camera...

[Ron Hicks]

How about If I made like a Half Hood with the 12in. pipe?
I think Half Hood was what the old forge had on it when new.

Centaur Forge has 2 Half Hoods - when they say 30 in. Half Hood is that how high the front of the hood is?Centaur Forge-Centaur 30" Half Hood

Thanks Ron

[Glenn]

The photo was taken to show how the side draft hood pulled the flame from the fire into the draft.

For this forge, the steel is usually placed horizontally into the fire level with to about an inch above the table top. The coal is usually about 2 inches deeper as when the photo was taken it needed a bit more coal to continue forging the 1-1/8 round bar.

The hood placement is about 2 inches from the edge of the fire pot for this forge.

Each forge is a little different so don't be afraid to make adjustments till you find the sweet spot for YOUR forge and YOUR set up.

[Ron Hicks]

I moved it back beside the fire pot I may make a Half Hood.
With it so close I pile coal in the hood with a big fire.
I just want more room