Royal forge crank blower

[Paul Crosby]

Hello I am wondering if this is a good deal for 145.00. It works real good but is just missing a handle. Also could anyone tell me a little about how old it is. I'm guessing around 1927. Thanks

[Everything Mac]

Missing a handle definitely means you should knock off as much as you can.

£100 would be my very top price.

It does look in pretty good condition though so I'd not let it get away.

Andy

[doc]

Well worth the price. If you need it !

[Big-D]

I think Canneday Ottos (sp?) are the best, they have bushings instead of bearings, easily replaced.

[ThomasPowers]

The works real well part---do you know this or is it something the seller told you? (And how do they/you know good working from ok?)

I've had several folks try to sell me blowers that were "great working" ones that when I checked them out were fair to bad. They thought that if it moved it was working great whereas I wanted the handle to make 3 or more revolutions *after* I let go of it. (and knowing when gummy old oil was the only issue can take experience.)

Note that this is an international forum so it helps to tag stuff with the type of money---like US$145 (you could be looking at one in Canada after all...not much difference now but at times....)

[Paul Crosby]

Thanks for all the imput. How far should it go by itself after three turns? I have never used that blower before.

[ThomasPowers]

What I do is to crank it at a pace suitable for my common forging needs. Then I let go of the handle and I want it to make at least 3 complete revolutions of the handle on it's own. This means that I will have time to switch tools, take a drink of water, etc in between cranking and pulling the hot piece out.

As I mentioned a perfectly good blower might just be gummed up with ancient oil and work fine once cleaned out; however slop, grinding, chattering in the gear box is a bad sign!

[HWooldridge]

What I do is to crank it at a pace suitable for my common forging needs. Then I let go of the handle and I want it to make at least 3 complete revolutions of the handle on it's own. This means that I will have time to switch tools, take a drink of water, etc in between cranking and pulling the hot piece out.

As I mentioned a perfectly good blower might just be gummed up with ancient oil and work fine once cleaned out; however slop, grinding, chattering in the gear box is a bad sign!

I might add that the "3 turns" coasting can also be relative depending on whether the counterweight is present and where it is located on the crank handle.

[ThomasPowers]

Yes but what you don't want is the one that stops dead as soon as you turn loose---having to crank all the time is a pain---why it's better to have a large blower on a small forge than a small blower on a large forge.

[Everything Mac]

What might be the cause of a blower not working properly Thomas?

I recently got one for my new forge that seems to make about one turn after I stop cranking. But it isn't mounted up properly yet so that might be why?

A thorough clean with a degreaser and wire brush?

Cheers
Andy

[ptree]

I have 3 of the Cannady Otto blowers, and indeed as far as I am concerned the best blowers every made. Becasue they actually hold the oil in the case instead of dripping it out they do tend to get gummed up. I like to drain the oil and fill with Kerosene (Pariffin for the UK folks). If I have time I soak the entire blower in kerosene and after a week or so drain. Then mount in the correct attititude. That is with the oil fill hole straight up. The trycock (Test Valve) will be at about 45 degrees. Then fill with a 50:50 mix of kerosene and light oil(ATF). I then try turning and on these symetrical case blowers they can be turned either way. Most have worn in and turn easier in one direction. Once i find the easy direction I turn gently for a couple of minutes and drain. Surprising what gunk will drain. I repeat till I get a clean drain. Then I fill with ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid- Dexron-Mercon in the US)
ATF has a great anti-wear package and has a very low pour point and is about perfect in these blower gear boxes.
I change the oil yearly. I have a shop that can drop to -10F and be as hot as 100F and the blower turns fine at any temp I have tried. I don't forge at -10F but have turned the blower and it was fine.

[Big-D]

I use a combination of chainsaw bar oil and Marvel Mystery Oil, but it doesn't get that cold where I live.

[ThomasPowers]

Causes: worn out bearings causing mis-alignements, old grease or oil that has solidified to rock, too heavy an oil causing more force needed to turn. Mud daubers nests in the fan shroud (or mouse nests)

You could even have a marriage where two worn blowers were frankensteined together and so the wear patterns and alignments are subtly off.

[Everything Mac]

Cheers Thomas, I'll have a look at the blower when I get home.

[SReynolds]

I have married two of these blowers into one and just sold it for 100.00. last weekend. I couldn't honestly sell it to an end-user for top price. I woudn't have felt right about it.

I had to tweak some parts inside to get all them pieces to turn/work together. It is really loud, but it works. It has no broken items. No cracks. A new handle and fresh paint.It is/was complete and ready to use. It just wasn't a cream-puff like I'd desire for MY operation.

A blower pictured, complete and turning free. Low noise, missing the handle............I'd pay 145 for one many times over!!!