chopit Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I bought this forge on ebay. I guess I should have got a hand crank blower. It doesn't seem to move enough air. The ratchet action just isn't what I thought. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 that is very nice . i can forge in it if you can not use it . Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chopit Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 The blowers is a 150 I cant find any markings on it. It doesn't seem to move very much air. I don't think it will get very hot. The blowers works but my only experience is with a friends champion 400 hand crank. I will fire it up next week when I get some coal and see. I guess I couldpipe a hand crank blowers to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Good Morning, That blower is NOT like a 400. Can't compare them. The little ratchet forge works well with small fires, you don't need HUGE BLOW. I have used a forge exactly like yours, Start with a small fire, You will get some good heat. Check that the impellors aren't damaged and the air passage is free. Make sure the ash dump closes!! If there is a breeze (wind), take a piece of sheet metal and make a half round shield (approx 8-10" high), hold it to the pan with 2 or 3 bolts. It is easy to rotate the forge to accomodate the wind. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 That forge is great for demos. Lightweight, small, and you can make all kinds of things with it. I would love to have one like it for traveling. Try it before you condemn it. You just might like it. Mark <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pug}{maN Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 i use one almost every day, i have even made hammers with it , so it will get hot and work for you ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Forges are sized for the work they are meant to do. You can have some leeway by over cranking a small one or under cranking a large one. However expecting a small forge to do large work without pushing the envelope is not in the cards. As building a forge is pretty simple as long as you can source a working blower, why not keep that for small work and build a larger one for large work. Besides which if you are just getting started small work is better to learn on and so you can get good while waiting on sourcing a bigger blower! (oh yes did you examine the blower vanes to make sure they were all there and intact? trimming them down even slightly so a blower doesn't "tic" when used can really really impact the amount of air it moves---if you didn't check for this *before* purchase Caveat Emptor!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chopit Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 I did some adjusting on it this morning and it got a lot better. It puts out a good steady flow of air now. I put some brass washers at the collar contact points of the large crank wheel. I also loosened up on the teeth contact area. I had it to tight and was binding. I also figured out how to steadily crank it. Thomaspowers you are correct I will just have to use this for small stuff. I have two weeks off starting next week. If I can get my honeydos finished I'm gonna make a bigger forge. My welding and fabrication skills are much better than my blacksmithing attempts. I just really wanted to do this with no electric where you create it not a power tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backwoods Blacksmith Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Use some brick to contain your fire or use clay and build up a fire pot. There are several good examples of what others have done on this forum. You should easily work with 1 in size stock . I used one similar to this for several years and turn out some neat stuff. Learning is half the fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Ahhh traditionally the apprentice ran the air supply not the smith and the earliest powerhammer I've been able to date was in the 900's (Personal conversation, Medieval Technology Conference Penn State University) Of course "sole authorship" is a very modern concept... My I like to run non-electric because I don't have electricity in my shop---save for a single extension cord I run a light off of (or an electric drill or angle grinder during daytime) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Several years back a guy brought a piece of steel in from farm equipment..about one inch thick and six inches wide and iabouit three foot long...was bent almost double in the middle,,we heated it several times and with two strikers straightened it our reall well..all heat was on a forge almost exactly like yours and i am sure the same size! nice forge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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