hi im new to blacksmithing and want to get into it. i recently made the ron reil burner and it seems to be working fine outside the forge ( tested holding on to it in a vice) but when i put it in my forge to test it ( 7 gal air tank) the burner kinda sputters and just throws a soft feathery flame.

any ideas on what is causeing this. i was thinking maybe the hole i drilled for the gas was a little big... only had a .062 drill and it may of wandered a bit hole is more closer to .100" now... any help would be appreciated since i have no oe around me that i know of to bounce ideas off from... ill try to post some pictures asap

You are excessively rich because the jet oriface is too big. Your choices are start over with fresh feed pipe and a #60 drill, which is .04 inches OR buy a drill and tap set for 1/4-28 and a package of .035 mig contact tips (which are about .04 inch). Drill out your current oriface as square as you can then tap it. You can adjust the contact tip slightly by bending it with a wrench fitted over it.

You may need to cut the tip shorter and clean up the inside edge with a torch file. You need a sharp edge so the gas separates from the surface.

I built a Reil burner but switched to a different burner since I could not maintain a stable flame out doors in slightly windy conditions. I built Frosty's T burner which I am please with even though it is difficult to tune initially (you have to cut the contact tip used as an oriface shorter to tune)

http://anvilsandinks...com/burner.html
http://www.iforgeiro...-and-made-this/

Phil

Welcome, if you post your location Im sure someone local will offer advice as well.

1st you need to get the propane orifice drilled to the correct size and drill as clean of a hole as possible. With the hole being too large the burner will not be able to draw in enough air especially once you add the restriction of the forge. If its a 3/4 burner you need to get the oriface in the .035 approx.

Keep working on it!

Phil,
It looks to me that with a little bit of modification, the T-burner might be made more easily tunable.

I am thinking that you could drill out a brass bushing and use a set screw to hold the 1/8" pipe nipple (that holds the welding tip) at the proper distance from the burner throat. It might add 30 minutes or an hour to the build, but it'll save time on the tuning.

Markus

A huge key to success in copying plans that are proven is to fol!low them exactly. There are more things that can give you the trouble you are having,,it soundls like the hole is not correct but too low of lpg pressure can do the same thing. Are you useing a pressure adjustable regulator? and if so wot do you have it set on?..If you are using a non adjustable like for a grill it can do the same as wot youi are saying. When we offer suggestions on here a lot of wot we say is based on things we are guessing...if you provide all detail,,,everything you will get more correct answers.
A set of go pics will add to that a lot.

Once the T-burner is set, it (theoretically) never needs adjusted. I am fine with the burner not being adjustable.

Phil

thanks for all the reply's.... i do have a regulator and am running it on tests at 5psi i have a tap and die set and some mig tips to try next...
i was just trying to get the origional desing to work. but it seams that my suspicions are correct that the hole was in fact too big =P

i live in the grand rapids area of michigan and i build the forge on the side when i have time ( currently employed as a machinist 60hrs/wk)

thank you all for giving me such quick insite ill try some new things and try to upload some pics when i get time