I am in the process of building my first forge. I have decided to go with a gas forge so I can run in my garage - I do not think the neighbors would appreciate the black smoke of a coal forge. I have researched the burner vs blower. It seems to me the blower is the better way to go for a couple of reasons.

1. You can get it welding hot.
2. It will use less propane and be more efficient.

I like the Peot Pipe forge for its simplicity. I have a small 5 gallon air tank I was planning to cut up for the forge body. I could also use an old freon tank or old propane tank if I want. I have all in scrap. I plan on lining with the Kaowool and ITC 100 - (unless Plistix is just as good).
Next I need to locate a blower. The one on BlackSmithDepot looks great, but I was hoping to find something for about half that price. I have located this one on the surplus center and was curious if it would be enough CFM.

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=16-1404-A&catname=electric

Any feedback is appreciated. I am open to suggestions if anyone thinks venturi is just as good and if Plistix works as well as ITC. My main use will be for heat treating blanks, making railroad spike knifes, making lawn art for the wife, and I could even see myself making damascus in the future.

Thanks,

Joe

I'm running a 60 cfm on my two burner and it won't make a consistent welding heat (some days I can weld if the atmosphere is just right, other days it can't get quite hot enough) but I only have 1 inch of Insulboard in the forge so better insulation might improve the upper temp range. That's no big deal for me as I can forge weld in the coal forge - but if it were my only heat source, I'd probably go to 120-150 cfm then plan to choke it down with a damper. Better to have too much air and not need it than the reverse.

I cannot comment on Plistix vs ITC-100 so will leave that to others...

I built a Peot forge in a workshop held by SOFA and bossed by Hans himself. We used a 10" grain auger tube for the forge body and a 150 cfm blower on it with a sliding choke.

Grain auger tube may have been a bit light as it's about time to replace it a dozen years later. (at another workshop we did aspirated forges using welding bottles (O2, N2, Argon, He, *NOT* *acetylene*) Burnt up the front door but the body is doing great!

The blower that I have is an old 1980"s Dayton that looks just like that blower. My experience is that I provides more than enough air. My blower does not have that short tube tack welded onto the intake port. Instead it has a piece of sheet metal screwed to the fan body the swivels and acts as an air gate/damper. Mine to runs a 3030RPM, the blower body is a bout 5" in diameter, however the CFM rating is not indicated..

I run mine with the air gate/damper cracked open about 3/8" on one side. If I run it full open the burner flames out. My forge is a single burner pipe forge. My forge does not reach forging heat but as with HW"s forge my insulation is much thinner than recommended for furnaces reaching forge welding heats, and has only a single burner. My guess is the the blower will be ok for two burners if the forge and burners is moderately sized and the forge is adequately insulated.

I am a full time smith and a requirement for me is to be able to forge weld, all the time any time, outside of a few minute warm up.

The answer for the blower depends on the type of burner tips you build or use, the size of the interior, the type of refractory and how thick.

I have been using the blowers Blacksmith Depot sells for many years. With a new burner design, I have had to go to a smaller blower that I got from Grainger.

I can send you a copy of an article I did about my forges.

G'day Jymm, I'd be interested in the article about your forges as well

Would this blower work? http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=16-1436&catname=electric

Would this blower work? http://www.surplusce...atname=electric

I have to honestly I don't know cuase I never tried one. I think it would be weak due to the rpms. Try for at least 3450, it does make a difference, not only with the CFM, but also the pressure. My first gas forge I did not have the rpms and could not get up to welding temp. When I got a motor that was 3450 (fan belt to a blower,) that did it. That was also a much larger blocked up system, when propane was under $.80 per gallon.