Burner tuning....

[SGreene]

Looked at Reil's images and read some other info that said you should tune at low pressures. This is at around 1.5 - 2 psi. I think it matches a neutral flame but any input would be appreciated.

[newbieforge]

Hi SGreene,

 

It would be helpful if you had some larger photos to post.

There are many people here who could help you tune your burner if they could see your flame better.

 

Also, can you show your entire burner? It would be good to see your choke and any other adjustable features.

 

Regards,

Markus

[swedefiddle]

Good Morning,

 

The burner in the open air is no indication how it will work in a confined space like a forge. Look at my flame.... WRONG!!!! :wacko:

 

Neil

[SGreene]

I appologize Newbie I will attempt to post some larger images this evening. Swede i find your reply interesting, Ron Reil and Jay Hayes (my burner) both reccomend that all burner tuning be performed outside the forge.

[ThomasPowers]

Well I'll say that burner tuning is generally a CONSTANT thing as there is no one setting that is best for all tasks. So I tune my burner when I start out in the cold forge, adjust it when it's running at temp, go rich or lean depending on if I doing a blade or large item, etc and so on. Would you set your car engine to run only at one speed?

[reefera4m]

To answer your question - yes that looks like a neutral flame - the best kind for general forge work.  I've found that tuning forge burners, regardless if they are venturi forges or blown forges, is just a matter of adjusting the amount of air relative to the fuel.  OK that sounds like a no-brainer but whenever you adjust the fuel pressure you have to compensate with the air flow.  There are a lot of examples on how to do this if you look under oxy/acetelyene welding - even a number of YouTube videos. 

 

I usually start by setting the fuel flow/pressure at what I expect to use (forging or welding) and then I adjust the air to reach a neutral flame.  If you have to error do so in the carburizing (akso called reducing) side - more fuel than air.  Worse case you'll heat slower and achieive lower temps (and theorectically  add back some carbon).  The worst flame is one with too much air (oxygen) appropriately called an oxidizing flame.  It does just that - causes the metal to oxidize.

 

Without seeing how you burner regulates air flow I can't help with the adjustments,  My homemade blown forge has a simple plate that slides over the air intake of the blower reducing the air.  On my homemade venturi forge I have two adjustments available; 1) moving the nozzles in or out of the venturi cup or 2) positioning a reducing plate over part of the cup. 

 

Here's photo of the venturi setup: