Making my first Great Bellows

[sharxbyte]

[sharxbyte]

Turns out my lower valves are too heavy for good intake, so I'm lightening them up (splitting the plywood with a chisel to make it 1/4", and about half as heavy.)

[sharxbyte]

I succeeded in fixing the valves, (splitting the plywood in half worked) and re-attached the bottom section of canvas, then caulked the seams. tomorrow I'll finish sealing the canvas.

[Michael]

Good luck, I got about as far as you did, using far too heavy plywood and naugahyde as a covering. Ended up with a bellows that was too heavy to pump and put out too little air. 

[sharxbyte]

I can actually maintain a good flow with this  now :)

 

 

 

 

[sharxbyte]

 

 

 

 

[natkova]

Hello can you help me my problem with bellows is i can't get top chamber to fully open. it only get opened a litle bit.Coud be that bottom valve is too litle.

[ThomasPowers]

yes the valve in the bottom of the top chamber should be large enough to let in air far faster than it escapes out the front nozzle into the fire.  If I recall correctly my bottom valves had around 6-8 times the area of my front nozzle

[natkova]

I heard o

 

yes the valve in the bottom of the top chamber should be large enough to let in air far faster than it escapes out the front nozzle into the fire.  If I recall correctly my bottom valves had around 6-8 times the area of my front nozzle

I heard on forum that in bottom chamber the valves need to be bigger tha in top chamber. So it can catch air. To be honest when i pump bellows top chamber i somehow inhale a bottom chamber a ltile bit i don't want to bother. Thanks for answer.