Flying Sparks Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Help Please I'm having trouble lighting a fire. Im using somthing branded as Forge Breeze, it is a smokelss fuel some where between coal and coke. I have tried various methods of lighting the fire including balled newspaper, wood, firelighters and barbcue lighter fuel and combinations of all. The best I can get is when after about 20 minutes the flames die down, everything now looks promising, there is an area about the size of a small apple glowing red hot, but even if I turn the air supply on faster it just dies out, I cannot make it spread any more. I'm getting very frustrated and seem to be incapable of getting my forge going. Has anyone got any ideas please. Sparky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbrforge Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 try come charcoal and slow low air. I've always used wood chips to start metallurgical coke, and I just use newspaper when I'm working coal so I think your solution lies somewhere in between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Sparky, Tell us about your forge ie: air supply, air grate size, firepot type, etc. That way we can help solve your problem by looking at possible glitches you may have. Pictures are great for helping us to know your setup. Also, refer in the Blueprint sections to the Following BP numbers: BP0037,BP0042,BP0045, and BP0046 Aaron C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 I live at the edge of some woods, so I keep a fist-full of dead twigs handy (usually hickory). I'll build a small wood or charcoal fire in the center of the pot and then ease the coke in around it, keeping a slow, steady blast of air going. Just be sure to give it a good poke after the coke gets going; the wood will burn out quickly and leave a hollow spot in your fire. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbaknife Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Here's what happens when I lite my fire. Wide open fire pot, couple of wads a newspaper, lite the paper, dump coal on top, hit the blower switch! The progression of these photos is what happens in about a 1 minute time slot: Let that blower BLOW!! Get that coal HOT! She'll burn. Then you'll have: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Sparks Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 Thanks for your suggestions guys, keep them coming. My forge is about 2 feet square and sides about 4 inches deep. The sides are made from sheet steel and the bottom is made from 1/4 inche plate. In the centre is another 1/4 inch plate with 23 8mm holes drilled through in an area of about 4 inch diameter. Below these holes is a pipe with an ash dump at the bottom and a pipe coming in from the side for the air to enter. I will post some photos when I can, every picture is worth a thousand words.... I could try some charcaol as suggested for the initial fire. I feel that I need a bit more heat to get this stuff to burn properly. I will checkout the blueprints suggested. Thanks once again. Sparky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Lessons in Metalworking > Blacksmithing has material on how to start a fire. Also see the following Blueprints. Some of these duplicate what Keykeeper posted but I gathered them from a different search. BP0036 Fire and Smoke BP0037 Fire and Smoke BP0042 Fire and Smoke BP0045 Fire and Smoke BP0046 Fire and Smoke BP0048 Fire and Smoke BP0137 Fire Starter These two Blueprints may be of help BP0036 How to build a Coal Fire BP0384 Using Coal Fines First build a "good" fire then add the coal. Depending on the type of coal depends on what a "good" fire means. With soft bituminous coal you can use a couple of sheets of newspaper, but with other fuels you need a fire from wood, sticks etc, to reach the ignition point of that type fuel. Use enough air to get the fire burning but not so much as to cool the fire or blow it out. You will need to keep moving fuel into the fire to replace what is consumed. Attached photos shows an area that has burned out and left an open area or cave in the fire. (They are not all this large but you can get the idea) You want to keep the coals together. Just poke it down with a poker, then drag more fuel toward the fire to keep the volume constant. Photos are always nice as we can see what you are doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 kbaknife, where are you located? You have a 6 or 8 foot horizontal run of pipe at the top of your forge hood. According to some, this can not and does not work. But I guess you did not know that and used it anyway And bumble bees according to the engineers can not fly, but no one told the bumble bee. Try putting 2-3 sheets of newspaper on fire and let the heat start a draft up the chimney before you start the fire. Wait a bit for the draft to get established. Then light a couple more sheets and as they burn to about half, set the forge on fire. It should eliminate a lot of the smoke that is getting loose into your forge building. You can also put a piece of steel (sheet metal) on the away side of the forge pot and lean it up against the forge hood. This cuts off the flow of air from that direction and channels the smoke toward the chimney. It could even have a 90 degree bend * 7 * (the shape of a seven) to extend the hood a bit and capture more smoke. I like the forge set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan king Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 i always use a propane torch. i know its cheating but it only takes 2 or 3 minutes before their is enough heat in the coals to introduce the air flow and it makes for a fast heat up time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbaknife Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 I'm in east Central Illinois. That horizontal line has NEVER been a problem. I almost always heat up the hood prior to lighting the coal. It's no longer an issue since I switched to propane about 2 years ago!! Look at the photos on this link and then tell me it won't draw!Individually Handcrafted Knives for the Outdoor Enthusiast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 I had a 5 foot horizontal run on two different chimneys I used, and the draft was not an issue. I am sure it would have been better with a straight up chimney but that was not available. My comment was point out that it may not be recommended to have a horizontal run in a chimney, but it can work. Your photos prove that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbaknife Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Gotcha. I'll admit, it wasn't the best scenario, so I just had to do what worked without going through that roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Sparks Posted August 28, 2007 Author Share Posted August 28, 2007 I did it, I did it!!!!! I got a fire going today with the help I got from this forum. I moved the forge back outside, stood some kindling on end, sneaked in a couple of fire lighters, used a small propane burner just to get the wood burning, then banked my coal around the wood leaving the centre of the wood clear of coal, cracked open the air supply , hey presto after about 20 minutes I had a steel rod in the fire heating up. I made myself a couple of fire tools, then just for good measure before I shut the fire down I opened up the air valve and quickly got a piece steel up to welding temperature and spakling nicely. Thanks guys, I could not have done this without your help, I so excited and have got so much to learn about this wonderful art of blacksmithing Bye for now Sparky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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