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Buffalo Forge Co. down draft forge


Black Frog

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Came across a deal I could not resist.
Where I’m currently located I can’t use a coal forge, but hope to move in the future and have a ‘real shop’ where I can use coal.
Until then, I have to use my gas forge. But I found a very heavy  #49 Buffalo downdraft forge with electric blower for a great price.
I couldn't resist buying it for future use down the line.
  
From a 1911 advertisement:

Buffalo Down Draft Forges prevent noxious gases and smoke from escaping into shop; insure clean, quick welds, and save coal. They make blacksmithing a cleaner, more healthful and profitable occupation. The Buffalo Universal Electric Blower runs for less than two cents a day. Furnished with wire and plug free of charge, to save you cost of installation. Simply screw plug into lamp socket and the forge is ready for work. Hand blowers also furnished on these forges.


From a 1929 catalog:

The No. 48 and 49 cast iron hearths are used for the heaviest kind of blacksmith work, in railroad shops, truck and bus garages. Very heavy, cast iron construction with extra large steel pipe legs, anchored at the top in pockets cast on the hearth.

The No. 48 hearth is 38x42 inches by 3 inches deep and weighing 415 pounds is semi-portable. Removable iron partition is arranged to serve as a coal box.

The No. 49 is the same length and width, but is 6 inches deep, to fill the need for a larger fire for very heavy work.


I’ve seen reference to this type of down-draft hood as early as a 1896 advertisement, but can’t find an actual catalog with this particular down draft hood model shown on this #49 pan.

This forge is a “49D” which is cast into the underside of the beefy pan. Very heavy, and I had a difficult time getting this forge disassembled and loaded into my little ranger. I found another blurb in a catalog that says, “When desired, the down-draft hood can be furnished. This hood is particularly effective in removing smoke and fumes.”
 
The catalog I’ve seen lists it at 540 pounds, but that is without this downdraft hood arrangement. That downdraft hood is quite heavy on its own, so you could easily add to that weight amount.  The firepot is also very thick, needs a bit of work freeing up the clinker breaker from rust, but is quite nice.

Anyone use this type of downdraft hood arrangement?
What sort of fan or blower do you use for the hood suction?
 
Buffaloforge1.jpg
 
Buffaloforge2.jpg

I’ve seen several old pictures of blacksmithing schools or production facilities that used these down draft hood forges.
Here’s a cool one, same hood on a different forge: 
Blacksmithschool.jpg

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Greetings Frogman,

 

That's a lot of forge...  If you choose to restore and use it as it is I would install a exhaust blower similar to your forge blower with a pin wheel style blower.. I have one some where in the barn an will try to get pictures ...  It will all depend on where you plan to exhaust your smoke..  That style will work fine with an variable motor and rheostat.  About a 4in inlet is what I suggest.... You will find that its a great forge but it will take a lot of coal to feed that pot.. My suggestion for a more practical use is to design an over head hood ..  I have one similar and will try to get you some pict..  For sure you will want to get rid of the old style rheostat. they are dangerous..  Have fun with your new toy..

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

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Thanks Jim- I can't use it now so it'll have to stay in disassembled storage until I can move.
Just thinking ahead for what I might need to get it fully operational, never know what you find at auctions, flea markets, or garage sales....
It is quite a deep pot, but I could always install a differnt pot (like a R.Lorance) with an adapter plate if this proves to be too deep for what I'm doing.

While the old rheostat looks very cool and vintage, I agree that it could be replaced with something a bit more modern.
I just loved the beefiness of the pan and legs, the room around around the pot to work, and having the depth available to do most anything.
Plus it'll never move if you accidentally bump into it... :)

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Greetings Frogman,

 

I took some pictures of a similar forge with a hood I designed for it ...  With the center mounted fire pot  it would be difficult to design a side draft style hood.. As you can see it works great ... Yep its a Trenton 50..   You are going to have to move so that you can work in coal and play with all your toys...  Lets see a 60 foot pole barn , heated with a BBQ and a large frig to start... 

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim  

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I think you'd have a tough time getting a decent upward chimney draft going without a blower creating the suction throughput from the downdraft hood to the chimney.

Once it was really going well, you may do ok without the suction blower, but I haven't tried it and I'm only guessing....
Their 1929 catalog lists all their blowers, both hand crank and electric, but doesn't indicate CFM specs.

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I think you'd have a tough time getting a decent upward chimney draft going without a blower creating the suction throughput from the downdraft hood to the chimney.

Once it was really going well, you may do ok without the suction blower, but I haven't tried it and I'm only guessing....
Their 1929 catalog lists all their blowers, both hand crank and electric, but doesn't indicate CFM specs.

I was thinking the same thing.  You'd need some kind of blower on the chimney to get the smoke going, and probably to keep the smoke going.  I don't see the natural draft of a chimney being good enough to get the smoke moving down that first part of the exhaust.

 

I'm guessing you could tie into your forge blower if you use one with enough horsepower to spare and wanted to fab up a junction that was adjustable.  

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MM- is that a down draft forge?
Is the Buffalo Forge Co lettering cast on the legs, looks like there's some lettering going down the leg?

There's a few BFCo forges that use that style of leg in earlier catalogs, here's very similar from 1896 catalog below.
Cool that the one I showed in the first post still has the little side bracket support on the forge similar to this one:

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  • 4 years later...

I know this post is old but am hoping someone is still linked.

We have the Buffalo Down Draft Forge that's been in my husband's family since it was new.

We'd like to restore it to it's original shape but don't have a clue what the original color was!

Can anyone help?

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Welcome to IFI...I suggest reading this to get the best out of the forum. READ THIS FIRST

As far as color all of them I've seen were black. Looking through the Buffalo Forge Co catalog, I don't remember any color options.

https://ia802801.us.archive.org/14/items/BuffaloForgeCoCatalogNo801/Buffalo Forge Co Catalog No 801_text.pdf

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The old catalogs were all black and white and most manufacturers would paint things as requested by resalers; so there may not be 1 colour.  Best suggestion is to try to find traces on your forge or on another in better shape---particularly where the original paint might be preserved under some part that was bolted onto the frame.

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