Kekron Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 So I'm working on a propane forge build and I havent decided yet on the burner to use. I am familiar with some of the various designs out there on the net (EZ, sidearm, T Rex, Mongo, Guru, T-Bird), but I'm curious what you guys think. I'd like to try building one first before having to shell out the cash to buy one. I've seen the designs for the EZ but I've heard people say its an outdated design and others out perform it. What about the T-bird? http://anvilsandinkstudios.com/burner.html It seems the T-bird might be a good choice (based on some things I've read), but the design is for a 3/4" burner. Does it scale up to 1"? My forge design is based on a standard grill propane tank so I estimate my forge chamber volume to be ~500 cu in, suggesting 3/4" burners to be insufficient. So what do you guys think? Whats a decent choice for a venturi burner that I can build in the shop of sufficient size for a 500 cu in forge? Kek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Is it actually called the "T Bird" on the web page? That's my old concept drawing for the T burner alright, heck has my name on it. I mount the mig contact tip differently now and if I can buy 1/4" scd. 80 pipe locally I'll do it differently again. Yes it scales up or down easily.A 1" ejector type burner will bring about 700 cu/in to welding temp and is about 50% overkill for that size forge. Not that I don't like overkill, you can just turn it down however it'll burn 50% more fuel than necessary.The easy fix is to just put another inch of kaowool in the forge and use the 3/4" burner.Does it work? Oh you betcha. This is my shop forge in it's first incarnation being freshly incarnated in fact. This is one 3/4" T burner in a volume of approx 350-400 cu/in. The finished forge has four 3/4" T burners and the volume & shape of the forge can be adjusted by jacking the lid up and moving the partition bricks. I've never run more than two at a time for a single chamber.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I do love your beast, Master Frost! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcornell Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 So, Frosty, if you had 1/8" schedule 80 (available from McMaster-Carr or Grainger, I might add) how would you do it differently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcornell Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 A whopping $2.41 from McMaster-Carr Thick-Wall Black Welded Steel Thread Pipe Nipple1/8 Pipe Size x 3" Length Each In stock$2.41 Each4550K115 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 (edited) You just want the pipe not a nipple. The ID is the correct diameter to tap 1/4"-28 which fits a Tweeko mig contact tip. Then you thread the OD 1/2" fine for most of it's length. The last half inch or so you thread MPT to take the fitting for the supply line.The center of the T is drilled and tapped 1/2" fine so the jet assembly screws in with a lock nut. The supply line connects to a swivel fitting allowing the jet depth to be adjust micrometrically and locked. I could make the assemblies on my lathe easily but it wouldn't be practical for folk who didn't have a lathe. The scd. 80 pipe is easy to thread and tap maintaining alignment with nothing but hand tools.The drawing shown uses 1/2" lamp rod which is thin wall requiring the fitting to hold the mig tip and the supply line fitting is forced on. The lamp rod is straight pipe thread so the threads are the same tpi but not tapered like the female fitting.It works but is a little sloppy.Seeing as the pipe thread on the nipple is the same as straight screw thread a person could just chase one end and continue threading the OD to fit the female thread in the pipe T and tap the same end to accept the mig contact tip.That'd work and save some time. Probably a good alternative to buying a stick of scd. 80 pipe. Wish I'd seen this earlier, I had to drive to Anchorage today I could've picked up a couple few. Drats.Frosty The Lucky. Edited May 15, 2015 by Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Darn it Frost, I wish you had posted this 3 days ago! I just built a 3/4" and a 1" T burner off your old design. I had a 1/4" sch80 nipple in my hand thinking it would work but put it down and tried to stay ad close to you original as I could. I didn't have lamp rod but I did have a bunch of 1/4" SS tubing and fittings back to 1/4" NPT. I tapped the back side of the Tees with 1/4NPT and one of the 1/4 NPTx 1/4 Tubing fitting with 1/4-28NF. Screwed the mig tip into the NPT side of the fitting and screwed that into the tee and then made up another fitting on the other end of the 1/4" tubing to get back to 1/4"NPT . Boy aint that a paragraph, I think it needs a picture!Is it trial and error on how long the tig tip should be or do you have a sweet spot in relation to the Tee? ThanksRussell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 (edited) If I posted everything I think of I'd have to have my own sub section. Yeah, wouldn't that be entertaining, "Frosty's musings".Yeah, the jet is too close to the throat. The industry standard set back position for the jet is 1/2" the diameter of the throat. So, 3/8" from the end of the burner tube is a departure point for a 3/4" burner.The farther back the more air it will entrain and leaner it'll burn. The closer the richer. So you can make yours burn well by using a smaller mig tip diameter. OR do what I do with the lash up I've been using for a few years and just trim the mig tip and debur it.What dia mig tip are you using? I found 0.035" seemed to work best for me but other guys are all over the charts and building well tuned burners.Trial and error are how Ron Reil, Mike Porter, my humble self and a number of other guys got designs that work. I think Dave Hammer's method for making the things is maybe the easiest I've seen.There are a few guys out there making and selling good burners made from other home designs but for the money I'd buy a commercially make one. A lot of the money charged for pro farrier's forges is for the commercial burners, they typically run around the $300.00 range but are FAR better performers.Frosty The Lucky. Edited May 15, 2015 by Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Frosty, I'm using a .035 tip in the 3/4 and a .045 in the 1" burner. Thanks for giving me the set back std. Ill start playing with that Monday. Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) Frosty, I'm using a .035 tip in the 3/4 and a .045 in the 1" burner. Thanks for giving me the set back std. Ill start playing with that Monday. RussellThose are what I use for the size burner. 0.025" for 1/2 tube to list all the sizes I've made.I'm happy to pass along what I can.Jerry Edited May 16, 2015 by Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 I used a .035 for the 3/4 t-burner I made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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