If this is in the wrong place, please accept my apology and put it where it belongs.

I am in the market for a vintage forge blower. I have 5 to choose from and I know nothin bout blowers.

My choices are:
   Champion; no.40, no.400, and a Champion with no number but identical to the no.40 only smaller.
   Buffalo; List 1268, and no.200

Assuming they are each in excellent condition, which is the best choice or most popular, and why? If parts are needed, later on, which would be the easiest to get parts for?

I don't want to have to wring my arm off in order to get a high heat and I don't want to have to strain to get it started turning.

As far as the work I'll be doing, let's assume I will be doin all sorts of building, from ornamental trinkets to tools and accessories needed to keep a farm in tip top operation.

Thanks for any opinions.

Mule

Edited September 17, 201510 yr by confederatemule

In general the larger blowers are easier to work with than the smaller ones.  My personal test is that when cranking at normal cruising speed I should be able to let go of the handle and it will make a minimum of *3* complete revolutions with no added input.  I would not judge on any "Perfect New Basis" but always by the blower itself.  As for replacement parts----I've never seen any save for people's bone piles.

In general the larger blowers are easier to work with than the smaller ones.  My personal test is that when cranking at normal cruising speed I should be able to let go of the handle and it will make a minimum of *3* complete revolutions with no added input.  I would not judge on any "Perfect New Basis" but always by the blower itself.  As for replacement parts----I've never seen any save for people's bone piles.

Thanks for the reply, Thomas.

You can't go wrong with the 400 Champion or the Buffalo 200; as Thomas said, bigger is better with blowers - easy enough to turn a big one slower but tough to get a big fire out of a smaller one.  I'm not sure what a 1268 is - pics would help.

dang, I got a Champion 400 for sale but it's in NW Michigan

 

see below. I use this. Regularly too. I would consider buying another or just the blower and mount it on a home built forge (for a deeper fire pot) It is super sweet. 

THis is hands down the best I have used. It is way far better than a 400 unless.......................you have replaced every bearing race inside the 400. The 400 is simply too noisy with pitted races. I have a nice 400 that is quiet. The only one I have ever encountered. They are not the best, though the advertising tells us otherwise.

The Champion #1 is an awfully nice blower. I have use one. But never had opportunity to dismantle one to see it's innards. The one I used was smooth as butter.

The ones with a bunch of ball bearings just don't work well unless the bearings are super clean i.e. no pits or grooves. I have used a Buffalo 201 and it was quite noisy too.

see below. I use this. Regularly too. I would consider buying another or just the blower and mount it on a home built forge (for a deeper fire pot) It is super sweet. 

THis is hands down the best I have used. It is way far better than a 400 unless.......................you have replaced every bearing race inside the 400. The 400 is simply too noisy with pitted races. I have a nice 400 that is quiet. The only one I have ever encountered. They are not the best, though the advertising tells us otherwise.

The Champion #1 is an awfully nice blower. I have use one. But never had opportunity to dismantle one to see it's innards. The one I used was smooth as butter.

The ones with a bunch of ball bearings just don't work well unless the bearings are super clean i.e. no pits or grooves. I have used a Buffalo 201 and it was quite noisy too.

The $120.00 Champion blower that I can buy looks like the one in your picture, except that it does not have the tabs to be able to connect to the fire pan, I stands alone. It is very noisy and loose. It was my first choice.

Well, y'all, I bought one of the 5. I bought the Champion 400. It cost more, but, it was smoother and quieter.

I thank everyone for the replies.

Mule