Although you may have all the safety issues in your situation under control (and I am glad you do), the IForgeIron site is a reference to all that read the material, today, next month, or next year in the site archives.

Many times the new blacksmith is not aware of there being a problem with safety, and the experienced blacksmith sometimes needs reminded about the dangers. I would rather read about the dangers (or any other safety issue) one more time, than read the obituary of someone that was uninformed.

Jim Paw Paw Wilson was an experienced blacksmith that knew better, chose to ignore the dangers, and is no longer with us (yep it killed him). It does happen.

"When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years." Mark Twain

Although we never met, Jim "PaPa" Wilson was my friend and we exchanged e-mails and art work over several years. He was one to preach safety and caution with his Drill Sargent's zeal and would have no problem taking a person down a notch for being stupid, some thing he did to me on several occasions. On the day he poisoned himself with metal fever burning the galvanization off some pipe to make tables for his "Dream Shop" he had chased several people out of the shop because he "knew the danger"

Much is offered here take what you need, give what you can, this information is not only for you and me, but also to the others who follow with interest the discussion.

And to Glen and the others thank you for providing this forum.

Sorry to hear about J.W.. Drinking lots of milk can help but it won't make you immune to zinc fumes. There are lots of respirators available that are approved for protection against zinc oxide fumes.
No offense meant but you guys are really going off on a tangent to what the original subject(propane forge temperatures) of the post was.
thanks anyway

Keeping you alive in a basement shop is our first concern. Our suggestions should cover that part at this point. But only you know your circumstances, so play safe.

As to getting a hotter fire and bringing things back on topic:

a friend uses propylene in a forge
Ron Reil's site talking about the Mongo burner
look at a heat recapture device
reduce the size of your door opening increasing the back pressure
add a small blower and increase the fuel pressure
a small blower will boost your temperatures
check and see if one of the jets is plugged
Is the refractory in good shape
"drax torch" the principles of the torch could be used in a blacksmiths forge burner
Do you try coating the insides with ITC 100
try put some firebrick or refractory rubble on the floor of the forge
Mild steel welds at a higher temp than higher carbon steels

Please gave us additional specific details, and the results of implementing the suggestions, so we can take another look at the problem and provide more suggestions. Photos would be a great help.