Restoration woes on an unknown forge and Champion 400 blower

[twodogzz]

I picked up this beast a couple of days ago and can't identify it.

Before Show and Tell, known issues are:

Forge:

The clinker breaker must have suffered a catastrophic death along the way as it is missing (rest its soul). The Centaur Forge clinker breaker is too small, so I'll need to find one for sale (fat chance?), or fabricate one. I'll welcome ideas on that one. The opening in the fire pot is 3.5 inches.

The ring that holds the clinker breaker is cracked. It is probably perfectly functional as is but if it can be welded I would have that done. 

It looks like the fire pot is designed for 2 long bolts to hold the entire assembly together from bowl to ash gate. In their wisdom, whoever disassembled it cut them flush with the receiver and they are rusted in place, so I'll have to extract those.

On the forge table, same deal with the legs. They cut them off flush in the receivers and I'll have to figure out a way to extract them. Pictures tell all.

I'll welcome suggestions on how to deal with these issues.

Anybody know the brand and model of this beast? The seller said he thinks it's a Champion, but I didn't see one like it Googling, or in the 1909 catalog. No markings I can find. Anybody know?

Champion 400 Blower:

Thanks to a ton of info here and on other sites I've got a good working knowledge of how it's assembled and what needs to be done to restore it. But in all I have read I still haven't found a single solution for how to get the fan off if the nut is stuck. The jam nut is stuck on and I know cheaters in certain positions are out of the question. It is in good shape but I think the bearings need some work or replacement. I've seen the rear bearing set up and tightened it up a bit, but it's still loud and rattles a bit and it doesn't have a lot of inertia when you release the crank. It goes about 3/4 of a turn when released. No pictures of that. It looks like all the others.

 

The tuyere opening is 3.5". I'll need to acquire or fabricate a clinker breaker to fit. Any suggestions?

The retainer ring with crack, the old clinker breaker and a possible replacement rod given to me by the guys at Centaur Forge (they rock).

 

Close detail of the clinker breaker carnage.

On the underside you can see where the legs were cut flush with the receivers. Any ideas on extraction?

Also, any ideas what the various mounting points are for?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[picker]

The forge looks to be a Buffalo perhaps.

Just buy a replacement pot. That one looks pretty used up. Weld some new legs in place. Don't get fixated on trying to extract the scrap out of the receivers - could end being an all day project and you have better things to do. Just plate over the receivers and weld some new pipe legs.

[SReynolds]

Firepot doesn't "look"  champion.  But I will look into the forge as a whole.

Heat the fan's jam nut a bit. Remove with impact wrench. Fan? Same thing. I use a socket designed to fit over fan hub. The races are not replaceable.  Unless you have some. The balls are. I am currently experimenting with oversize ball bearings. I will post my results. I clean everything up well but pitted races  with new ball bearings sound like rocks rolling about inside the case. It will drive you batty.

The shafts are set to about .005 end play (thurst) except the middle gear shaft.  Just some wiggle room. You should feel a hair  of end play. Dont measure it.

Remember;  setting the bearing with the adjustable cone is close but the cone locking nut moves the cone closer to the race and removes about .002 " end play.

Yes, if it had a 400 hung from the forge it's possible a champion forge but you never know.

[duckcreekforge]

Saw the tubing inside vertically through the tubing thickness, as deep as it is screwed in, with a sawzall or jigsaw and a metal blade. You have to go all the way through the tubing thickness, which includes the pipe threads. Take a punch and cave the tubing inward.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Find some Kroil, it is the best penetrating oil I have ever used. Don't force it, let it do its job. 

I wouldn't bother sawing the leg bits, just get in there with a cape chisel and collapse it into itself after hitting it with Kroil.

 

 

[matto]

Looks like a canedy Otto great forges!! The legs screwed in.  Most of the one I have seen and restored where a pipe leg bent and threaded.  You can make your own clinker breaker if you want 

[SReynolds]

I agree. I doubt it's champion.  Buffalo or CO brand.

I also agree on a breaker.  They isn't tough to build. But if you don't take the time for that, build you a more open tuyere as opposed to tight (small) holes. You'll find yourself searching for them cuz the fire be cold.

You happen to have the mounting arm for the blower? That would be easy to identify the brand.

[SReynolds]

Found it.The pictures will tell you what brand if you're familiar with blowers. 

[Peter Newman]

Any progress on this forge table?

[SReynolds]

I found one like that this weekend at the blacksmith store. If I look in the catalog I can say the model name.

I didn't want to know the asking price. 

[gaylan veater]

Here is one that I sold a few months ago.

[SReynolds]

Right-o 

But the blower mounts onto the forge.  Right there on the left corner.  But either way it gets air.