Klorinth Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I just picked up a little forge to get me going in solid fuel forging. Nothing fancy and certainly not new. It was bought last year by the guy I got it from but he just wasn't using it. Let's see if I use it now. The id plate says ""Canadian" sold only by Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers". The only numbers on it are a 526 and 527 on the bottom. . The belt connecting the two parts of the blower is literally a leather belt. You can see the buckle holes in it. I do leather work so that is an easy one to replace. The blower works surprisingly well. The guy I got it from said he opened it up and added oil to the moving parts. Nothing else. He didn't even clean it. The previous owner cut the centre out of a discer disc and put it in the bottom of the forge to lift the fire off the bottom and help it last longer. I have the disc. I happen to have a larger one already that could fill the whole forge bottom and protect the whole thing if I wanted. Has anyone seen a little forge like this one? Or maybe I should say have you seen this blower before? The forge is simple and just like many others. The blower is the different part. Now I just need some coal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I have never seen one like that before. Wool growers...maybe it was used just for heating something , and not for smithing. Coal? What about charcoal, or simply wood? I have used wood scraps when my coal got low. With the blower going they turn to embers pretty quick. There is always plenty of free scrap wood to be had from various sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Greetings Klorinth, I think you will find that the gearbox is an adaption . The forge looks like a common Buffalo or. Champion . What makes me think this way is you almost have to bend over to turn the crank . Just my 2c Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 The opposite side of the gear box has the hole for the handle yolk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 If the gear box is an adaptation or modification, what would it have been originally? The gearbox looks like it belongs there even though the belt does not. The horizontal bar that it is attached with looks original... I need to take some better pictures of that part. The front side of the forge does have a circular mounting point that looks like something I saw on another forge. One that used a type of lever and half gears to turn the fan underneath. The writing on the id plate makes me think this was something made by a common company for the Woolgrowers Coop. A company like Buffalo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 A few more pics. Please forgive the bad lighting. These are in the garage with fluorescent lights in -20 degree temps. The large mounting point is obvious on the right front of the forge. The mounting point at the left confuses me. I'm not sure what that is for. The fan and ash dump are all one piece. There is a little bit of welding at the top where the fan housing touches the belly of the forge. Obviously the piece that the belt is turning on is a later mod. It doesn't match the gearbox. The hole on top does not have threads. It looks like a smooth rod is meant to be inserted. 2 hours ago, BIGGUNDOCTOR said: Coal? What about charcoal, or simply wood? I have used wood scraps when my coal got low. With the blower going they turn to embers pretty quick. There is always plenty of free scrap wood to be had from various sources. I will make some charcoal if I have to. I want to try and find a source of coal first. As much as I know I can make decent pine charcoal, a guy down the road has lots of pine for sale, I would rather not spend time and effort on it. I have lots of things that I need to be doing instead of that. Plain firewood will be my fall back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Greetings again, Your pictures show castings on the edge that are typical of a forge with a lever handle.. The casting bosses on the bottom is also a sign of the gear mechanism mounting.. Again just this old boys 2c .. I hope this helps.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 1 hour ago, matto said: The opposite side of the gear box has the hole for the handle yolk I think I see what you mean. If it was original the handle would have been on the other side so that you would face the forge differently. Turning the crank with the left hand instead of the right. Given the placement of the 3 bolts along the top edge of the forge should I assume that those are for mounting some kind of windbreak or hood? 9 minutes ago, Jim Coke said: Greetings again, Your pictures show castings on the edge that are typical of a forge with a lever handle.. The casting bosses on the bottom is also a sign of the gear mechanism mounting.. Again just this old boys 2c .. I hope this helps.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Thank you Jim. That is what I was wondering. Makes sense now that I have found a couple pictures of lever handles mounted on a forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 The gearbox was originally used to power sheep shears. 32 years of being part of a Steel/Wool couple teaches you stuff like that. If you google hand crank sheep shearing you can see a bunch of ones in their original use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 18 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: The gearbox was originally used to power sheep shears. 32 years of being part of a Steel/Wool couple teaches you stuff like that. If you google hand crank sheep shearing you can see a bunch of ones in their original use. Now THAT is very interesting! I would never have thought that up. And I have a flock of sheep and do my own shearing, both by hand and with powered shears. Very cool. Thank you Thomas. It is really appropriate that I have this forge! Fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Yes the bolts in the upper rim were for a half heat shield Here is a sample pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 I guess I need to make some plans for a heat shield... Or something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 I think I found a picture of what mine would have looked in its original state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted February 8, 2016 Author Share Posted February 8, 2016 Question: Should I try to fix the air grate? Half of it is missing. I have a piece of metal mesh that I can put in the hole but I'm sure it won't last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewayforge Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 The mesh might not hold up for very long, but if you get a heavy cast iron drain cover, or perhaps some 3/8" steel plate with holes drilled in it you can make it work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 3/8" plate I might be able to do that. Just mild steel? Nothing special? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Klorinth, Coal is available to order from any Home Hardware. Comes from their warehouse in St Jacobs, Ont. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 21 hours ago, swedefiddle said: Klorinth, Coal is available to order from any Home Hardware. Comes from their warehouse in St Jacobs, Ont. Neil Thank you Neil. Very helpful. I really need to ask about that at the local store. Only a few miles away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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