clueless

[Anthony Karakas]

I bought this forge one year ago.  It is my first one.  It has a clinker breaker, as seen in the photo.  I've been using the forge, but i never use the clinker breaker.  Now i am wondering if it blocks too much air and causes a cold spot in the middle of the fire pit?  I also notice that sometimes coal just falls straight through the gaps.   Should i be using the clinker breaker?  Or is it minimizing air flow and hence heat?  I would like to get more  heat and spin the blower less.

  Thank you

 

 

[rockstar.esq]

Removing the clinker breaker would probably lead to coal falling into your air pipe and choking your air flow. Clinker tends to slowly drain to the lowest point in the forge and solidify which is why the clinker breaker is located in the middle of the air blast.  Some clinker breakers are triangular shaped and can be set either flat side up, or point side up to create two different air dispersion shapes.

Yours looks more open than lots of very functional forges.  Unless you're having some kind of problem maintaining a good fire, I would leave it there.

 

[Ridgewayforge]

First thing, that fire has no depth to it, which may be why you think its cold. You ought to pile a few bricks around the hole do get a deeper fire that will be more efficient. Look at the sticky at the top of the 'solid fuel forge' section, about forges and fires, and then you can see that its not JUST a table with a hole in it, but usually there is a pit or pot of some sorts holding the fire in. 

[Charles R. Stevens]

I concure, you need at least 2" above the clinker breaker and better 3 or 4, that's the center of the fire. Coal is heaped above the as well to make a 6-8" fire ball. 

A rim of 2" angle, or brick will work. 

[Anthony Karakas]

Thank you all very much!  I will get some bricks going and build it up!

[Charles R. Stevens]

Bricks are easy as you can reconfigure it.