Tuyere and grate

[OvershieldKuso]

I've looked at a bunch of homemade forges lately and decided to try to make one up with the scrap parts around my in-laws property. (I also had to learn to use a flux-core welder as well.) After assessing what I had available, I found a 2" exhaust pipe with close to a 90 degree bend in it. It looked as though most tuyeres were built around  2" but most had a T-intersection that featured an ash dump straight down. For ease, I decided to forgo the ash dump and welded the exhaust pipe to the center of the rim and attached a blow dryer to the end. I also have not yet made/used any kind of grate on the end of the tuyere inside the forge either. The force of the blower keeps all ash and fuel out of the pipe while burning a fire.

So, my question being: Would cutting a hole at the bottom of the pipe and installing a cap for ash dump do anything for me since ash has not been a problem so far? And would utilizing a grate over the tuyere allow better air flow? I've noticed that after burning my fuel for a few minutes, most of the fuel simply stacks around the tuyere and burns from there while the area directly above the tuyere is pushed clear due to the force of the air.

[arkie]

You're going to need some kind of ash dump below your firepot.  Without one, when you stir the fire to remove clinkers, to clean out your fire pot and any other work/maintenance the ash and debris will fall into the air supply.  That's why most have some "T-shaped" arrangement for the junk to fall straight down and not into the air supply plumbing.  Also, most have some sort of slot, grating, clinker breaker, etc. on the tuyere.  Otherwise you will have chunks of coal or coke and clinker falling through.  Search on the forum for firepot and forge design......

[ThomasPowers]

You also need to have a method of metering the air flow; you ever try to drive a car where it only had two positions for the accelerator: off or full on?

I do not consider making something that doesn't work right as "ease" as you will need to redo it.

[Frosty]

Exhaust pipe drops from a muffler shop, hole saw and appropriate welder makes the easy MEL (Minimum Equipment List) I used 4" exhaust pipe for the vertical section of the tuyere, my largest hole saw and the 4" one made the bolt flange to attach it to the air grate. A 2" hole saw made the hole in the vertical pipe to weld the horizontal, 2" exhaust pipe air supply. I used the 4" hole saw to cut the 2" pipe to match the vertical. Drill the supply hole abut 2"-3" from the air grate and leave a minimum of 4" below 6" is better for the ash dump.

At the exhaust shop you scrounged the pipe drops you can buy an exhaust stack flap cap and they just clamp on. Hanging the flap cap upside down on the end of the horizontal section becomes your ash dump, the counter weight will keep it closed and it only takes a quick flip with something that reaches: tongs, hammer, piece of stock, back scratcher, etc. to open it and dump the ash.

You don't need hole saws or a welder, a saber saw works fine just leave a few tabs around the hole or ends of the horizontal pipe to drill bend and rivet through for the connection. It doesn't matter if it leaks a little but if it bothers you or is excessive a little high temp RTV silicone gasket sealant works that part of the tuyere doesn't get very hot at all. Of course you can use exhaust pipe sealant but that's awfully permanent and needs heat to set, think Bernzomatic torch time.

But no the elbow isn't going to work very well at all.

Frosty The Lucky.