Dano83 Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 I may be easily impressed, but I use a power vent from a propane furnace for my airflow on my forge and quickly found out that it was pushing too much air and getting the forge hot enough it was hard to work with. So, here's the dimmer switch I put on the power vent to control my airflow, again, I may be simple but I'm real happy with it... now if I can just find somebody near me to show me how the heck to make stuff and I'll be all set. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 No ABANA affiliate around? May help to contact the closest one you can find and ask "who is in my area". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotshoein4 (Mark) Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 Dimmer switches can be hard on motors that aren't made for them. You might be better off running an air gate instead with a handle on it instead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dano83 Posted August 4, 2017 Author Share Posted August 4, 2017 Yah I figured it'd be hard on the motor, can get my hands on another one easy enough, will still figure out a cheap way for an air gate tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 12 minutes ago, Dano83 said: will still figure out a cheap way for an air gate tho. May I commend to your attention the pallet wood gate valve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 2 inch ball or gate valve would be easy but spendy, an RV waist gate Vaal e is not as spendy. A wooden or sheet steel gate valve or a wood stove style damper mounted in the tube. Squirrel cages acualy unload when restricted. That's why you have to block off 1/2 the opening on an HVAC or evapritive cooler blower or they trip the breaker used as shop fans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gote Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 You can also figure out a way to divert a part of the air stream elsewhere. There are many ways depending upon what kind of junk (sorry I mean material) you have lying around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dano83 Posted August 4, 2017 Author Share Posted August 4, 2017 I use a 2" flex pipe from an old pellet stove that goes into black iron pipe, I could easily rig up something on the flex pipe to divert/control airflow with a gate of some kind, just figured the dimmer switch would look all professional and such Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoName Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Cheap, or thrifty, thats my wheelhouse. I like air controls I can see. This is a "paddle style" repurposed cookie sheet. It pivots and locks into place. N.N.F. Beautiful, Manchester, Michigan. USA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51 Papy Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Dano You can also use a ceiling fan dimmer. They are built for small motors like what your using. I have been running one on my furnace exhaust motor for a couple of years with no problem. I still have a slide gate on mine too. Bought it at Ace Hardware under $10 US. Don't forget to spin the fan before you use it if the muddobbers are as bad in NY as KC. Papy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dano83 Posted August 5, 2017 Author Share Posted August 5, 2017 For start ups I turn the dial to full power and then just push it in to turn it on, so its full juice when the motor turns on as if it was just on a regular switch. Not sure if that will prolong the life of it or not, like to think that it would. I guess I have lots of options for things to use, the light dimmer switch was $4, over the last 2 summers of changing things around with the forge I probably have about $10 worth of stuff, including the welding wire that I used to make the stand for the forge. If I can just make the threaded rod snakes look a little better I bet I could make my money back on the forge! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 30 minutes ago, Dano83 said: I can just make the threaded rod snakes look a little better I bet I could make my money back on the forge! Try this: instead of forging the threaded rod to round, forge it into an octagon and then give it a twist. This will create a faceted spiral effect, which looks a lot like scales. Then forge the curves into the snake with a heavy wooden mallet, to minimize damage to the pattern. 13 hours ago, Dano83 said: I use a 2" flex pipe from an old pellet stove that goes into black iron pipe, I could easily rig up something on the flex pipe to divert/control airflow with a gate of some kind, just figured the dimmer switch would look all professional and such The simplest way to control airflow would be to take the flex pipe out of the black iron and aim it so that some of the airflow goes past the black iron rather than in. By changing the amount that gets spilled outside your tuyere, you can regulate the volume of the blast. Oh, and if your forgings look good (and you're not inviting prospective customers into the forge), it doesn't matter what your setup looks like, so long as it's functional and safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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