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I Forge Iron

Bathroom fan blower


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Doing a bathroom remodel, pulled the old fart, and said to myself "Self, hook this up to your forge". So I did. This is what it looks like. I bought a few pieces- 4" to 3" reducer, 3" 90 elbow and 3" flex dryer duct.I had in inventory assorted pvc fittings electrical bits and a blast gate from a dust collection system. So I just screwed and taped it all together. The blast gate works as a dump valve, and it seems to be very adjustable. I played with it over the weekend, and was pleased with the results. I just need to pay attention- got a few sparklers as I was on the learning curve, but I got the technique down quickly. One thing I noticed- I get a better quality of clinker, and I seem to go through coal a little quicker. My Champion 400 is parked right in front of this setup, and I can switch over at the pulling of a hose clamp.

Steve

IMG_2528.JPG

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Out the soffit ?

Soffit is the perforated area under the overhang of the roof that allows outside air to enter and then exit at the roof vent, cooling the attic. Out the soffit could allow the CO to enter the house and the attic.  I would suggest that you go directly from the forge to the outside using a chimney. 

 

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I THINK he took this blower out of the soffit to provide blast for his forge.  He's not blowing forge smoke out the soffit.

Please Steve PLEASE tell us you are NOT blowing smoke from your forge out through the soffit! :o

Frosty The Lucky.

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Just don't vent directly through the attic and hope the smoke will make its way out through the gable vent. One spark in the wrong place, and goodbye roof. 

Suggest anyone contemplating running the products of a solid fuel forge up thru a dedicated metal chimney carefully check the local codes regarding materials of construction, structure penetrations and location of termination of that vent.  I'm fairly certain that most require specific distances from combustible construction at the penetration as well as outlets that are 3' above the highest point of the structure penetrated.  While exiting through a gable vent may work, if your installation is not code compliant you likely void your homeowner's insurance policy.

By all means, ensure the stack is fully ducted to the building exterior, not just dumped into a ventilated attic.  That is a recipe for disaster.

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I'm looking at one that moves 300cfm to install in the ceiling over my propane forge to aid in venting the CO & drawing in fresh air to my shop this winter.

Going to vent it thru the attic & out the  soffit

300 CFM is better than nothing, but not a tremendous amount of ventilation in the big picture.  One other thing to consider is that the typical bathroom exhaust fan has a plastic impeller.  depending on how close you are to the heat source, this may not be a great option.  The other is that if you expect air to be exhausted, you will need to makeup that air from somewhere (window, adjacent room, open door...)

I am a fan (no pun intended) of sidewall exhaust fans for this type of heat/ventilation exhaust.  Placed at the peak of your forge shop they can move a relatively huge amount of air at rather low energy cost.  I use one like the picture below in my shop with the belt driven motor outside the air path.  Works quite well.

4-sidewall-exhaust-fans1__large.jpg 

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Just to clarify, the fan in the OP is being used to provide air to my bottom blast coal forge. It is not being used for ventilation. My side sucker takes care of the smoke very nicely. The fan, by the way, puts out 110 cfm.

Steve

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