AndrewB Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Okay so I have an old hair dryer I've seen many people do this on You Tube and what not. The hair dryer I have how ever only blows out hot air. Whether or not it is on high or low setting. Its a smaller hair dryer but it pushes out more air than my shop vac did on the test. So with that being said keeping it short sweet and simple. Will it be a problem using a hair dryer as a air supply source to the forge if it blows only warm and hot air? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 You mean besides a slightly greater efficiency? Only issues are the more electricity used and the possibility of burning out the heater element---which may be in series with the motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Open it up and disconnect the heater element. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewB Posted February 9, 2018 Author Share Posted February 9, 2018 The hair dryer is only a temp use until I get an actual blower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 You can buy hair dryers for $9 on amazon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I'm sorry but the hair dryer is a blower so that reads "The blower is only a temp use until I get an actual blower" perhaps you meant a "better" blower or one that doesn't need electricity, or one that is more robust, or... People get stuck in a mindset when they start thinking that there is only one right way to do things, only the London pattern anvils are *real* anvils, only using coal is real smithing, etc. Now wanting to use a specific type of equipment is quite OK if you are willing to accept the limitations that puts on you; but don't push off your wants onto the poor inanimate objects... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewB Posted February 9, 2018 Author Share Posted February 9, 2018 Something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 You could go with "traditional" blacksmithing blower(s) and get a group of ancient egyptians wearing their kilts and blowing through tubes into the charcoal fire... (Nice picture of this in "Egyptian Metalworking and Tools" ) (even I consider that "old school"!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Car aircon fan make for good blowers. A visit to the car wrecker may give you a beter blower. A better alternative is a Dayton Blower 1TDN5 that sells for $54. I think that the wages for the human blowers would make the workshop unfeasible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 6 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: You could go with "traditional" blacksmithing blower(s) and get a group of ancient egyptians wearing their kilts and blowing through tubes into the charcoal fire... (Nice picture of this in "Egyptian Metalworking and Tools" ) (even I consider that "old school"!) blowing through a tube, the original "double lung" bellows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I find this to be a perfectly usable air supply for charcoal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genesaika Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I like my hair dryer, keeps the fire hot and it's easy to control how much air I'm pushing. I can't say much about how long it will last, but mine is doing fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 being as this is Friday: I like the idea of the Egyptians as it will let me eat my breakfast of hot barley with Pharoah Syrup.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Thomas is in funny mood And it is not Friday, it is Saturday ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4elements Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Marc, you and Thomas are both right since you are on the other side of the date line and the Egyptians made beer so I'm with Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I say you build yourself a nice bellow and get one Egiptian to man it, much cheaper ... oh sorry not man it ... person it ... geee, always offended someone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 4 hours ago, Marc1 said: A better alternative is a Dayton Blower 1TDN5 that sells for $54. I have used a Dayton 1TDN6 over 4 years and it's been great. Honestly I lucked into it for free from a friend through the TPAAAT method before I even knew it had a name. I like the blower so much I'd buy another IF it dies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Yes, those blowers look the part and from all the one I have researched they are by far the cheapest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4elements Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Andrew, I was just looking at your other threads and I'm wondering if you've decided on the fuel you are going to use? The type of air supply can be dependant on the fuel. Charcoal needs air only when you are heating metal, so manual blowers or bellows are not going to waste fuel like continuous electric powered blowers. However coke requires continuous air or the fire will go out between heats, so electric is the way to go. Different types of coal burn differently as well and so will affect the choice too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryCarroll Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I have used a blower/injector fan from an oil furnace with a built on air gate for years that I got for 5$ at a yard sell where the people switched over to electric heat and the fellow had enough thought to salvage some of the parts from the oil furnace. There were some pictures in the gallery long ago. I have a coal forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewB Posted February 10, 2018 Author Share Posted February 10, 2018 12 hours ago, 4elements said: Andrew, I was just looking at your other threads and I'm wondering if you've decided on the fuel you are going to use? The type of air supply can be dependant on the fuel. Charcoal needs air only when you are heating metal, so manual blowers or bellows are not going to waste fuel like continuous electric powered blowers. However coke requires continuous air or the fire will go out between heats, so electric is the way to go. Different types of coal burn differently as well and so will affect the choice too. Fuel will be coal propane and propane accessories are a bit too dangerous... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4elements Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Andrew, do you have a source for good smithing coal? Not all coal is equal. NWBA has a member who sells coal Coke and charcoal. You can use coal from other places but some types take more fire management, won't coke decently or produce excess clinker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewB Posted February 10, 2018 Author Share Posted February 10, 2018 Yes there is a Ferrier supply store near by me which carries coal andesite coal I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Washington state should be a good location for andesite which is an igneous rock somewhere between the basalts and rhyolites; tends towards volcanoes that go BOOM. The primary fuel for blacksmiths is Bituminous Coal, AKA soft coal. Hard coal, AKA Anthracite, can be used but it doesn't coke up and is harder to light and keep lit. Coke can also be used as that's what we are really using when we burn bituminous coal. And of coarse charcoal, the real stuff not briquettes, has been used to forge iron for 3000 years or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redneck carp's-tongue Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I've used a relatively unmodified hairdryer as a bellows before; the issue is directing the air. I've drilled holes into a pipe and stuck a male PVC socket onto the end, which matches a female PVC socket taped to the mouth of the dryer. cap off the end of the pipe and stick it under the coal, and you're good to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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