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Posted

First time posting, but I've come to rely on this site while I am working on my first forge. I've been having a problem with my forge though. I'm using cowboy lump charcoal as fuel but I just can't seem to get it hot enough. I'm pretty sure it's my air flow. I'm going as old school as possible but I'm in need of a bellows, or hand blower, any suggestions on where I should get one, or how to make one? I'm trying to stay under $50 for the bellows.

Posted

Where are you located?  Makes a difference in shipping and resource information.

Fuel does not make a fire hot, air makes the fire hot. But you must have enough fuel in order to burn.

Posted
5 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said:

What are you using as an air source now and what type of forge did you build?

I built a brick forge and I tried using a bike pump as a bellows just to see if it would work

8 minutes ago, Glenn said:

Where are you located?

I'm located in Colorado Springs

Posted
14 hours ago, Steven Rudolphi said:

I tried using a bike pump as a bellows

A bike pump is typically very low volume of air at a high pressure.  For a charcoal forge you don't need high pressure, and you need a much better flowrate.  I believe that some folks use larger hairdryers, blowers from "bouncy castles" or similar inflatables, or double action manual air mattress inflators.  There are folks with a lot more experience than I have with solid fuel forges who can help more I'm sure.

Posted

A charcoal forge needs very little air as compared to a coal forge, a large hairdryer will blow the fuel out of the forge, a bouncy blower would very much excessive.  An airgate is mandatory with either one.

Posted

$10 woks really well with a 3/4” schedule 40 pipe tuyere (the hose end wedges right in to the pipe) walls, double acting box bellows...

54E261C4-8814-4F92-B2FE-330C02B3AB95.jpeg

I have two forges outfitted with just such a set up.

They both handle 1” stock well. An old drawer, a piece of pipe, bed inflator and a coffee table. Just ad dirt and you have a forge.

Not, bottom blast forges such as brake drum/rotor forges are fuel hungry beasts with charcoal, small side blasts can be configured for mor effencey. 

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