New to This and am not afraid to ask for help

[DigitalAnvil]

Ok, so let me start with the facts.  I have a single burner forge.  I did not make the burner from scratch.  Purchased from Mathewson Metals.  Whatever is going wrong it is definitely my fault.  I love the product.  Ive been reading a lot of posts that talk about the same problem im having, but there are to many variables.  My forge is not getting hot enough, sputters, and "on occasion" catches fire.  I contacted Mathewson Metals, but could not upload the video of my problem since the video was above 20MB.  Using standard propane tank with 1-30 psi hose.  I am outside as i do not have a shop.  Ive got fire bricks covering the back and part of the front to retain heat.  I will try to upload the video here.  Any help would be appreciated.

[JHCC]

Welcome to IFI! If you haven't yet, please READ THIS FIRST!!!

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable about gas forges will be along to address your specific issue, but in the mean time, please read THIS POST about the dangers of unsealed ceramic wool forge linings.  

[DigitalAnvil]

Thank you JHCC.  I am aware of the hazards and will be taking steps to fix it as soon as I get the forge operational.  It is a big deal that not a lot of people talk about.  If it had an asbestos lining the EPA would be up in arms but since the actual carcinogen in the wool isnt widely known, it is still used.  Thanks for looking out for peoples safety.

[JHCC]

My pleasure. Again, I'm not a gasser expert, but it might be worthwhile to rigidize your wool and add a rigid refractory lining now, so that whatever you end up doing to the burner doesn't have to get readjusted when you then modify the forge. Just a thought.

[DigitalAnvil]

Very good point.  This weekend it is.

[swedefiddle]

Good Morning,

You live in the heart of North West Blacksmith Association. There are a ton of knowledgeable members. Check out their website www.blacksmith.org  They have a weekend next weekend in Longview Wash.

It looks like you are too lean, is there a bee or a bug stuck in the gas orifice? Maybe a steel burr. Maybe the bottle is frozen up, put it in a pail of water for a heat-sink. Maybe you have a valve that restricts gas flow, not all valves in the bottles are good for running forges. Some are low flow, you need high flow. Most Bar-B-Ques are low flow.

Get away from the keyboard and hook up with the NWBA!! Hope to see you at the Spring Conference in May.

Neil

[Latticino]

Here are the steps I would take to address what I see in your video:

1. Seal the kaowool with a solution of fumed silica and water sprayed on.  Fumed silica available at most boat builders supply shops for use with fiberglass layup.
2. Ensure that you have a 0-30 psi adjustable regulator on your propane tank.  Some burners need to be run at lower pressure until the forge starts to heat up.  Then they can be run full out.  Has to do with the balance between flame front speed and mixture outlet speed.
3. Check your orifice for any obstruction with a magnifying glass or loop. Mark the current location of the gas feed first, as you are pretty close to a tuned burner and don't want to go backwards. 
4. Tune your burner by adjusting the orifice position in the mixing tube. Once it is dead center, small adjustments fore and aft can help with the gas air mixture proportion and flame stability.

Take heart, you are very close to a usable gas forge.

[Rojo Pedro]

I have a mathewson burner in my air tank forge and it works well.

However the volume is small at about 225 ci.  It has 2" wool and at least 1/2" of cast o lite, I use soft fire brick for a back door and I made a front door out of left over cast o lite.

I have only tried to forge weld once and I couldnt get it up to temp but I was running out of fuel and didnt try very hard. My forge works very good for what I do and I get about 10 hours on  a 5gal tank

I think a propane tank may be too big for just one of those burners. I could be very wrong tho as im a noob :-)

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Another thing to think about is secondary air being drawn in around the burner & the mounting tube. Try packing that area with some scrap wool fiber to see if it helps.

[DigitalAnvil]

Thank you to all who responded, and ive got good news.  So first the details.  I took out the burner and made sure there was nothing obstructing the fuel flow.  Then i installed it making sure everything was leveled correctly.  I did put something to obstruct any heat coming from out of the burner insert.  I rearranged the firebricks to keep more heat in turned the gas up to 11.  It worked.  Only three problems left but at least i know what they are.  One is because im outside, my mixture gets lean when the wind is blowing.  Because i am using a barbecue propane tank, i do get frozen after about an hour into working, and the ceramic coating is on order for the cancer wool.  Once i find solutions to those i should be in good shape.  Thanks again to all who took the time to help a newbie out.

[Mikey98118]

Did you use one of the wire files in a set of torch tip cleaners (about $4 at a welding supplies store) to insure that your burner's fuel jet isn't dirty? Because the pressure you are speaking of is more than twice the minimum  needed for a stable flame in the average 3/4" burner size. If your fuel jet has filings or burrs from construction, or more likely tape or sealant inside, it can mess up again at anytime.

[DigitalAnvil]

I did not check the actual nozzle.  Ill be honest with you, im a little worried that if I remove the brass nozzle from the set screws that ill never get it straight again.  But you are right, it is something that needs to be checked.  

[Mikey98118]

Torch tip cleaners come in two main size sets; 2" and 4" long, but if you look on the web, there are individual wirefliles that are much longer. You might be able to check and clean the jet without removal; it just depends.