Whiskeysup Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Finally got a weekend free and got my welder working. Found the forge parts and anvil at a yard sale last year. Pretty rusty, they were portable calvary forges so the guy said. The boxed were beyon salvage but the blower I rebuilt and the anvil cleaned up very nicely. The fire pot took a lot of work but it turned out all right. The table was $10.00 on craigslist and the side wall metal was free scrap from work. I am lining the table with old red brick to bring the bowl edge level to the table surface to make it easier to rake in the coal. Some final air pipe and fittings and I will start making smoke! Please give comments as I am as green as you can be at smithing. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Looks pretty good. The only suggestion I have would be to move the blower mounting closer to the corner, that way it would be closer to the side you are working off of and you would be able to adjust the handle for a longer throw if you wanted to.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskeysup Posted March 16, 2019 Author Share Posted March 16, 2019 Thanks for the idea. I figured it would be easier for me to fabricate the "T" fitting underneath the bowl for the air pipe if it was at 90 deg. There is a plate that I will weld the T to that slides 8nto a fitting under the center of the bowl . It looks to me that the original design was for portability and ease of assembly/ disassembly. Notice the hooks on the blower outfeed. Anyway there is still lots of room to adjust the handle, I have it adjusted so its balanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 I made the Tuyere from Truck exhaust pipe. 3" with a flange to screw to the air grate, 2" down the 2" dia, horizontal air supply to the blower. 5" below the supply pipe to an exhaust flap cap ash dump. I used hole saws to match the 2" air supply to the 3" vertical and migged them together. Same to make the flange, 5" hole saw then the 3" hole saw for the exhaust stack. Welded flush. The flap cap clamps on with the weight towards where you stand so you can reach under with whatever's in hand to dump the ash into a bucket. If gasses detonate when you restart the blower all it does is dump the ash for you by blowing the flap cap open. I made the drawing below before someone suggested an exhaust flap cap and the horizontal is above center to increase room so you don't have to dump ash as often ash. That's the general idea idea though. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskeysup Posted March 16, 2019 Author Share Posted March 16, 2019 Frosty, thanks, that's a great idea, I think I have an old exhaust flap cap from an old tractor rebuild around here someplace. Love the ash dump idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskeysup Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 Pieced together the brick to to level out the table to make pushing coal into the pot easier. Boy howdy I am no stone mason! At least the brick was free and the sand came out of my creek. Next is figuring out a hood/ stack. As always comment and suggestion welcome especially if it keeps me from big mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Well, you might want to move the blower closer to were you will be standing at the fire pot. Often you are cranking wile rotating stock in the fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskeysup Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 Thanks for the advice, wasn't aware that at times you need to rotate stock while cranking. Unfortunately the pot is bolted to the table through a hole I cut in the top- it's how the pot is designed. If it becomes a problem, I have a couple of electric squirrel cage blowers I can replace it with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Can you rotate the pot 90-120deg clockwise? Thus mounting the blower on the side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskeysup Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 Charles, Thanks for responding. I can remount the blower but I would have to remove the brick. The reason I mounted the pot and blower where I did was to be able to use both sides of the pot, be able to mount the hood to the table sides and leave room on top for coal and a handy place to leave tools. Once I start making sparks I will know if my 5hinking was off base, all part of the learning curve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I understand what you are saying, and it’s a consideration, but I think moving the blower closer to the fire pot will improve your work flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskeysup Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 You may be right, but I really don't mind finding out if I am, been wanting to do this for so long. I will post success and failures. Thanks for all the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Sure, I look forward to you sharing your experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I'm a big fan of the super-sucker hood. Great smoke removal and takes up very little space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Rather than go to a lot of hassle moving your blower use exhaust flex pipe and leave yourself a little extra. I'd be banging my knuckles if I put the blower where you have it. Heck that's what I hate about my rivet forge after making a smoke shield, you have to be careful or you're always banging the shield. Beautiful job on the forge but try not to get carried away making it "perfect" or you'll be at it forever. If I actually set up a coal forge in the shop, I'll be using a side draft, they work so well it'd be silly to mount my old overhead hood that lets smoke go it's merry way instead of up the stack. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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