I recently get into blacksmithing and purchased a Chile Forge 2 burner (Cayenne).  No complaints, the forge seems really great.  I find that at times I only care to run the front burner to heat up less area of what I am working on.  According to the literature that the manufacturer provides, this seems okay as long as you close the choke.  However I have noticed the burner that is off heats up fairly well; considerable more than the front one, enough that I wouldn't want to touch it without a glove on.

Will this extra heat damage the rear Diablo burner?  Or is this a common practice and nothing to worry about?  

That's why you close the choke on the one you aren't using or pressure in the forge blows flame out the burner. it. If you think it's getting too hot you might block the end in the forge with a wad of ceramic blanket. I don't think you should need to but I don't have one to hand so I don't know for sure.

Frosty The Lucky.

I know this is a silly question, but are you also turning off the fuel to that burner?

46 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said:

I know this is a silly question, but are you also turning off the fuel to that burner?

Oh yes, certainly.  The ball valve gets closed first and then the choke gets closed.

 

50 minutes ago, Frosty said:

That's why you close the choke on the one you aren't using or pressure in the forge blows flame out the burner. it. If you think it's getting too hot you might block the end in the forge with a wad of ceramic blanket. I don't think you should need to but I don't have one to hand so I don't know for sure.

Frosty The Lucky.

I don't think is is getting too hot, but it is getting "hot" (not relative to the temps that blacksmithing requires).  Near as I can tell the fresh air that comes in for combustion cools the top of the burner when it is running.  The closed/off burner is getting the radiating heat from the forge and heating up.  Still this sounds like it is a somewhat common practice.  I was mostly just concerned about damage to the burner, I would rather use extra fuel than ruin the burner.

1 minute ago, Adam R. said:

I don't think is is getting too hot, but it is getting "hot" (not relative to the temps that blacksmithing requires).  Near as I can tell the fresh air that comes in for combustion cools the top of the burner when it is running.  The closed/off burner is getting the radiating heat from the forge and heating up.  Still this sounds like it is a somewhat common practice.  I was mostly just concerned about damage to the burner, I would rather use extra fuel than ruin the burner.

That's perfectly normal. After a little while you don't want to touch the outside of the forge shell either but it's not damaging anything.

The chimney effect is caused by the super heated forge atmosphere rising up a burner that isn't running like it was a chimney. The running burner pressurizes the forge chamber so a non operating burner acts like an exhaust pipe. Closing the choke takes care of it fine.

Chimney/exhaust port effect may not at work now but it's something to remember, it can come up if you forget to close the other choke. 

Having fun yet?

Frosty The Lucky.

 

Also, it is a good idea to use something to temporarily partition off the half of the forge that you don't want heated; this has been discussed several times on this forum.

24 minutes ago, Frosty said:

 

...

Having fun yet?

Frosty The Lucky.

 

Thank you for the info, sets my mind at ease.

And most certainly YES!  I am having a blast.  I'm on my 4th set of tongs already.  Making a 3/8"x1" pair of box jaw tongs right now.  Gonna try my hand at forge welding in the next couple of weeks. 

23 minutes ago, Mikey98118 said:

Also, it is a good idea to use something to temporarily partition off the half of the forge that you don't want heated; this has been discussed several times on this forum.

Probably a good idea, but so far I mostly seem to need a long piece to pass completely through the forge but only heat a certain section.  I may look to get some hard firebrick though for the purpose if it comes to it.

Thanks Mike I forgot about partitioning the forge chamber!  

Nah, don't use hard fire brick as a partition it's too great a heat sink. Call around HVAC service companies and see if they have any ceramic blanket refractory trimmings you can bum. They have to use refractory blanket off the roll when working on furnaces and have to toss the trimmings. It's a code thing, the place I get Kaowool typically has a couple dumpsters stuffed with it if I catch them before it's emptied. They don't make me dumpster dive though, there are typically several garbage bags full in the shop. Free is good.

Kiln shelf is an excellent partition and or door (baffle) material, it's tough and takes lots of heat without effect.

When you try welding, keep it simple and easy like a lap weld on square of strap stock. Leave round on round, etc. till after you get a handle on it. Remember to scarf your joints and more importantly, clean, Clean CLEAN it!

Frosty The Lucky.

I have some ceramic blanket from a project years ago lying around, might fit the bill.  I've read there is a concern about  fibers being released at temperature with Kaowool and the like?

My first weld attempt was going to be on making a fire poker.  I was thinking of using a faggot weld as opposed to making a loop and using scarfs.   Suppose I could go with (try) either.  Gonna need to learn it all eventually.