July 14, 20215 yr Just to show you what I use. It's a steel plate with holes drilled in it. I dont think it would be good to tack weld to your cast fire pot but I tack weld it to my brake rotor fire pot. When it wears out I can simply cut the 4 tack welds and replace it. It could easily (depending on your skills) be fabricated to fit in the hole with a lip holding it in place.
July 14, 20215 yr Sorry I have been remiss in visiting you, and for that mater keeping up with this thread. Dad had had a heart attack about 3 months ago fallowed buy a stroke a month later. Been a bit hectic around here sense. as mentioned the gilet gray was to high, an inch or two would be sufficient and the lip underneath as you now know catches the slag so you can’t fish it out.
July 14, 20215 yr Charles, I'm sorry to hear about your Dad. My own father had multiple issues with heart attacks and strokes, so it is with great sympathy that I wish you and him the very best. 2 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said: gilet gray "bullet grate"?
July 14, 20215 yr Another example of the US and UK being two countries separated by a common language. Did warriors in Middle Earth wear "armour" or "armor?" "By hammer and hand all arts do stand."
July 14, 20215 yr 6 hours ago, JHCC said: think anvil meant the CF clinker breaker Thanks,JHCC, that's what I meant. I can't put their addy down. Check Centaur Forge. I'm not a fan of a metal grate. My first home built forge used one. I made the grate out of 1/4" welding rod for cast. When I learned of and used a clinker ball/breaker it made a major difference in my work. From keeping a clean fire without having to break it down to air distribution in the firepot. They are inexpensive and not that hard to add to a home built firepot.
July 14, 20215 yr Charles: I'm holding your Father, Family and friend in my prayers. Be well Brother, we're pulling for you. Frosty The Lucky.
July 14, 20215 yr Charles, Sorry about your recent life developments. i hope that your father is on the mend and that you are in better form. Good wishes to you and all the family. SLAG.
July 14, 20215 yr Tho spelling is not my strong suit, as an avid pre Boston method reader I prefer the Oxford English for spelling thank you. yes “Bullet Grate”
July 14, 20215 yr 56 minutes ago, anvil said: When I learned of and used a clinker ball/breaker it made a major difference in my work. For a bottom-blast firepot, definitely. Not necessary for a side-blast.
July 14, 20215 yr 3 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said: Ball (clinker) breaker... You're torturing me on purpose aren't you, Charles. I've been resisting this straight line since it came up originally. That is NOT easy for me on a good day but it keeps showing up! I'm going out and run the string trimmer so I don't get myself moderated for cause. Frosty The Lucky.
July 15, 20215 yr Hope things get better for you Charles. Although I've never actually met you I count you as a friend and I hate to see friends having a hard time. If there's anything I can do just let me know. Pnut
July 16, 20215 yr On 7/14/2021 at 2:09 PM, JHCC said: Not necessary for a side-blast Back on topic. I think you are right. To be clear, I've never used a side blast, but I've burnt a lot of coke. No matter what direction the air comes from, it basically does 3 thing. It produces heat and heat rises. It makes clinker and ash, which falls down. Thats it. The heat heats our work and we must remove the clinker and ash. Then there's air and we need to remove the O2 from it to have a reducing fire. Simple stuff for simple blacksmiths. I'm not a fan of a grate. With a grate, slots or holes, the air basically rises straight up. With a sideblast, the air moves horizontal broken up via coke. We have far less control of this, so less control over our fire,,, possibly. A clinker ball due to its shape channels the air twards the sloping sides, and up. This creates a fireball that burns from the outside in giving us a large controllable fireball. A clinker ball also allows us to remove all clinker and ash without breaking down our fire in able to do this. A flick of the handle, and done. With a grate, to remove the fines and ash, you must break down your fire and shovel it out. A side draft has a depression below the air inlet that clinker and ash can fall into. Of course you can remove the clinker ring, but what about the rest? \ Just my opinion
July 16, 20215 yr Well with a well designed side blast you have as much control over the fire as with a side blast but you do not have the slag directly over the draft sorce. As to removing the slag, kill the air, lift the fire with your shovel and hook the slag with your poker and pull it out. Easy enugh.
July 16, 20215 yr 16 minutes ago, Charles R. Stevens said: with a well designed side blast you have as much control over the fire as with a side blast As much control as a bottom-blast, but Yes. In this context, control has more to do with the controlling the speed and volume of the air supply than anything else.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.