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I Forge Iron

Connecting a Champion 400


LaneSiders

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So, I posted some pictures of my forge in the "Show me your forge" thread. I am new to this little obsession and am looking for some tips here and there. In this particular case I have a question about attaching my blower. It's the image below, a Champion 400 that works great. I bought it, a couple cross peen hammers, and the former owner's excessively large fire pot for $100. The fire pot is far too large for me at the moment (it's a hub of some sort off of an old tractor trailer) so I made my own brake drum forge. At the moment I have a hair dryer attached as shown in the other picture below. However, I am trying to figure out how to attach the 400 because I have learned it will work wonderfully. My current tuyere is made from 2inch (internal diameter) formerly galvanized pipe and fittings with the hair dryer attached as shown. The 400 has a roughly 3 inch exit and my piping is slightly larger than 2 inches externally. Anyone have suggestions for the best way to get air from one end to the other? Thanks in advance.

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Just a note of caution. If you plan on sticking with anthracite (in another thread I believe), it needs a constant air flow. An anthracite fire can go out using a While not cranking the hand blow during an extended period at the anvil. I have seen hand blowers with electric blowers attached to keep a small flow going while at the anvil.
 

David

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Another tip is to put a nipple 4"+ long on the T below the blower to act as an ash collector. close like you have it ash can build up and impede air flow. Clamp a semi truck stack flap cap, upside down on the bottom of the ash collector to act as the ash dump. It's counter weight will hold it closed and you can reach under with: tongs, stock, hammer, whatever is in hand to flip it open and dump the crud. Lastly they make a nice safety valve, if combustion gasses build up and you get a larger than usual POP when it ignites the pop will open the flap and everything will go down. I recommend a bucket with a few inches of water in it under the ash dump to keep burning bits under control.

A pipe screw plug works but is really inconvenient when you need to dump the ash. 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

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You got a very good deal on the 400. Did the owner give you any hints how to keep it lubricated? Most 400's will continue to rotate several turns when you stop cranking and with anthracite coal that should keep it going, if you are away from it too long just give it a crank to keep the air going. If away longer just put a piece of wood or lump charcoal in the fire and a couple of cranks will start the coal right back up.

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Thank you Glenn for that, it makes total sense. It saves me time wandering around hardware stores wracking my brain.

Goods, I will certainly keep that in mind when I switch over. At the moment I have the opposite problem and tend to burn more fuel than I need to so it will be a new challenge. I may be able to add another T where one direction has a low output electric blower and my hand crank on the other.

Frosty, I have already realized that my cap is a pain. Especially when I go to dump it and the cap is still quite warm... With your advice I have begun fabricating an ash dump out of a piece of lawnmower blade I forged flat and welded a little flange to. At the moment I am stalled on that because I work nights and with the virus even wally world is closed overnights so I can't get a couple things I need to finish it. So far picture is below.

Irondragon, I originally went to just buy the fire pot but when I explained to him that I was just starting my hobby and had nothing he technically gave me the blower and hammers for free and I paid for the fire pot and wouldn't take any more money from me. I will honestly always bless that man for his generosity because I didn't know at the time what he had actually given me. He did not mention anything about maintenance of any kind but I do realize it will need some. I figured once I started using it I would do research, but if you have any nuggets of wisdom I am always listening. Also, that's a very useful suggestion for stoking the fire back up. Thank you.

Thanks everyone!

 

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Below the fire pot put a T with air coming in the branch.  The down tube should be long enough to hold a quantity of ash and be easily dumped.  

If the ash were to build up to the branch in the T, the hot embers in the down tube now get all the air and very hot.  The ash blocks any air going to the fire and you have problems.

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On maintenance of the 400, I recommend taking the gear cover off and washing the inside with kerosene to rid it of any gunk that may be in there and checking the condition of the gears. Then for lubrication, I use either chainsaw bar oil with a little STP mixed in or 30 wt motor oil in the winter and 80 wt gear oil in the summer. They have a splash oil system and are not fussy about the oil. The lower gear runs in the oil and distributes it through out to the other gears and bearings. Do not use too much oil or it will leak like a sieve, an ounce or so is plenty and a squirt from an oil can when just starting will do it. You can usually tell when it needs a little oil by the sound of the gears. If it has been sitting for a while check behind the fan for critter nests, mice, mud dobbers & wasps love to build nests in there. From the picture it looks pretty clean in there.

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Well, I checked out the interior of the 400 and it was well maintained. The blades are all intact and the interior is free of varmints. The gear box looks like he have used a thicker grease to lubricate but the gears are in excellent condition and it turns smooth.

I went to the hardware store and hunted all around for the aluminum dryer vent hoses. I found them and they were all 4 inch diameter. But off to the side there was a that looked like the smaller generic version of all the others. It was 3 inch but labeled specifically NOT for dryer vents. Since I am not using it for a dryer anyways I figured I was in luck! They also had 2-4 inch hose clamps there so I got a couple and now can use my blower once it's cleaned and oiled. Thanks again all.

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Also, I finished my ash dump contraption. I made a bracket to secure the flap I forged out of the mower blade using old kitchen hardware. Drilled out the holes to put two bolts through a cabinet door hinge on the flap and a drawer handle on the opposite side of the pipe. Then I secured it around the bottom. I can disconnect it and move it once I get a length of pipe for ash collection as mentioned. I welded a bar to the bottom of the flap and welded a railroad spike as a counterweight. Best part is that it seems to actually work!

And don't mind my ugly welds, I am just as new to welding as I am smithing!

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The collapsible hose shouldn't get that hot. I'd just keep an eye on it to make sure for a couple sessions though. 

How do you like that little accacio anvil? I have one and was pleasantly surprised by it. Unbeatable for the price. 

Pnut

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Yeah, that's the thing I was going to be watching when I try it out. I figure as long as I keep it the same distance as I had the hair dryer it should be fine. Plastic is less forgiving than aluminum.

And I really have no complaints about the anvil for the price. It's face is hard enough to function for its purpose and soft enough that when someone I let use it (me) hit a little off target (totally missed) because I was distracted (startled out of my skin) by a large and dangerous woodland creature (squirrel) it only left a minor dent and did not chip or crack. I made sure that the 66 pound one I got was steel faced, because the lighter ones are all cast iron. I am passively looking out for bigger and better but this one keeps me swinging hammer, so it works for now!

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You don't need the RR spike counter weight, the length of round stock is plenty. If it does need more you can wire pieces to it until you find what works well before you weld them on. My bet is no extra weight is plenty but I'm wrong often enough to expect it. 

Your air connection is fine, the supply side of the tuyere rarely even gets coffee warm.

Frosty The Lucky.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just because I remembered that a couple different people mentioned it on this thread, I wanted to point out that I added the 4in. pipe nipple that was suggested for ash accumulation. I also welded the flap hinge that I fabricated directly to the nipple so that it is more secure. And I left the railroad spike at the end of my handle only because I think it looks neat. If I am ever hurting for scrap steel I can always hack it off in case of emergency!

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Also, the vent pipe works great.

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