collinth88 Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 First timer here. I've only been forging for about 1 year and I have a small coffee can forge. For the last year, I've been using a store bought MAPP torch as a burner. It worked quite well! It didn't get welding hot, but it did get hot enough to melt the brass tip off and now I need to replace it. Since I have to replace it, I want to upgrade it. I want to put a "mini" forge burner in, probably a T burner in 1/2 inch. I have the pdf from Frosty, which is incredibly helpful, but it doesn't give me the specifics for a reduced size burner. Such as the tee size. As I understand it, I think I need a 3/4 inch (run) to 1/2 inch (chase) tee. Not sure what size I need as the mig contact tip. On a 3/4 inch burner, he uses a .035. I think I need a .025 connected to a 1/4 inch orifice. Thank you in advance for helping me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Close enough so far, guys here are having good luck with 0.023 mig tips but 0.025 works. The ratio applies to the mixing tube length as well, 1/2 x 8. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinth88 Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 Thank you Frosty! Great info btw. I will be sure to pick up a 0.023 mig tip. According to what I read on your T burner info, shouldn't it be a 1/2 x 4 inch nipple for the mixing tube, or am I misunderstanding the ratio? Also, would the tee I described above work or does it need to be a full 1/2 inch tee all around(1/2 run and 1/2 chase)? Also, also, what size flare end do I need? I assume a 1/2 to 3/4. I apologize for my redundant questions, but as I am limited in funds, I want to get it right the first time. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Yes, you got the ratio right. 1/2" x 3/4" T is the right one. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pre6422hornet Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 I can tell you that the two burner forge I built two months ago with Frosty's directions is running the 1/2" burners and it is HOT!! I am in the middle of moving the family 70 miles so the shop is completely torn apart, but once in the new shop I can't wait to get it back up and running. Oh yeah it sips the propane too. Good luck with the build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinth88 Posted October 15, 2020 Author Share Posted October 15, 2020 I JUST finished the burner build and I took the 3/4 tee (from a cheap, not well built, bought burner off Etsy with an off center orifice) and used a 3/4 to 1/2 bushing to connect it to a 1/2 x 4 nipple and jammed it into a 3/4 nipple toe that i screwed into the forge wall. Talk about redneck ingenuity! It fires up great and gets MUCH hotter than the old torch head and "sips the gas"! Thank you so much for your help Frosty! Although, I want to make some tweaks because it isn't getting welding hot, but I might keep it simple for this forge and build a bigger, better one slowly. Question...how do you cool down the burner itself? After only about 10 minutes, it got incredibly hot! Due to space, I might look into making a 3/8 burner and give it a stabilizing tube, which should keep it cooler...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 How much of it got "incredibly" hot? What's incredibly hot to you? I'm pretty sure that means something else to to me entirely. A stabilizing tube? What's that? Just so know the precision requirement follows a similar curve as does output. Double the tube diameter increases output 4x. Cut the tube diameter in half increases the importance of precision 4x. A 3/8" burner is 2x as difficult to make as a 1/2" burner. An insignificant mistake needing zero correction, building a 3/4" burner is a major mistake in a 1/2" burner and a complete fail in a 3/8". Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 What he said. The need for precision multiples as burner size subtracts. t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahl3rs Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 Just a quick question, for the intake area, the ratio was 2 X D, so wouldn't that 1/2" x 1/2" x 1/2" for the T? I'm just having a bit of a hard time understanding the math on that part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 Won't work worth beans. The smaller exit diameter of the middle opening finishes the work that opposite entrances start; that is the work of swirling, and thereby mixing the air and fuel gas. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that leaving that detail out of the burner's design results in puny performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinth88 Posted October 20, 2020 Author Share Posted October 20, 2020 Frosty, By "stabilizing tube", I mean the tube that is attached to the body of the forge and utilizes screws to center the burner, aim it, and hold it in place. By "incredibly hot", I mean a bright yellow for anything that is inside the forge for longer than 3 or 4 minutes. It does not get white hot or welding hot, but I do not require that ability as of now. It seems to be working quite well for what I need it to do, but I am always open to suggestions from more experienced individuals! Thank you! Any other advice you have to fine tune or make an obvious improvement that I may be missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Okay, we call that a sleeve type burner mount or sleeve for short. If your burner nozzle is getting bright yellow pull it farther out of the forge. Just 3/8" - 1/2" inside the shell is usually plenty deep. High yellow is easy welding heat if you know how and learning to weld isn't hard at all. If you're getting high yellow in 4-5 minutes it sounds like you're there. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinth88 Posted October 30, 2020 Author Share Posted October 30, 2020 Thank you Frosty! I plan to add a sleeve in the near future. I really want to try forge welding for my first time soon too! Very excited! I will pull the burner nozzle further out and see if that helps. Also, I changed the mig tip to a 0.025, as suggested, which seems to be doing quite well. However, I came back in from forging about 5 minutes ago, because the burner is now sputtering. No matter the pressure, it sputters. It's losing heat, probably from sputtering, and it's taking much longer to heat the steel. I also noticed my propane tank has a little frost at the bottom. Tonight is a "cold night" here in Texas so maybe that attributed to the problems?? And for the record, cold here is 55°F. Oh how I miss the mountains!! Anywho, it didn't sputter at all yesterday and I ran it longer and it was the same temp outside, if that has anything to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 I would say the tank is almost empty & freezing up, the frost line is usually at the top of the liquid. You can put in a tub of water to keep it from freezing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinth88 Posted November 5, 2020 Author Share Posted November 5, 2020 Thank you Irondragon! That was it exactly. I'm still new to this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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