Just brought a alcosa f20 hand air pump on ebay ,i have been searching for a while and this is the only pump iv come across so i had to buy it!
it cost me

I have no idea. How about a picture or URL where I can find out what it is, how it works, capacity, etc.

Generally speaking though, you need a couple hundred cfm of relatively low pressure air, a couple psi is usually plenty. A blow drier is usually enough for most general smithing, a shop vac is overkill.

Frosty

Generally what we use over here we refer to as a hand crank blower and not an air pump. Air pumps usully put out higher pressure, lower volume air and for a forge you want the opposite. Air pumps are usually much more expensive too.

But without a picture we're pretty clueless as to what you have actually got though it sounds quite expensive indeed!

Hope its worth it to you, For that price you could have bought/made a complete forge ! Go and seek out a local blacksmith and ask their advice, there are plenty in Suffolk.

Good luck with it, it should be OK for coal or charcoal, hardwork with coke.

hi arron at least you wont need a power source . i use a earlex shop blower with a light dimmer switch the whole set up cost just over

i have a f20 fan on a round riveting forge its been liying in the yardfor a year or so since i last used it ,they are fine for small work on site,about middle of the road as far as hand fans go,you will find you will do better with coal ,coke will need more air than the f20 can easily provide ,coal and coke mix might work for you .