Chiggo Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 So I have a solid fuel forge I put together and I am using a hand crank blower. The problem I seem to be having is when I go to start cranking again after working my piece the moment I start cranking again there's a loud yet minor explosion that comes from down in my turyere. I assume that it has something to do with gasses settling down at the bottom of the turyere and when fresh air is added it ignites? Any advice on how to modify my forge or what to add to avoid this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Welcome to IFI, Chiggo! You are correct that your explosion is caused by the buildup of flammable gasses. You can minimize it by bumping open the ash door for a second when you first restart the blower, but this doesn't fix the problem. Do you usually find this happening when you've added fresh coal to the fire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 It would help to know what fuel you are using. This subject has been extensively covered. here is one thread about that. I did a google search and added site:iforgeiron to the search string. Got 380 results back. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/46503-forge-explosion/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 I occasionally have the same problem and even have flames travel back up the tuyere and come out through the blower, As JHCC says you can open up the ash dump an that knocks it out, Personally I forge out in open air, and I found if I turn the blower intake towards the wind that solves the problem by keeping a light air flow moving so the gas doesn’t build up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 During active forging you should have an opening in the top of your coal pile (or side if you are going for the "beehive" configuration) that will allow the coal gasses to burn off and prevent collection (use your poker and vent till you see some flame shooting out when cranking). This can be a particular problem if dumping wet coal with a lot of fines on top of your working fire. Add new coal to the perimeter of your existing pile and gradually introduce it to the mix as it dries out and starts to coke up. Vent as required. If you are banking your fire while taking a break, opening the ash dump should keep enough air flowing through your loosely packed coal pile to avoid this buildup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Fire management so that you are burning coke instead of coal in the work zone will help. Plaser gas has been a problem for ever, wait untile you blow the leaves off a set of bellows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Not a fix but more of an amelioration: Installing one of the ash dump covers that is made from an exhaust cap that flips open when there is pressure in the tube can help tone down the boomph. Passing steam over hot coke was a method of producing flammable gas back in the gas light days as natural gas was not in common use most places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiggo Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 Thank you all for the information. I think I'll be able to figure out a fix now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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