March 24, 20224 yr I recently picked up a champion model 60B hand-crank blower. More-so to satisfy my own curiosity, I’m trying to assign an approximate date/era to this thing. I see the 60 series in all of the champion catalogs that I was able to find online, but they’re listed as weighing 22lbs. This one is about half of the weight listed in the catalog. So, was there a period of time when these would have been either fully transitioned to aluminum, or maybe for a brief time period? I’m guessing it’s either a WW2 or early Cold War effort to re-allocate steel for military use. I’ve seen a few places online listing these as a “civil defense blower” for use in bomb shelters in the 50s, but even then the catalog seems to indicate that it should be a much heavier body. Or did I manage to find an elaborate Chinese knockoff of some sort? Either way, the price was right, and it works fine. Just curious.
March 24, 20224 yr I did a google search for Champion Civil Defense Blower and the first hit was on Anvilfire (not allowed to post a link) but here is what it says. including a picture. Quote This is one of the many Civil Defense bomb shelter air supply blowers used in private and public shelters in the 1950's and 60's. Making these blowers was the last hurah for a dying industry. -guru Champion Blower and Forge Co. Model 60B Cast aluminum housing with integral gear box. Original Wooden Handle on Hand Crank 2.5" discharge Weight: 10 lb. 5 oz.
March 24, 20224 yr Author I found that as well, I just found it odd that the catalog lists them as steel body in every issue. I’m assuming sometime in the 50’s, then, they switched to cast aluminum. It may have only been a brief switch, I suppose. At least it’s not a... forgery
March 24, 20224 yr It's authentic and a good find. If it supplied a bomb shelter with fresh air it should work a treat in a forge. I don't remember when Champion went out of business. Just came to me 1986 was when they closed. Edited March 24, 20224 yr by Irondragon ForgeClay Works add time
March 24, 20224 yr During WWII they would have been steel INSTEAD of AL as aluminum was needed for planes and steel is a lot cheaper and more prevalent! After the war there was more Al around for "domestic" use.
March 25, 20224 yr After the ACW there was a great flowering in the use of cast iron due to the "excess capacity" built up for the war effort.
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