Getting set up

[Glenn]

A couple of sheets of newspaper set on fire is enough to get the drat going in a chimney.

To increase the draft in the chimney, add a skirt between the hood and the forge so more of the smoke and less of the room air goes up the chimney.  

[Wandering_R0gue]

Thanks Glenn! It started drawing for me almost right away when I lit with paper and kindling. When you mention a skirt, do you mean lowering the whole thing? just the back? I still have the piece I cut out of the front that I can use to make corrections.

 

[Glenn]

Stand at the forge and take note of your visual needs to see the metal in the fire.  Then take note of the physical needs of the metal to go into and move to use the fire.  Now use whatever is handy (sheet metal, aluminum flashing, etc) to block off the remaining space as a test run.  During testing, trim as needed to fit YOUR needs.  As you are only allowing smoke from the fire into the chimney, the heat of the fire will increase the draft.

Now go outside and look to see how much smoke (exhaust) is going up the chimney.  This is the amount of make-up air that you need to let into the room.  Opening a window or door is all that is needed.

When you finish your test, you can leave the skirt in place knowing that as you forge different things and different shapes, you can fit the project in the forge by trimming as needed.

 

This is based on burning bituminous coal, which can produce lots of thick smoke. Burning charcoal, or other solid fuels, should take little or no adjustment. 

 

[Wandering_R0gue]

Totally makes sense! Thanks Glenn!

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Like Glenn said newspaper will preheat the stack. I use a hand held propane (plumbers) torch to preheat just the chimney because that is what I use to start my coal fire kindling. I get the kindling and coal ready in the fire pot, light the torch and stick the flame up in the stack for a few seconds then light the fire with the torch and start to crank the blower slowly, too much air will blow the kindling fire out.

With charcoal I've been known to skip the kindling and just light the charcoal with the torch, while slowly turning the blower.

Edited May 22, 2022 by Irondragon ForgeClay Works
Add note about charcoal

[Frosty]

Here's another thing to consider. If you rotate your forge table 90* it will put the stack farther back from the fire pot. Yes?

If you remove the barrel smoke hood (keep it, this may not work well for you!) Anyway remove the  current hood and replace it with a 5gal UNGALVANIZED metal pail with a rectangular or square hole in the side at the bottom. Let the new side draw smoke hood rest right on the table a little behind the fire pot. 

Uri Hofi's super sucker is a side draw hood he made famous a few years ago. Uri doesn't prime his smoke stacks, IIRC he starts his coal with wood kindling, light it THEN rakes coal on. If it IS necessary though a single piece of burning notebook paper is plenty. 

It's just an alternative that's easy and works.

Frosty The Lucky.