ArmySoldier72 Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 I started the Mr. Volcano last weekend, this weekend was the second run on it. About 3 hours each Saturday and Sunday (12 hours). I was looking at several threads about tuning a gas forge. I am wondering how does these flames look? I am running at about 3-4 PSI. Flames at ignition. I close the back and front to about a 1" opening on each to warm up. And then after a few minutes the sides are orange. I leave the steel in the forge until it is bright orange, like the right side of the this last picture. I welcome your thoughts and feed back. ARMY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 I tend not to put steel in a forge until it come up to temp---less scaling. I will sometimes place it on top/in front of a forge to warm up below scaling temps though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmySoldier72 Posted June 7, 2022 Author Share Posted June 7, 2022 Thomas, In that bottom picture, I saw the side was bright so i thought it was hot enough. Should i wait longer? until the whole forge is bright orange? or yellow even? ARMY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 At what forge temp do you put steel in? The bottom pic looks good, the top pics could use a bit more preheating in my opinion. Remember I got into smithing through blades and so I'm trained to not leave steel in a forge for a long time and to use fewer heats and to not let steel get cold on the anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmySoldier72 Posted June 7, 2022 Author Share Posted June 7, 2022 I put the steel in a little bit for the bottom picture... I will start waiting a bit longer tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 See what works best for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 Good Morning Army, Lay your end bricks on their side (you still can adjust them depending on the application). Lay another brick on it's side on top of the lower bricks, This will lower the chimney and retain a bunch of heat inside the firebox. Heat rises, don't let it escape with no benefit. You just need enough room at the bottom to get your work, in and out. Just another piece for your puzzle. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 As to the flame itself; there are two things: First, you asked about tuning. I don't see any way to tune that burner; change the burner, yes, but no tuning as is. So, what can you do to improve that burner? Add a sliding step nozzle to it; this would also allow you to tune the burner. Second, the flame looks inconsistent. That is, it looks a little weak. And the gas pressure you state that you are running is consistent with that. But the flame envelope appears to be pushed well away from the burner before it ignites, and that just should not happen in this case. Is your photo actually showing the whole flame, or is some of it transparent in the photo, but seen by your eyes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 I was holding off till Mike spoke, he's better at evaluating flames than I. What I see is a flame running a little richer than I like but I can't see the position of the choke sleeve so it might be a matter of adjustment. With psi that low and the flame that rich my first thought is turn it up and open the choke by increments until she's roaring like a jet engine. If you'll take a pic far enough back to see the whole burner I'll maybe change my opinion. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 Lest it seem that we are picking on your burner, it should be added that the two pieces you have in the forge are getting plenty hot Can you tweak this forge to do even better? Yes, but is seems to be doing quite well already. Are you getting your money's worth? Yup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 Neil's suggestion for the heat baffles (doors) will improve performance as well and give you more flexible openings. Play with them a little before lighting the forge to get an idea of how many shapes of opening you can use. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmySoldier72 Posted June 9, 2022 Author Share Posted June 9, 2022 I apologize i should have replied earlier, Mike, don't worry I have thick skin and I am posting to get criticized. Neil, I did not under stand what yo meant when i read it the first time, but just now I got it. I will change tonight and take a new picture. I think I still have enough bricks to do that. Frosty, you are right, I should have taken a more complete picture, it is like only reading half the sentence. After your comment I also realized, why did I have the PSI so low. The forge comes with a 20 PSI regulator, I upgraded to this braded steel regulator with PSI read out. SO last night I pumped it up to 12 PSI, holy cow, it got louder and much hotter in that little smithy area. I will lose 5lbs by the end of the week. 8-) Here is the flame when I started the forge. I am not sure if I had it at 12PSI or not when I took these. I let it run for 5 minutes. I closed the back, waited 5 more minutes before putting steel in the forge this is about 10-15 minutes after starting I tried to get the steel to show up in the picture but its a phone, and struggled to make out the shape. ARMY PS. Before I closed the back of the forge. or right after I closed it. I noticed the wall was very hot to the touch. Should I be concerned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 Army, if you are like this old soldier here, wont hurt at all to lose 5#. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 No need to apologize Soldier, you don't know what you don't know. Don't worry, we'll ask. When you say "hotter in your little smithy" I hope you don't mean it's enclosed! Propane forge put out dangerous exhaust!, Carbon monoxide, CO2 and when screaming hot, Nitrous oxides. That's not to mention whatever is on the steel, tongs, etc. You need better than GOOD ventilation, especially if your shop is attached to a home or other inhabited space. That's a HOT forge, You can adjust the air fuel ratio with the choke sleeve on the burner body. It's held in place with set screws. Put a mark in the burner body at the top of the sleeve where it is now, loosen the screws and move it maybe 1/4" so the air ports are larger. This is probably too far but I bracket targets. If it is too lean, mark the burner body like before but at the bottom of the choke sleeve so you can compare both positions. If it's still too rich open it another 1/4" and repeat the test. Keep notes! When you get a flame that's too lean, split the distance from the last mark and make the adjustment increments 1/2 the distance. An audible cue for getting lean is the roar will start to shriek. My burners roar on the verge of screaming, unpleasantly loud but not shrieking. Next time pull the piece out of the forge to take a pic of how hot it is, no electronic camera can get a pic of the inside of a forge without being glared out. Looking good so far. How was it, beating HOT steel? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 So, with the latest photos, I must change two opinions: First, there is a choke, so there is at least one thing other than the gas pressure that you can adjust; the other thing is that you didn't get your moneys worth. You actually got a GOOD deal on that forge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmySoldier72 Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 Billy so true .. so true. Frosty .. I will do those tests this weekend. Mikey - it is the $88 Mr Volcano, the only upgrade was buying a 10 foot steel braded regulator. I am thinking I might coat the inside with ITC100HC - after I get a little more comfortable with her. Neil, here is my attempt at reconfiguring the way you suggested. I also moved the forge to the higher level on the stove because the bricks were a bit difficult being stacked. I changed the platform in front of the forge so now it is all the same level as the brick inside the forge. I think I might have to get one of those metal carts. I am not sure if this height will work for me or not. I will get a fired up picture tomorrow. ARMY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 Instead of ITC-100HC I would use Plistix 100 F it is available in the IFI store and less expensive along with working better. Keep your eye out for a discarded BBQ with a cart. Someone dumped one on our road and it made a good cart for our forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmySoldier72 Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 Thanks IronDragon, now that you say that, I do remember reading that in another thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 Neil was suggesting you lay the bricks closing the doorway lay on edge rather than on their ends with a third on edge on top. Pulling the bottom bricks apart makes an opening at the floor as wide or narrow as works best. Closing the top of the forge retains more heat but that brick can be moved as well. Most of what you do will lay on the floor of the forge and not be very tall, having a tall opening will allow more heat to escape than necessary meaning a cooler forge and more propane to keep what heat it makes. The same arrangement in the rear lets you open a pass through for long pieces but keep it closed when not needed. Make sense? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmySoldier72 Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 yes, thanks frosty, I set it up that way in the rear. I can do the same in the front, thanks ARMY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 I stacked bricks to extend the hot zone of my forge recently when I wanted to heat longer pieces with the back door shut. And yes, I would set up a vertical plate to help keep the wall cooler; if it's getting hot. I have my gas forge on a gas grill cart for a couple of decades now. With the 10'x10' shop door up the "back wall" is now about 1/4 mile away... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmySoldier72 Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 Close up of the Forge. I took two more brick pieces and put them under the front doors.to keep them from falling. I forgot to change the front to work like the back.. tomorrow maybe. The piece on the left is the threaded end of 3/4 or 1" succor rod. My plan is to smash the threads flat. then upset the threaded end and turn it into a cut of tool for the hard tool The long piece is a Bale spear that broke I am not 100% sure what tool I am making yet. Right now I am evening up and upsetting the pointy end. ARMY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.