Duckkisser Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 I’m building a small coal forge from a brake rotor. I need a blower for it and I know someone who’s selling bounce house blower for 20 bucks. I was going to put a speed control on it so I could control the blow on it. Would that work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 Overkill but it can be made to work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckkisser Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 Rather have little too much because I can vent extra or I might get a bigger fire pot one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 For the same $20 you can buy a mattress inflater in 12vdc or 120vac. In a month or so places like Wally World will be closing out camping gear and the price will drop. I find them at yard, garage, etc. sales in the $5 to free range frequently. I stopped picking them up because I have more than I'm likely to ever need. A bounce house blower is crazy overkill I ended up with two of the blowers that inflate the add balloon critters you see at furniture stores, etc. These were seasonal display inflated things one a Halloween stack of pumpkins coming out of a witch's cauldron, the other a bunch of snowmen. These have smaller blowers but each would probably be more than enough air for 20+ coal forges. I can't imagine a bounce house blower coal forge limit. They're loud too. I'm sure it could be made to work though. Be careful what kind of speed control you use it may not be compatible. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 My brake drum forge used a small "Handy-Vac", US$3 at the flea market as it was missing the bag for it. All aluminum hosing and a universal motor so it could be controlled with a simple rheostat. Is the bouncy blower a universal motor? If not you will probably have to waste air rather than dial it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckkisser Posted August 6, 2022 Author Share Posted August 6, 2022 Hmmm I’ll need to rethink my blower a friend of mine told me to use a old vacume motor but there so expensive one guy wanted 150 for the vacume. Might as well buy a blower from centaur forge. can you guys recommend different things I can get blowers from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 Copy machines, house vent fans, car heater or AC blowers---12 volt, or my favorite: High efficiency furnaces use an exhaust assist blower to push the exhaust out the chimney; when such a unit is replaces it's not usually because that assist blower is bad; a good HVAC place may have several on their bone pile and if asked nicely might give you one or sell it for low $$$. Others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 Good Morning, Most electric stoves have a nice fan, right inside the cowl. Found on/beside Road Dead. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 I use a vacuum cleaner motor on my solid-fuel forge, but it didn’t cost anywhere near 150 bucks. In fact, it didn’t cost anything; I grabbed an old vacuum out of someone’s trash and stripped away all the parts I didn’t need. Sometimes people throw things away because they don’t function as intended, but that doesn’t mean that all the parts aren’t working or that we can’t put them to other uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckkisser Posted August 6, 2022 Author Share Posted August 6, 2022 I just remembered I have a 1hp 1 gallon shop vac that I don’t use would this be a better blower? I would have to build a box around it but I think it might be over kill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 Good Morning, This is not something you need to ask permission for. Use what you have handy. If it has too much blow, adjust with a reostat or a valve/shutter/controlled dump whatever means works. Don't forget about the lowly 'Hair Dryer', the last Forge I built I used a hair dryer and adjusted the reostat for what worked. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckkisser Posted August 6, 2022 Author Share Posted August 6, 2022 Not asking permission I honestly am not sure I’m not a machinist or know what I’m doing I’m kinda figuring this out as a go. A hair dryer I’ll work but there not designed to run none stop for 8 hours a day and don’t want to burn up the dryer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 I’ve used a shop vac as a forge blower, and it’s a lot more air than you’re going to need. As noted above, some way to block the airflow or dump the excess air is highly recommended. For example, here is a homemade gate valve I made for a previous solid-fuel forge: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 Been using the same $12 hair dryer, with cold setting, for almost 2 years. I run my forge on average now about 24-30 hours a week. The reason i replaced it was dust, ash and soot got into the old one and stopped the motor from turning. That one lasted a good while and only replaced the original one becuase i took it apart trying to disable the heat element and could not make it work again. Even a hair dryer needs hoked off though. I cut a slot in my tuyere and use a old soup can lid for an air dam, that coupled with holes drill before it and a sleeve to cover the holes as needed and i got me a nice adjustable airflow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 I saved a bathroom exhaust fan from a remodel and made it work. It is quiet, too. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 7, 2022 Share Posted August 7, 2022 Most of us are not Machinists! Being able to arc weld can help; but I've run forges for decades with no power to the shop and only forge welding. Design it for the tools and skills you have; you can always change it later as you gain experience! Over planning when you don't have any smithing experience often goes awry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 7, 2022 Share Posted August 7, 2022 9 hours ago, BillyBones said: only replaced the original one becuase i took it apart trying to disable the heat element and could not make it work again. Oh, I've been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 7, 2022 Share Posted August 7, 2022 Blow driers are common at yard garage, etc. sales and usually for under $5 or free table items. I used to pickup mattress inflaters for under $5 but I have WAY more than I'll ever need. Controlling the blast is as easy as mounting the blower on a pivot so it doesn't have to aim straight at the air supply pipe, what ever you use. What I don't care for about shop vacs and stronger blowers is how loud they can be. Some of the little 12v dc auto vacs might work well if they have a blow side. Don't think there's a "right way" to do this, the ground rules are really basic. Construction can be tin cans, wire and duct tape and be a class act. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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