njranger Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 Greetings All, We are trying to get the forge operational at Dey Mansion in Wayne, NJ. The Bicentennial era forge was a replaced during the pandemic with one that more resembled 18th Century forges and was based on photos from Colonial Williamsburg's Anderson Forge. The mason's did a great job with the brick work, but fell short with the firepot/tuyere, chimney throat, and the bellows reinstall. We got the bellows figured out but could use some help with the firepot. The masons configured the forge as a side blast and then put two pieces of firebrick at the end of the blowpipe. It was suggested to fab up a firepot out of plate steel and put it in there. In the last 2 photos are something I mocked up out of plywood. What do you all think? Is this a viable option or what else can we do? Thanks, Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 What is the exact date you are after give or take? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njranger Posted August 25, 2023 Author Share Posted August 25, 2023 Say 1750-1800. The museum is set up around Revolutionary War as Washington used the house as his HQ for a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 The blast pipe needs to have a drop in front of it.. about 3" is about right, This is then filled with coal dust or clinker or sand. This area is to collect the clinker and slag that comes as the fire burns.. Your best option is to reach out to Williamsburg since that is what was copied. I would imagine they have a complete schematic of the forges used and any hardware they implemented to get the forges going. Things back then that were considered normal, now are not really done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 Side-blast would be period-appropriate; steel firepot would not. The CW publication "The Blacksmith in Eighteenth Century Williamsburg" is available online from Project Gutenberg HERE. It doesn't have schematics for the forges in their shop, but it does have some good information and documentation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 Thank you for that link John, it's an addictive read. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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