New forge trouble

C

Colin ruel

Joined
Feb 13, 2022
Messages
1
Hello everyone I’m new to knife making and I just fired up my atlas single burner forge. It hasn’t been working correctly, sputtering and not staying lit inside the forge. I have to keep blowing on the nozzle every few minutes to keep it lit inside the chamber. Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!
 
Are you working outside in windy weather? I only ask because the lady I'm renting from has a forge out back with a venturi style burner and this seems to happen on windy days.
 
Agree; gas pressure, regulator, wind are all possible. But contacting Atlas is your best option.

The placement of the burner is also significant. I think it should be about 1/4" away from the inner chamber, angled to make a helical swirl as best possible. If the placement is a bit off it may get back-pressure that causes the gas to sputter.

I've also experienced sputtering at different stages of pre-heat. At the beginning the chamber is cold, and too much pressure will put itself out.
When it's hot, the gas burns very quickly when it exits the port (especially if it's in too far), and can only sustain if there is significant pressure.

Try experimenting with how far in the burner is placed, combined with varying the regulator pressure.
 
As others have mentioned I'd contact Atlas Forge. Also check to make sure there's no blockage in the burner. Even significant quantities of dust could interfere. My Atlas single burner sputters occasionally, but I have no problem keeping it lit. I have it connected to a 60 lb tank with the regulator that came with the forge. However a smaller tank should work fine.
 
+1 on checking the burner. I have an old horseshoer's double venturi burner forge that I stored under a bench in my shop for a couple of years before I got around to rehabing. When I got new gas lines and a regulator, I put a valve between the two burners so I could only use one for small forgings or brining a piece to temp slowyly for heat treating. When I first fired it up, the first burner worked great. I flipped the valve on the second burner and it would just spit and cough and then a slow, soft flame started coming out of the burner hole on the top of the forge. That was "fun."

Anyway, after I turned it off and cooled it down, I poked an old wire coat hanger up into the venturi pie and came out with just a bit of dust and whispe of spider web. After that the second burner worked just fine. So yeah, making sure nothing is blocking the burner is always a good first troubleshooting step.
 
Try these things. It is probably a combination of all three, so when you change one you may have to go back and change the others until you get all the adjustments equal.:
1) Check the gas pressure. It requires around 5PSI to run a venturi burner well. Below that it can start to sputter. Start at 5PSI Open or close the regulator until it runs smooth. If your regulator is the type without a gauge, just open it all the way and back it off until it runs smoother.
2) On an Atlas (and many others) the position in the burner guide is important. Move it in and out until it is running smooth. Usually, that is just slightly protruding into the chamber.
3) There may be a choke sleeve on the burner (Charles has changed the design over time, so I am not sure if yours has one). If so, move/turn it to regulate the air flow. This controls the venturi, so it draws the gas properly.

4) Call or email Charles at Atlas. He can walk you through the adjustments if needed. He will send a new burner if yours isn't working right.
 
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