Solid fuel, side blast versus under blast

[Sam Salvati]

Got that nice peice of plate, going to make some solid fuel forges with some of it. I want to try a side blast forge, never made one before. Anyone have any expeirience with side blast forges? I have only ever used firepot style solid fuel forges, air blast up from the bottom, how are the sideblasts different in use? I imagine both have they're benefits and flaws, I would like some insight more about the side blast style. I have built firepots and underblast style forges before, but never a sideblast. Thanks for the help!

 

[Jim L.]

Got that nice peice of plate, going to make some solid fuel forges with some of it. I want to try a side blast forge, never made one before. Anyone have any expeirience with side blast forges? I have only ever used firepot style solid fuel forges, air blast up from the bottom, how are the sideblasts different in use? I imagine both have they're benefits and flaws, I would like some insight more about the side blast style. I have built firepots and underblast style forges before, but never a sideblast. Thanks for the help!

I think I know what your talking about. My forge is a "coffee can" type that uses a hybrid type of fuel. Charcoal in the upper 2/3 (held in place by "disposable" meshing) with the bottom 1/3 set up for high speed air injection.

The porting is set at an angle that follows the inside of the can and blows in circular to the inside of the forge.

The charcoal runs pretty hot, but is fairly slow to heat between quenchings. I'll drop in paraphine hunks about marble size to "super charge" it. Gets steel up to non-mag in no time.

Plus it's pretty cool watching the 3 foot "afterburner" effect as the flame shoots out through the force cone at the top.

Jim L.

 

[Sam Salvati]

Sounds interesting Jim! I was talking more along the lines of the traditional english water cooled tuyere forges, or the japanese ground forge.

 

[Bill Armstrong]

When I first saw the japanese style forges (side blast) my mind went to the idea of putting two tuyeres oposing each other which I'm still thinkin about tryin...when I built my forge(a truck disc rotor) that sits right in a metal table with another 2" high ring around it and found it worked so well I haven't done another one yet but now that ya mention it I may go ahead and try the double tuyere! I just straightened a 3/4 by 3 inch marker shank that had gotten twisted and the 8" fire from it heated it right to forge temp quick! Three or four heats and I was done!

 

[Tai Goo]

I use a side blast. I've used bottom blasts too but prefer the side blade. Bottom blast types tend to clog at the air inlet and they also blow "oxygen" more directly at the steel.

I recommend a large diameter tuyere at least 2 inches, but 3 is even better. This gives you high volume without a lot of pressure, and not likely to clog. If you are going to use wood and charcoal, it is best to use a refractory or insulating lining. Coal forges don't need the lining.

I have used a water cooled tuyere, but it is not necessary, the lining will insulate the tuyere well enough. It will slowly wear back, but if you make it long enough, so that you can feed it in as it wears back, it will be fine. I usually make the tuyere 2-3 feet long and they'll go several years.

I like the wood ash lining. It's nice because you can form it to different shapes and sizes and also insulate points and tangs, by running them into the lining.

Here's a diagram, but the tuyere should angle down a little, not straight in. This will help prevent clogging. Also, it's a good idea to clear out a pocket beneath the air inlet to keep that area clear, especially if you are forge welding with lots of flux.

 

[michdad]

Sorry if this seems like hijacking, just seemed like a good place for this. I am learning to grind, and have started to read on heat treating. I would like to do justice with some O-1 and A-2.
?'s:
What is a "Tuyere"?
What is meant by H2O cooled?

An idea I had for myself:
Build it with an interior of "Soft" fire brick, exterior/ frame of brick, steel, both?
Interior of 22" (to treat 18" blade) by 3 wide by 9"tall. Dual fuel, coal/propane. Burner on one top corner pointed down, an air source on the other pointed down.
Adjustable openings on both ends.

Comments, thoughts, opinions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Bill Armstrong]

Matt,
tuyere is the pipe that bring s the air into the forge and water cooled is the h20 thing...Not sure what your tryin to acomplish with a dual fuel idea but usually two separate forge designs determined by the fuel hope that helps!

Tai,
Thanks for the drawing and the pic...helped firm some ideas and thats quite a blaze...do ya use coal or charcoal...I get down to Tucson occasionally and have a coal mine handy let me know if ya could use some! Bill

 

[Tai Goo]

I mostly use charcoal and wood, but you can burn just about anything in it, coal, coke, whole corn feed, etc...

 

[michdad]

the traditional english water cooled tuyere forges

I am still in the prelearning stages, so this statement by Sam really baffled me.

I came up with the idea of gas with solid fuel thinking of how I regulate heat when smoking meat. I use a propane fired smoker with charcoal/wood. Use propane to light the solid and to help fine tune internal temps. For my forge idea (bad idea?) I had imagined adding an air source to help get it to the high temps needed.

 

[Tai Goo]

I am still in the prelearning stages, so this statement by Sam really baffled me.

I came up with the idea of gas with solid fuel thinking of how I regulate heat when smoking meat. I use a propane fired smoker with charcoal/wood. Use propane to light the solid and to help fine tune internal temps. For my forge idea (bad idea?) I had imagined adding an air source to help get it to the high temps needed.

I've actually seen a hybrid traditional english water cooled tuyere forge, that used propane to light the solid fuel... about 30 years ago. The blacksmith's name was Jess Hawley.

 

[Bill Armstrong]

Matt, the english forges are water cooled at the air inlets to keep it from melting down...the design must let the inlet get pretty hot...If I do it right with some newspaper and kindling I can get my forge up and running in about 5 minutes...its amazing what a little forced air will do to a fire! The propane forge is clean and conveniant and the coal forge is simplicity plus! Go look on anvilfire.com for more about forges.