Working on a new forge

Justin.Mercier

Justin.Mercier

Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
1,652
So I started collecting and piecing together some parts to work on a new forge, as I've been planning to do since Larry T and IG offered to help the last time I was over at IG's.

I've got the following pieced together currently for the blown burner

http://www.tharkis.com/images/burner1.jpg

with the burner itself being a 1/8" hole drilled through a 1/4" cap on the end of a 6" x 1/4" nipple which is inturn put through a plug for the T junction. I need to get to someone who has a welder, like IG's or something so i can get the nipple and plug welded together. Right now it's just fit snug in the hole in the plug, but not afixed solidly.

http://www.tharkis.com/images/burner2.jpg
http://www.tharkis.com/images/burner3.jpg

What I need help with is finding a blower to sit on the top of it. I've been to every hardware store in my area, and a heating and plumbing suply store as well, and no one has blowers of any sort. I assume that i only need a blower with 50cfm max output or so. Where would I find one?

I need to go out and get a 1/4" ball valve for the other end of the 6" nipple. In addition I'm not sure where to find propane hosing and connectors to attach to a regulator and a 1/4 inch pipe.

The last regulator I bought was from centaur forge and quite expensive, if anyone has a recomendation of where to get a 1-30psi regulator with gague , propane hose, and a blower, I'd appreciate it greatly if you shared the information =)
 
Justin: We can weld the tee here. This is the way I do it now on tee and cap. I drill and tap the cap to 1/4" NPT. As far as the blower some other Bro found ones. I have the link save and I'll post it when I find it. :confused: :confused: :D
 
You can get a fisher reg. with guage, 8' hose,tank fitting w/ ball valve from Zoller for $66.
 
Just want to add if you thread and tap 1/8 pipe it need be schedule 80. (thicker Wall)

Shawn
 
I build my Fogg/IG vertical using their tutorials and got most of my supplies rom Mr Ellis. (He was cheaper, even with shipping than my local suppliers)All three were a BIG help, it was surprisingly EZ to make. Have a ball and ask questions
 
Before I go and place an order with Darren Ellis... just a couple more quick questions if anyone has a decent answer.

One, should I bother with a needle valve? I've always run my current forge with the tank connected to the regulator which goes to my hose and then a ball valve just before the burner outlet. (as in the following picture http://www.tharkis.com/images/pforge1.jpg) and have always controlled my gas by cranking up and down the regulator. Is there a reason I shouldnt be doing this with a forced air forge?

Two, about how much inswool , ITC, and Satanitewould be a reasonable amount to buy? I dont actually have the pipe I'm going to use yet. I figure it will likely be 8" diameter by 18 inches or so long. I dont want to order too much as I'm on a budget, but I also dont want to end up with not enough, as that would be even worse.

(need advice on where to pick up some 8" pipe if anyone knows a good place, I know Larry T mentioned to me at IG's that he might have a spare section somewhere that I could buy from him, but it could be good to know where to get some if he doesnt still have it or whatnot)

As for the mig tips, I think that I'll stick with my 1/4" pipe with a hole drilled through a 1/4" cap, that way it's really easy to replace / resize the burner jet hole to get the best flame by just unscrewing the cap and replacing it with one with a different cap with another hole size drilled through it.

I've thought about finding and using propane rated pneumatic quick connects like I have on all my air-tubes, and attaching the quick connect to the end of the propane hose, and the other side to the input of the ball valve, this way I could, in the future, create other forges of different sizes and quick swap the regulator + hose between forges. Would this be a good idea, or are there problems with quick connects so that I shouldnt use them with a forge?

Thank you all again for the help and advice.
-Justin
 
You can use a shop vac as a blower (one that has an exhaust port). About 30 bucks for a rigid one at homedepot.
 
I was a fireman abored a steam ship that burned light furnace oil for a few years and help rebuild the fire box and burners. So I have some experiance with combustion chambers as I too have built my own forge. :thumbup: I added a ststionarry "fan blade" to the inside of the burner to create turbulance in the airstream. This mixes the fuel /air more complettely and thus avoids "hot spots" in the flame wich can cause exsses oxidation....of corse your combustion chambers flow path is also a determining factor. I by no means am a profesional but hey take it or leave it .
 
look in furnace and heating supply stores for blowers on airtight and corn/pellet stoves for blowers/another spot is on the exaust side of naturalgas/fuel oil hot water heaters often these rust out in the tank but have quite serviceable blower fans.just make up a "choke plate for the inlet side of the blower to regulate air flow
 
Justin: I get a the pipe from the junkyard. I have one for you and I'll be making a junkyard run in the very never future.
 
Justine,

I no longer have a supply of pipe. Just got a new job on 2-5-07, and I haven't had time to search all the nooks and crannies, so as of this time, no good on the pipe, but I've plenty of kaowool and ITC 100. We'll have to get over to IG's one of these Saturday's and build you a forge.

When I was building my forges, I researched around, at Ron Reil's site you will find a lot of knowledge. I believe the MIG contact tip is really for a venturi still forge, using a blower controlling the gas stream is not as important for controlling gas mixture. The blower probably creates enough turbulence to get a good mixture.

On my blown units, the vertical (Fogg style) has no restriction on the gas line at all, and on the horizontal (IG style) I just drilled a hole in a pipe cap, both come up to weld heat without a problem, and I do not smell unburned gas in my garage while they're operating.

On the needle valve, I would definately use one, they are pretty cheap, should be under $10, if you search around, can't remember where I bought mine.

After saying all that, I'll see you at IG's one of these days, to build you a forge, after all we LOVE fire,,, the hotter the better !:eek: :D

Larry T
 
Ok sounds good IG and Larry. When I order my regulator and hose and some hard firebrick from Darren Ellis, probably later this week when my paycheck clears, I'll toss a needle valve into the mix as well. None of the hardware stores around me have them.

Looking like the cheapest i can find a decent ~60cfm blower with wiring harness and mounting hardware already attached new right now is around 70 bucks shipped. Think it'll proably be worth my time and money to pick one of them up rather than getting an older used squirrel cage blower that needs to be wired up and mounted.
 
Justine,

Bummer , :foot: I checked, and I only have enough ITC 100 for the forge that I have in progress, but I do have plenty of kaowool, sorry about that :confused: .

Later

Larry T
 
Not a problem at all lol. You guys are being more than a tremendous help, i'll pick up a bottle of that when I place my order too. =)
 
Well, i've got my blower and all the parts for the burner assembled I believe =)

Just one spot of welding to afix the 1/4" x 6" nipple to the center of the pipe cap, then teflon taping and making the connections gas-tight and i'll only have the forge body left =)

http://www.tharkis.com/images/burner.jpg


How many hard firebricks should I pick up to reasonably close off the back of the forge and just leave an opening in the front? is 6ish enough?
 
Justin.Mercier said:
Well, i've got my blower and all the parts for the burner assembled I believe =)

Just one spot of welding to afix the 1/4" x 6" nipple to the center of the pipe cap, then teflon taping and making the connections gas-tight and i'll only have the forge body left =)

http://www.tharkis.com/images/burner.jpg


How many hard firebricks should I pick up to reasonably close off the back of the forge and just leave an opening in the front? is 6ish enough?
Click to expand...
On the burner you will need a longer nipple going into the forge. As far as the fire bricks I would pickup around 16 and 6 @1/2 bricks too. They are cheap around $1 a piece.:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top