[TheForge] propane forges

[Mike Sweany]

the most common mistake I see in propane forges, is using to big an orifice for the size forge  being built.  I maintain that if you are adding fans to counteract dragon breath (excess flame coming out of the forge) you are trying to stuff to much heat into your forge. Much worse IMO is the machinations we go through to keep the propane bottle from freezing if it is freezing you are using waaaaaaaay to much fuel and getting no work from it.  Not to mention the excess scaling from to much oxy in the mix.

Kinda like too much blast in a coal forge. It burns up a lot of coal but doesn't get much done for the money.

The propane forge heats, by heating the refractory, whatever it is ,and the heat from the refrac. heating the work.  My little forge has a 11x 8" is a venturi forge it has a #51 orifice and will weld on 10 psi and forge on 4 -5 psi

I used to run a carbottom heat treat oven for a feedwater heater co.

The old furnace burners shot incredable, roaring flames. scaling was incredible. fuel use was really high.

when it was rebuilt the engineer called the contractor on the carpet , because the flames weren't big enough.  The frunace was doing it's job on half the fuel and the scaling problem was reduced 60%

Playing with the orifice size IMO is probaly worth more than the ITC and other "magic things" we invest in the forge.

MY .02



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