[TheForge] Fire pot depth - opinions wanted - YAK

Fri Feb 8 14:46:11 2002

Dick:

We burned out a Centaur firepot when I was at Colonial Williamsburg, but it was installed in a brick forge, and there was no air circulation around the outside.

Mine is mounted on a steel forge table, and gets plenty of circulation around the outside.  I also don't water down my coal.

Phil - Living proof that older is better

> Phil, you have one of the old ones and they must be better.  Old is always
> better, you know!  My experience comes from the one I burned out which took
> about 3 years and from a friends who's also took about 3 years.  I still
> like the firepot well enough that I keep a spare on hand.  We do not put
> water on our coal, so that is not the cause of the burn out.  I've heard
> smiths at the Ozark Conference say that they quit using water on their coal
> due to the frequency of burnouts or cracking with the Centaur pot.  Now that
> is not a lot of experience on my part with them, but it is my experience of
> 2 burnouts for 2 pots.  I could publish a picture of the last one that
> burned out if you want.  It burned a silver $ sized hole in the center of
> one of the big flat sides.
> 
> Dick
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Phil Rosche" <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Friday, February 08, 2002 5:42 AM
> Subject: Re: Re: [TheForge] Fire pot depth - opinions wanted - YAK
> 
> 
> > Dick:
> >
> > My Centaur Vulcan is about 20 years old.  When can I expect for it to burn
> out?  I'd like to have another one on hand.
> >
> > Phil
> >
> > > Deep pots are, for the long term, overcome with a more powerful fan
> rather
> > > than putting the iron down in the pot.  For the relatively small items I
> > > make, I like a 4 1/2" deep pot.  Great for burning the oxygen out of the
> > > fire and for forge welding.  I like the Centaur high powered blower and
> > > wouldn't use anything less, unless I didn't have one.  I also like the
> depth
> > > and size of the standard Centaur fire pot.  They are about 4 1/2 " deep
> if
> > > you plug up the end depressions which I do.  The big problem with the
> > > Centaur fire pot is that they are thin, approx. 3/8" and burn out much
> > > quicker than some of the 3/4" thick ones.  The last firepot I made to
> the
> > > size of the Centaur and made it out of mild steel  5/8" for the big flat
> > > sides and 3/8" for the bottom and ends.  Again, here is my 2 cents
> worth.
> > >
> > > Dick
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "wmullett" <[email protected]>
> > > To: <[email protected]>
> > > Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2002 6:50 PM
> > > Subject: RE: [TheForge] Fire pot depth - opinions wanted
> > >
> > >
> > > > Actually, I think too deep is a problem.  If the pot is deep you end
> up
> > > with
> > > > your stock at an angle and one end is always in a bad area.  If the
> sides
> > > > aren't cut down already, you'll end up doing it.
> > > >
> > > > On the other hand, if the pot is shallow and as Bruce says, you can
> always
> > > > make it deeper by adding brick around the sides or just mounding up
> your
> > > > coal.
> > > >
> > > > Walt
> > > >
> > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From: [email protected]
> > > > > [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Bruce Freeman
> > > > > Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2002 8:56 AM
> > > > > To: [email protected]
> > > > > Subject: Re: [TheForge] Fire pot depth - opinions wanted
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I've successfully worked small stock (not over 3/4" thick)
> > > > > over pots ranging from 2" to 6" deep.  It's not the depth of
> > > > > the pot but the depth of the coal.  A flat table with a
> > > > > tuyere pipe would do fine if you piled the coal up high
> > > > > enough for the work at hand.  Put a few firebricks around the
> > > > > coal to keep it from spreading across the table and you don't
> > > > > need a pot at all.
> > > > > Bruce Freeman
> > > > >
> > > > > >>> Frederick Faller <[email protected]> 02/06/02 05:43PM >>>
> > > > > OK folks, what is the best depth for a forge firepot.
> > > > >
> > > > > Please support your opinions with reasons :-)
> > > > >
> > > > > Frederick Faller
> > > > >
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