[TheForge] Fire pot depth - opinions wanted
wmullett
[email protected]
Sun Feb 10 10:39:47 2002
Adam,
I don't think you can manage your coal fire without water but maybe you
don't have to with the power blowers. All my forges are hand crank so I
have a different perspective. I like the control you get with hand blowers.
If I'm doing small items, I like to create a coke cave. In that way, I
don't have to crank as much to get the heat I need. When we demonstrate
together, the first thing the power blower guys do is break up my cave and
crank up the blower. They're so used to doing this, I don't think they even
know what they have done.
It seems like the "power" guys run full out most of the time. Maybe that's
why they burn out their forges. They run at a higher heat for a longer
period of time. My forges barely get hot on the bottom.
I'm not saying one way or the other is better - just different. If your in
a commercial shop, I'm sure you would be using power, but I'm not.
I also use water to cool my fire but I don't drench it. Just spread the
coals and put some water on the glowing areas.
Walt
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Adam Whiteson
> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2002 11:55 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: Re: [TheForge] Fire pot depth - opinions wanted
>
>
> How does one manage a coal fire without wetting the coal?
>
> Thanks, Adam
>
> At 01:36 PM 2/8/2002 -0600, you wrote:
> >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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