[TheForge] forge go boom

[theforge@mailman.qth.net]

In a message dated 02-10-10 03:54:01 EDT, you write:

<< YES!!!!!!
 It used to be the practise at the Fort Vancouver NHS Blacksmith shop to 
 make coke at the end of the day. We had 4 forges (two at each end of the 
 shop sharing a common chimeny) with a bellows for each forge. One day one 
 of the volunteers  ( not I ) failed to keep an air flow going. Since 
 methane is one of the volatiles given off and since it is lighter than air 
 it rose up into the bellows. After several mins of this he then started to 
 pull on the bellows. Some how a spark got up into the bellows. The 
 resulting explosion completely shredded the 3/4 planks and plywood used in 
 teh constuction of said bellows. Screws were driven into the heavy timber 
 walls 20 feet away.
 
 So it will behoove folks to keep a slight air blast going while there is 
 the heavy green/white smoke coming from the fire.
  >>

OK, Ralph...that one tops the St. Augustine fire, where an apprentice dumped 
a whole bag of charcoal onto the fire....which was in a shop with a thatched 
(and apparently not well thatched roof) and nearly burned the shop down.

NO I was not the apprentice, have never worked in Florida.

Jerry V