[TheForge] gas forge design

Sun Apr 20 13:28:01 2003

Ok I like this thread, now I have some questions.

Oil fired forge?  I am assuming like #2 Fuel oil, or equivalent.

I am interested if anyone has some thoughts on a waste oil fired forge.  I
am about to build one as an experiment, has anyone else done such a thing?
In the past i built a transmission fluid fired furnace for a glass crucible.
Transmission fluid was used because it burns very clean.  Would the extra
carbon from waste oil burn hurt the forge or the pieces being worked.  I am
going to assume not because we use coal forges...  What better place for
carbon soot than coal.

I would appreciate and comments anyone might have.

Thanks

Paul Hewitt

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry Frost" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2003 10:12 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] gas forge design

> Hi Sheldon:
>
> The shape of the forge is less important than the volume to burner ratio,
> with one cateat: that there are no crannies the flame can't reach and make
> cold spots.
>
> There are a number of forge shapes and when you get down to the nitty
gritty
> they all work fine.
>
> In high school we had a very hot square box, oil fired four burner forge.
It
> had two burners on each side of the door, two high and two low, making a
> horizontal vortex. If you needed a general heat you propped the stock off
> the forge floor in the center of the vortex. If you needed a more
localized
> heat you placed that part directly i the burner's path on the forge floor.
> You didn't have as much control of the heat as with a coal forge of course
> but it was pretty flexible.
>
> Most commercial gas forges are rectangular with the burners aimed straight
> down and they work fine.
>
> Folk place the burners in cylindrical forges in several different
> configurations. The two basics are: One, Directly opposing and two,
> tangential.
>
> The directly opposing configuration usually has the burners mounted at or
> near the top, aiming straight at the opposite side of the forge.
>
> Tangential mounted burners can be found mounted all over the place.
They're
> usually high, aimed at the far top side of the forge but some are on top
> aimed down one side and some are mounted on the bottom aimed across the
> forge floor.
>
> All in all, I don't believe the shape of the forge makes much difference
as
> long as there are no flame shadows and there is enough burner for the
> volume.
>
> Regardless I'm still experimenting. <grin>
>
> Having enough exhaust porting does make a real difference with naturally
> aspirated burners and with cylindrical forges it's common to block off the
> ends with fire brick, leaving enough gaps so the burner burns freely.
>
> Frosty
> ------------------------
> If it ain't forged
> it ain't real.
> Wrought iron is.
> The FrostWorks
>
> Meadow Lakes, AK.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Sheldon Laing" <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2003 5:17 AM
> Subject: [TheForge] gas forge design
>
>
> > I have been working with a coal forge for a while now and I have been
> > considering building a gas forge since last year and I have finally
> > decided to do it. I am well acquainted with Ron Reil's excellent site
> > and I have chosen to use a side arm burner type. I still however have a
> > few questions regarding the forge shape and design.
> >
> > 1. Will the forge perform a lot better if it is a cylinder? I want to
> > use a semicircular forge (cut in half cylinder) with a flat base on
> > which to rest the steel, will this make it less powerful (i.e. will it
> > not refract the heat to a lesser extent than a cylinder? If so, will it
> > be a big enough difference that I should change to a cylinder.)
> >
> > 2. What sort of exhaust area should I leave? Should I leave the one side
> > of the "cylinder" open or would it be okay to close it up (NOT airtight
> > of course).
> >
> > 3. If you have any tips or other advice gained from building your own
> > gas forges please let me know.
> >
> > Thanx in advance for the help.
> >
> > Sheldon Laing
> > Hephaestus Forge
> > Cape Town
> > South Africa
> > [email protected]
> >
> >
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