[TheForge] Gas Forge Recommendation

[Keporter at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/9/2005 9:19:39 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
frosty at customcpu.com writes:

One of  the other factors to consider is forge displacement. A typical 3/4" 
burner  is good in 300 cu/" and adequate for 350 cu/". A 3/4" jet ejector 
type  easily powers a 350 cu/" forge. I have my 1" burner poked into about 
400  cu/" so it's no wonder it produces better than "average" heat. Cheat? 
Me?  <grin>

Frosty


Frosty
I think welding heat for many people involved in Damascus steel, etc. has  
more to do with deliberately overheating in order to make sure that no  
delaminating occurs, and of course, to speed up production time, than it has to  do 
with typical blacksmithing operations, including upset welding. This is fine  
with me; equipment is strictly about getting results in my view. However, I  
think they are missing a bet by running tunnel forges at very high heats to do  
so.
 
I believe that what they are trying to accomplish would be better done in  
ceramic chip forges. With the use of such forges thermal mass could be employed  
to reduce heat loss as compared with rapid exchange of atmospheres (as is the 
 case with tunnel forges run at high gas pressures). Also, the ceramic chips  
could absorb heat steadily from gas flames, and then release it rapidly into 
the  work by conduction, thus operating with the kind of efficiency boost seen 
 in hybrid electric cars, where a small gasoline motor feeds a series of  
batteries, which quickly release larger amounts of energy when needed, rather  
than running a large motor all the time.
 
Five years ago, my concern was getting the most performance and the most  
flexibility out of small forge designs. Back then, being able to run a day's  
production from one twenty pound propane tank looked like a hobbyist's dream  
come true. However, looking to the future of crafts in the light of  escalating 
fuel prices, I believe that efficiency will become a an ever  more critical 
issue. These days, I'm looking at industrial cost  cutting methods cut down to a 
hobby scale; not that they are needed yet,  but in another five years who 
knows? That isn't too long a time period for  designing downdraft forges, etc.
Mike P.