[TheForge] Gas Forge Recommendation

[Chuck Robinson]

Hey Mike,
Do you have a picture or  better yet a diagram of a ceramic chip forge.
I'm having a hard time visualizing it.
Chuck
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Keporter at aol.com>
To: <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2005 2:17 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Gas Forge Recommendation


>
> 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.
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