[TheForge] Sidearm burners

[Steve Smith]

Jerry Frost wrote:

> A jet ejector type burner like the: Fisher, Porter, Rex's series, 
> sidearm, "T" jet, etc. have the air intakes at 90* to the jet. A 
> commercially designed jet ejector will induce a max of 29:1. (gas to gas)
> 
> Don't ask me why simply moving the air intakes makes so much difference 
> to the induction rate, I don't have any idea. What it means for us is a 
> more efficient and easier to make burner. If you build a linear you have 
> to hit it pretty darned accurately to get a 16:1 ratio for a neutral 
> burn. If you build a jet ejector you have a LOT of tolerance to play 
> with. I like easy. <grin> This is why such crude designs as the "T" jet 
> and Sidearm work so well, there's just a lot of room to play with.

I'm responding to Frosty's comments, but welcome replies from all.

I'm still messing with burners in a very slow fashion. I've made maybe a 
dozen Reil burners and have been very happy with their performance. I 
make the jet out of 1/8" brass pipe, aligned with the axis of the 
burner, jet hole drilled in the brass end cap.

I was pretty interested in sidearm burners when they were first 
discussed. I followed in Frosty's footsteps and experimented with a 4 
way pipe fitting instead of a sidearm. It was ok, but not as good as the 
Reil burners, which I chalked up to not having a smooth transition to 
the 3/4" body.

Then I saw that Larry Zoeller had added a sidearm 'kit' (all you have to 
do is tighten things up). I bought one of these. It came with a tapered 
mig tip for the gas jet, pretty nice setup and for not much more than 
the fittings would have cost me. I recently compared the performance of 
this sidearm burner to a Reil burner. Both are 3/4" body with Larry's 
stainless flares on the end. I measured with a thermocouple, both in the 
same, single burner forge.

The sidearm was almost as good as the Reil burner. Final temp was maybe 
100 degrees lower. This makes me think that the sidearm is just an easy 
way to put the same burner together, and less impressed with the mig 
tip. Sounds like this isn't correct--what am I doing wrong?

I'm at maybe 300' above sea level, neither burner has a choke. Pictures 
could be done if important to the plot.

Thanks,
Steve