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  #1  
Old 01-19-2013, 07:13 PM
AKmik AKmik is offline
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Poor boy forge help

Hello folks,

I purchased a "poor boy forge" a few years back and have just never used it. Ive been making due with my even smaller forge for a while now.Its the angled double burner freon tank forge he was selling on ebay for years. I sealed it up and insulated it very well.

Last week I decided to set that PB up.
My only issue is I light that baby off and I can not get the flame to heat the inside of the forge. She is just blowing a big floppy flame out the front of the forge, heats the cealing of the shop quite nicely.

I am assuming there is something wrong with the venturi burner. The maker Ken S has since past away and I can find very little info anywhere. Not sure where to go from here,I tried a temp smaller front opening hoping that would help contain the flame but no joy. I have also run the pressure from 2 up to about 25psi and the adjustment for air through its entire range, it just blows the flame out the front. From what I read the sweet spot should be around 9-12 psi.


Any suggestions?

Last edited by AKmik; 01-19-2013 at 07:16 PM.
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Old 01-20-2013, 08:16 AM
Pelallito Pelallito is offline
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AKmik,
Post photos of the forge and burners. Someone will be able to give you advice.
Fred
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  #3  
Old 01-22-2013, 06:51 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Sounds like there is not a nozzle flare on the end of the torch or built into the wall of the forge.
Is there a visible flare on the end of the torch?
Can you run the torch outside the forge clamped in a vise?
If the flare is cast-in-place or built-in to the forge body, it may be as simple as adjusting the depth that the torch body is inserted into the flare/forge.
If the flare is attached to the torch, then play with the adjustment as to how much flare is extended beyond the torch body....should be able to do this outside the forge with torch clamped in a vise (pointed a safe direction of course).

A separate issue may be with the Lp tank connection. Are you using the one he supplied or the same one you have been using on your other forge?
There are different configuration in the bull nose tip on some connectors that do not fully depress the ball valve in the tank nozzle and you are not getting a full "open" at the tank. This has frustrated a lot of homemade forge makers, but is easily resolved with a different bullnose connector. The ones with the easy-on (threads to the outside of the tank nozzle) are usually the culprit. Inside threaded ones seldom have this problem.


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Old 01-23-2013, 02:34 AM
AKmik AKmik is offline
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Thanks for the replies gents,

Here are some pics of the forge and the burner, as well as some more info on the forge from an old ad. It is the complete package that he was selling, one of the newer models with the burners angled.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedi...s-forge-double






I completely insulated the interior of the forge and sealed up all the leaks, the burner just slides in and seats as he designed it. I did not use anything from my other forge, or try the burner outside the forge.

Also the unsealed insulation in the opening of the forge was just a temp trial bit, I wanted to see if closing up that opening helped any, which it did not. I will pull that out, or seal it up with some satanite if it stays.

I used the supplied line and regulator on a new 40lb tank and the line threads into the tank valve, its an inny. I can get the pressure to the forge and have run it from closed up to about 20psi, but from what I have read the sweet spot should be somewhere around 8-12.

Last edited by AKmik; 01-23-2013 at 02:47 AM.
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  #5  
Old 01-23-2013, 06:39 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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I see no flare on the end of the torches, so they were probably cast in place in the lining wall of the forge itself. That being the possible case, you may have altered the flare configuration when you reinsulated the interior. There is a certain ratio between the straight tube/body of the torch and the controlled opening at the end that must be adhered to obtain the venturi effect and for that style of torch to work properly. You will have to rework the portal of each torch entrance to produce a fared cone (reverse funnel) in order to create that effect. Much easier to do than describe here.
I have never been a fan of torches that do not have independent needle valves. You cannot ever really balance the interior heat front to back. You wind up with backpressure issues and lose efficency as well as heat control.....I know this is "after the fact", you have what you have.
I have sent my personal email via pm. I can help you better with the flare issue off forum.


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Old 01-23-2013, 11:34 AM
AKmik AKmik is offline
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Carl,

Thanks again for the help. Email sent.

When the forge arrived it was in pieces, I did all the insulating so the burners were not cast in place, I masterminded that small detail...... Obviously not the right way.


Here's a pic of what I have been making do with for a long time, so as you can see the time has come for an upgrade.

This was a real old photo before I sealed up the lining.
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  #7  
Old 01-24-2013, 05:36 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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I'll be sending you some info that might help. Link wasn't all that informative, but we'll see what we can do. I will be asking a few questions.
I still keep a coffeecan forge in my shop for "quick and dirty" stuff and forging my miniatures. They are a workhorse in their own right.


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