I have a small coal forge that I am currently using a hair dryer to power. I am thinking about using coke instead and a Japanese bellows, but I don't know how large they should be. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Rob
- posted
17 years ago
Japanese bellows
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- posted
17 years ago
Well, bigger is better than smaller. You can always choke back bigger, but it's hard to overpump smaller. Clear as mud, no?
Charly
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17 years ago
I'll add a little to what Charly said.
If you're going to make a Japanese bellows (or a "box" as I call it) then make it to fit you work area, and of a size that you can manage to pump.
Bigger is better as you can push and pull a larger volume of air.
Regards Charles
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17 years ago
Don't know sizes for "Japanese Bellows" but I saw Hmong bellows some years ago. A tube about 8 inches in diameter and about 4 feet long. Piston rod went all the way through both ends with handles at both ends so it could be operated from either side. Piston was 2 slices of thin wood that held chicken feathers. Don't remember valving, but tuyere was simple river clay molded into a tapered pipe about 8 inches long let in to the middle of the tube. It was double acting.
Boy, can those guys ever make neat knives and edged tools out of jeep leaf springs with REAL basic tools!
Pete Stanaitis
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Rob wrote:
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17 years ago
Check out twinoaksforge on google....or maybe twin oaks forge. Either way, the fella gives a cad drawing and some building advice.
matthew ohio
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17 years ago
Was it horizontal or verticle? In Weyger's book he shows an illustration of an indonesian setup that is similar. I think it was two verticle tubes powered by a kid. No valving....
Your description seems like it would be an easy homeimprovement store setup. A pvc pipe, some carpet , a plunger.....
I've only seen it once in a movie, but a chinese girl was cooking with a stove that had what looked like a box bellows built in. Anyone ever seen anything like that?
matthew ohio
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17 years ago
Gday Rob,
Try this link, its a set of plans, sizes and some pics. Also on the index page you will find some other useful info. Personally I like my powered blower, its a lot less trouble than cranking a blower, which I did for quite some time. You could upgrade to a Vaccume cleaner, running in reverse - I used the type that you change the hoses over. But you will need an air gate, or you will blow the fire out of the forge....... its not a fun experience.
http://64.176.180.203/boxbellows.htm Regards Rusty_iron, in Oz.
Rob wrote: