Burner choices

[MotoMike]

I run my Trex at about 35 psi. I could go higher, my regulator goes to about 50, but above 35, the flame starts to stutter, probably because the flow is not ideal at high pressures.

Wow, I bet it hotter than a two dollar pistol at 35psi. I think their btu chart stops around 30.

 

[verndahl]

I there any safety consideration for getting a certain length of hose? Think five feet would be enough?

 

[Bruno]

You don't want the bottle to be too close to the flame, and you don't want to have a tripping hazard. That's about it in terms of safety consideration. I think mine is about 5 feet.

 

[32t]

I like the height that the one of Charlies is mounted at. I don't remember the length of the hose but a 5' hose would be plenty short for that.

Off hand I don't know if pressure drop would be a factor from a 5 to 10' hose with a lower pressure regulator.

 

[Bruno]

The hose on that one wasn't terribly long iirc.
The problem with longer lengths, is that you can easily create a tripping hazard, or get a situation where something hot may fall on the hose or so. And that would be bad for everyone involved.

 

[verndahl]

I found this one that meets the 30 psi requirement and has a stainless covered hose. Seemed like a good idea.

 

[Bruno]

Yes, that'll work perfectly. My regulator was sold separately I just bought braided rubber hose for home gas appliance use. The pressure rating was good enough.

 

[MotoMike]

Ooh getting anxious to see your build TinTin! mine is a 5 footer. I could just set the bottle down and not have it in the way or too close to the forge. Now that I have switched to using 100 pound tanks, it is perfect.

 

[verndahl]

Ooh getting anxious to see your build TinTin! mine is a 5 footer. I could just set the bottle down and not have it in the way or too close to the forge. Now that I have switched to using 100 pound tanks, it is perfect.

I am getting anxious to get it done too. hopefully in less than a month, sometimes projects move kind of slowly for me.(too many irons in the fire )( pun intended.)

 

[MotoMike]

Tintin, how is the project going?

 

[verndahl]

Well, not bad i guess. I have the burner about done (everything but the flair), have the burner holder made and attached to the tank. Got the hose and regulator the other day and am working on a way to cut the back end of and then attach it in a way that i can take it back off someday if i need to (i don't have a welder any way). Got a quote from Larry Zoeller on the rest of the parts i need such as the insulation and Cast o lite etc. Going to list a razor on ebay to get my pay pal account back up to cover it. Getting hard to work on it now with over time at work and the cold weather hitting (just takes away my ambition).
Thanks for your interest.

 

[MotoMike]

When you say "take the back end off" Are you talking about the back wall of the forge? I did not make back wall removable. I did make the front removable and used a small gate hinge and a homebrew latch to secure it. I welded it on, but the hinge and latch
could be drilled and bolted. I recommend you make the front hole big enough that you can reach through it with your arm all the way to the back wall. I found this made slathering on the refractory easier. future maintenance is easier too. If I need to reline it, I can open the front and do all the work from there as I did in the original build.

, I'd love to see some pics.

Regards,
Mike

​

Incidentally

 

[verndahl]

Yeah Mike, that's what i had in mind for the same reasons only doing it on the back end of the forge. Here's what i have so far. Now that i see yours i wish i had mad the opening smaller

 

[MotoMike]

Verndahl, I found the opening seen above to be too small and subsequently enlarged it for the reasons I mentioned. I put a porch on it front and back and set fire bricks on the porch as doors. I think yours is fine. On my next one I'll put the burner mount at 2:00 o'clock like you did. also, I strongly recommend two rows of 3 fixing bolts in the burner mount to really lock it in. I had one row initially and bumped my tank. it pulled the hose and tilted the burner in the mount and broke my refractory around the burner recess. with two rows as shown in this pic, it can't move and you can adjust them for a bit of alignment. Not seen here, I have an opening in the back wall about 2 inches by 5 inches. I use it to pass longer things through. You will find it is handy. when not in use I have a brick on the back porch up against it. I find this forge limiting in size as I've tried to make some ornamental things that are just too big once I start bending them. If I were using if solely for knives or razors, it would be perfect I think.

It's looking great.

 

[Charlie Lewis]

Well, not bad i guess. I have the burner about done (everything but the flair), have the burner holder made and attached to the tank. Got the hose and regulator the other day and am working on a way to cut the back end of and then attach it in a way that i can take it back off someday if i need to (i don't have a welder any way). Got a quote from Larry Zoeller on the rest of the parts i need such as the insulation and Cast o lite etc. Going to list a razor on ebay to get my pay pal account back up to cover it. Getting hard to work on it now with over time at work and the cold weather hitting (just takes away my ambition).
Thanks for your interest.

It has been my experience that I have not needed a flair when the burner tube is going in the forge body. I used to try to mold a flair into the insulation and cement, now I just make make the hole in the insulation and coat it with the furnace cement.

I like the way both of these forges in this thread look.

 

[verndahl]

That's interesting Charlie. My understanding of the flair is that it slows down the flow so that the flame doesn't blow off the end. Does it matter how big the hole in the insulation is? Does it require more adjustment of the tube up and down to get the flame tuned?

 

[Charlie Lewis]

I make the hole in the insulation a littler bigger than the diameter of the tube, maybe 1/8"-ish clearance all the way around the tube. I always end up fiddling around with placement, back and forth and angle. I move it around until it sounds and looks right. (Thanks to Mike Blue for teaching my to listen to the burner) There is always some messing about with tube/burner placement and nozzle placement.

It might worth trying without the flare once you get your insulation in. Or if you are going off of a proven set of plans for the burner follow them and ignore me.

 

[verndahl]

So i've ran into a problem i think. The hose and gauge i bought has a 5/8 -18 unf flare (female ) fitting. i also have a ball valve with a 1/2 npt (f) on each end. I can't seem to find a fitting (maybe i don't know what to look for) that will connect the hose to the ball valve and then the other end to the 1/8 npt nipple on my burner. ( i was also told that i can't mix brass and iron pipe.) do i need to get a gas valve like this ? and a fitting like this ?Can i mix brass and iron?

 

[32t]

I am having a little of trouble understanding but if I am thinking right put the valve on the end of your burner and connect the unf flare fitting to your tank.

 

[verndahl]

I guess i need some images to make it clear.