Bellows

[Stanleythecat]

What are your thoughts on these as cheap portable bellows for use on a small charcoal forge (i.e a few bricks on the ground, nothing spectacular!)

£4.08 free P&P, probably not the best made!!! but might be work a tickle...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hand-Crank-Fa...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item4838ef3776

Leo

 

[Everything Mac]

see my reply over on bbs.

 

[Eric_Methven]

Got one on an impulse. I don't think much of them at all.

 

[Belargehair]

Might be better off with a hair dryer. That's what I used for a few weeks until I upgraded to an old vacuum.

 

[Everything Mac]

Might be better off with a hair dryer. That's what I used for a few weeks until I upgraded to an old vacuum.

a hair drier would be preferable to a pump.
i use a hair drier at the moment and it provides ample air to the fire.

 

[Stanleythecat]

I have to say this was only a punt and I was looking at making a small charcoal forge for use in the woods. Basically anything electrical would be out of the question and a reliable set of bellows or hand cranked forge blower would be ideal.

Leo

 

[Eric_Methven]

If you want to do some primitive blacksmithing, then the place to look for inspiration is the third world. Here's a link to some people using cement bags as bellows Cement Bag Bellows in Lamu.

You could make these easily enough in the woods with cement bags, flour sacks or even builder's rubble bags. A couple of lengths of half inch pipe in one of the bottom corners secured with string or tape, a couple of pieces of twig either side of the openings and you are in business. The boards they are using to keep the heat contained is the same as you buy for putting behind a wood burning stove. In the woods you could use rocks or logs plastered with mud.

A brilliant activity for cold weather bushcrafting as well.

Eric

 

[Matt.S]

I tried it, found the gearchain is too cheesily built to get any decent pressure or volume going. I chopped off the handle and the crank mech, and glued the shaft of a small DC motor directly to the impeller. Worked alright (until I let it get wet and the motor bearings corroded) but not something I'd consider doing again. Get a squirrel-cage blower e.g. from a car or van -- not perfect but cheap, readily available and miles better than this piece of junk.