2
I finally got my old rivet forge from the 80s running again, but the blower motor gave out halfway through a leaf spring project last Tuesday.
Had to finish the heat by hand cranking the blower with a piece of rebar while my buddy held the tongs, which really made me miss the old coal forges we learned on where you just adjusted the air with a lever, anyone else still using one of those old setups or have a good source for replacement blower parts?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
lisak262mo ago
Oh man, that hand cranking sounds like a real workout. I swear, the old stuff was just built different, wasn't it? My uncle had a coal forge in his barn with that same lever setup, and it just felt so direct, like you were really in control of the fire. It's a shame so much modern gear feels like it's made to break down. Ruby's got a point about farm supply places, you'd be surprised what dusty corners hold those old cast iron parts.
9
abbyg141mo ago
@lisak26 that hand cranking thing was honestly embarrassing. I felt like some old-timey blacksmith from a century ago, except way less cool and more sweaty. My buddy kept yelling "pump it faster" while I was already red in the face. You're right though, those old coal forges with the lever just felt right. I learned on one in high school shop class and it was so simple, just turn the handle and watch the fire breathe.
I actually tried calling a few farm supply places after ruby450's suggestion, and one guy laughed and said "we got a dusty fan from the 70s in the back if you want it." So maybe that's the move, just find something old and rebuild it. Because this new blower motor is already making weird noises and it's only been a week.
5