Mark Green

Wicked cool !

Tossing in some fine sand as you go, can help some as well.

Nice job.. The charcoal size is super important. With this style melter, you don't have a lot of control over your results. That is why the tuyere to the floor height is very important. Coming in at a flat angle is a good idea as well. Read the Evenstad papers about 5 times, and try the shallow hearth. follow the instructions exactly. Basically the same process, with a lot more control.

Wow !! Love it ..

Way cool !!!!!

I have melted bits of campo into bloom, in a Evenstad style hearth. It mixed in quite well, and made some very cool shiny streaks in the steel, after forging and etching. A Canister weld would likely work fine. Then cut and stack a few times, and it would likely make some very spiff patterns. Mark

Very cool.. Why the two tuyeres ? Every couple months I run all the bloom fluff through the regular tall stack. Like 30 -40 lbs at a time. It always makes a great solid bloom/melt.. I pick up everything around the compacting stump, and smelter, that will stick to a magnet.. Of course, these days, every bit of dirt within 40 ft. of my smelting area, will pick up with a magnet Great work Dan... Big fun.

These are awesome...

Your getting there.... Your ore looks a lot like some of mine. Limonite.. from central NC Like your graph... Do you have a sight viewer at the tuyere? That is the best way of seeing any temp. problems right away. Are you on the Face book smelters page ? https://www.facebook.com/groups/361798240526981/?ref=bookmarks keep trying, it looks like your getting close...

I see. Yes, I think that is just the reflection of my face, or the phone/cam. ​ The meteorite is super cool how it will look mirror shiny at one angle/light, and black, in another. ​ It's a very expensive add to your sword, but fun, and super cool points !!

I have tried this process with bloom iron. It was not a great success. ​ I have found, that to get bloom iron very thin, without cracking, it has to be very refined. ​ I wonder if these cultures were running their iron through the hearth many times for refinement ?? That is the only way I have found that will allow this kind of work hardening of bloom product. ​ Great experiment, great looking sword.

Very nice !!!

Love them !!!!!

Well done !!!!

Thanks guys.......... ​ Josh, that bronze is just all nice and shiny right now. It will all turn a soft brown in less then a year. Old school, bronze always looks like gold when it is freshly polished...............