ZachW Posted May 26, 2013 Share Posted May 26, 2013 The attached picture is of my propane tank and the torch I have purchased. The system I am running is a forced air (hair dryer) forge. I have tested it out and it seems to work fine, I just want better efficiency so I can work longer. What I would like to know is what do i need as far as regulators go? Do I need a high pressure reg? Or a low pressure reg? I found a webpage from Don Fogg talking about the setup he recommends, using a high pressure reg at the tank and a low pressure reg with a needle valve and shut off close to the forge. Do I really need the low pressure reg? Or is it a preference thing? I'm almost positive that the torch itself is equipped with a needle valve and shut off so i don't need those. Also a general explanation of high vs low pressure as it relates to propane and forging would be nice as well (in lay terms, as some of the resources I have checked went over my head) Any and all help is appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanwrath Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 just as a bench mark i get about 4-8 hrs of forging out of a 20lb tank just depends on if its all welding, or if im just making a batch of blades.........i have a regulator made for propane with a meter on it so i know what my pressure settings are, its handy. i crank it up to 20 for forge welding, 15 for general purpose clanging and bangin and 5-6 for heat treating. Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Page Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 With my small 1 burner forge, I can keep it at forging temp for upwards of 15 hours, running it at most 5psi. How is your forge insulated? I would guess that is the issue here, not the fittings. The better insulated it is, the better it will run once it gets up to temp. Having a good refractory inside will help considerably. Once hot, my forge will stay hot enough for the air inside to ignite paper for several hours. Better insulation means higher efficiency. John Not all those who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien-Shards of the Dark Age- my blog-Nine Worlds Workshop--Last Apocalypse Forge- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Keyes Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 What does your forge look like? It's hard to make recommendations with knowing a bit more. You should look at this thread http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=25573. There is a lot of information about forges and burners there. Except for a very small forge, like a coffee can or two brick forge, most torches are going to be too small to do the job. Geoff "The worst day smithing is better than the best day working for someone else." I said that. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. - - -G. K. Chesterton So, just for the record: the fact that it does work still should not be taken as definitive proof that you are not crazy. Grant Sarver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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