A forge blower replaces the traditional hand bellows used by blacksmiths to stoke fires. It is electrically operated and directs air through a hose to ensure proper delivery to the fire. It eliminates the need for an assistant and varies in size based on the forge system. Hand-cranked forge bellows were used before electric fans became common.
A forge blower is a device designed to create a flow of air towards a fire in a coal forge or other type of forge system. This device replaces the hand bellows that a blacksmith would traditionally use to stoke fires to keep the temperature high enough for metalworking. A modern forge blower will be electrically operated to ensure a constant air supply and a more powerful flow of oxygen to the fires and heated coals. The air is usually directed through a tube known as a hose to ensure proper delivery to the fire.
In the past, an assistant was needed to operate a bellows, which was a hand-operated type of aerator. This person was responsible for stoking the fire before and during the metalworking process, for which the blacksmith was responsible. The assistant should be able to stay away from the blacksmith, but also be prepared to keep the fires adequately warm when needed. This could create a crowded work space and injuries are possible as a result. Today, the forge blower is mounted out of the way and eliminates the need for an assistant to operate the airflow machine.
The size of the forge blower can vary based on the size of the bowl and hearth. In many cases the blow molder is quite large because it has to house both a motor and other components that create the airflow. Once the impeller inside the forge blower creates a stream of air, the air is forced through a tube which redirects it to the bowl above. The coals within the bowl are then fed to the appropriate temperature and held at that temperature to ensure a better metalworking environment.
Before electric fans became common, some were operated by a hand crank. This type of forge bellows was the technology that essentially replaced the manual bellows that were pumped; this unit instead featured a hand crank mounted to the side of the bellows body. Usually an assistant was still required to operate this machine, but the aerator could be mounted away from the brazier and therefore away from the blacksmith working the metal. The assistant would step away from the hearth and vigorously turn the crank to produce a stream of air which could be redirected through a pipe to the brazier.
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