How I Built This Ribbon Burner Forge, Pros & Cons

[@offcenterforge1098]

That is the best description of what a healthy flame should look like. I'm switching from coal to a ribbon burner and this video was a big help. Thank you!

[@SiliconeSword]

You should consider more than PSI for efficiency, since those burners likely use the same overall volume of gas. If you have a hose at 100 PSI flowing at 50 gallons a minute and a 50 PSI hose at 50 gallons a minute, they're both the same volume but one has a higher flow rate. I'd try putting your tank on a bathroom scale and see how many pounds you use per hour compared to a Venturi burner, since that's really the fairest and easiest way to do things. Forced air should be more efficient though since you're able to adjust from reducing to and oxidizing flame, whereas a Venturi burner is a super reducing environment with lots of unburnt fuel. There's pros and cons to reducing vs oxidizing, but reducing makes less scale and is better for forge welds/reactive alloys, and oxidizing is good for maximum heat/sacrificial material like a canister. You should generally be able to tell just by smell, as the reducing should smell a bit like propane whereas the oxidizing should smell really hot and dry.

[@hardwurkindaddy]

Yes. I came here to say the same. Less restriction=less pressure @ the same volume.

[@krissteel4074]

In my procrastinating about building forced air burners (because it does cost a bit more than compared to a venturi) I did find air-blowers and neck-down components from of all places: Hyrdroponic stores Apparently they use them to move stale and hot air out of greenhouses and there's a fair variety with the kind of CFM which suits these burners. Mostly because for those of us not in the USA, it can actually be harder than you think to find something that's both 220V AC and not made of Chinesium that will stop working and explode your shop. Just something for those looking to make one

[@FireCreekForge]

Yes, this blower is actually for a green house

[@Vikingwerk]

I built my ribbon burner forge from the ground up in half an old acetylene bottle; and it was probably more labor than the money I saved doing it literally any other way. I made my own burner, inspired by Old Hickory Forge’s sword forge burner, so I probably have to much burner for my volume, but it definitely heats up fast! 😂 I initially used the green ‘2.5” forge blower’ off amazon, but ran into some freaky behaviors with the flame front backing up into the burner after heating up. I upgraded to the more powerful blower, and that fixed it. I’ve developed a startup procedure that works slick, Instead of holding a torch in it, I use a ferro rod to light some 0000 steel wool and throw that in the forge, turn on the air, and then ease the gas on. Lights up nice and smooth and keeps all the body parts away from the fire! I figure a little burned up steel wool can easily be brushed out, and the forge is designed for heating steel, and will get scale debris in it anyways.

[@SiliconeSword]

I made a body for a sword forge at least 2 years ago and didn't finish it because of the ribbon burner. Currently I use my old forge burner in my furnace and hooked up to a shop vac, and I'm able to melt steel if I'm not careful. Eventually I'll finish that forge by making burners, but for now using forced air in a regular burner is fine for my casting needs since I haven't made knives in a while

[@TalRohan]

Looks like a really good way to go for a ribbon burner build. I will be interested to see your door design.

[@Jeffindsm]

Was reading that enclosing the ends creates a build up of heat which charges the fire back towards the fan. And it also causes an adjustment of fuel and such. I think I read somewhere where a guy was trying or actually using the exhaust heat to this create a pumping action by it being exhausted out but piped back in using the heat as the pump. At least that’s how I understood it. It was to bump up the heat even higher, Also read where bricks reflect too much heat away or something instead of absorbing like a wool type refractory that absorbs and helps to keep the higher heat and after a while able to reduce the gas pressure. Whereas bricks don’t absorb heat as much so a constant on the gas pressure using more than a wool type refractory.

[@minnesotatomcat]

Have you seen those electric induction forges, where it’s basically just a coil that you put the metal inside of and it heats up very quickly? I’ve never used one but it seems ridiculously fast and simple. No idea how it would affect an electric bill but you would never have to buy gas or run out of it.

[@FireCreekForge]

Yes! I actually bought one. Have yet to set it up.

[@ThomasShue]

Would you not want the burner to face down to fire directly on the work piece?

[@FireCreekForge]

@@ThomasShue placing the burner on the side allows the flame to circulate through the firebox more, providing a more efficient and even heat. also makes for a more compact setup I think.

[@RRINTHESHOP]

Well done, nice new forge.

[@FireCreekForge]

Thanks Randy

[@SteveJennings-i5z]

Very informative so thank you for sharing how to

[@FireCreekForge]

Glad it was helpful!

[@brianwestveer9532]

Very interesting thanks

[@FireCreekForge]

You bet

[@VileAce]

I'm assuming you are using standard 9'' x 4.5'' x 2.5'' soft fire bricks. If so did you cut any of the bricks in your design? Otherwise I do not see how you get your layout. It appears you have the first layer vertical/horizontal/vertical which would be 9.5" but it looks like on the top layer you only have one brick laying across which would be only 9". Am I missing something? Thanks for any help.

[@FireCreekForge]

Yes I did cut/resize some bricks, don't remember exactly what now, but they are easy to cut.

[@ignaceu]

Mind sharing which blower you are using?

[@kpotter78]

I was under the impression that you bought your fan from housemade as well, but don't see it on his website. Where abouts did you purchase your fan?

[@FireCreekForge]

It's the fan he recommended on his website there should be an Amazon affiliate link for it

[@kpotter78]

@@FireCreekForge Ok. I missed that. I'll have to look again. Thanks!

[@minnesotatomcat]

Is there a way to put a pyrometer probe in there to know exactly what temp you’re at to prevent an overheat situation?

[@FireCreekForge]

Yeah I think you could put a thermocoupler in there

[@billwoehl3051]

Think the solenoid safety feature is a great idea, especially when you have people involved, noone is perfect.

[@Jeffindsm]

I like the bolt take apart ability. You move around so much it makes me feel like I’m on a boat. I hope you have a boat that you take out that calms your inner self

[@billwoehl3051]

I have a rocket mass heater that gets to steel melting temps, what would handle the heat, and be strong enough to be a grate to hold the wood up out of the tray for the ashes?

[@timhorton555]

I made a 3x5x13 forge and put two 100k venturi burners in it. It gets a little toasty.

[@johnreavis5024]

Is there anywhere to order steel and other materials that’s not just a killer on shipping?

[@FireCreekForge]

As far as blade steel unless you live near a supplier you'll have to pay for shipping. With the structural mild steel there's usually a source locally.

[@DONJUILIO]

Thanks for the info.

[@Mwwright79]

Could you provide a link of where you source your firebrick please?

[@garnerlinder5834]

What kind of blower do you have/use?

[@FireCreekForge]

It's a greenhouse blower, sold on Amazon

[@garnerlinder5834]

@@FireCreekForge thanks, love your videos

[@kpotter78]

Thanks for that!

[@cae2487]

I have a ribbon burner forge and i feel like it doesn't quite get hot enough. My venturi forge seems like it gets way hotter.

[@FireCreekForge]

Hmm, that's odd. Is the inside of the forge larger on the ribbon burner forge?

[@cae2487]

@FireCreekForge the ribbon burner forge is slightly larger but it's not huge its 4x4x16

[@natedawg9404]

Got a housemade for CHRISTmas last year. Absolutely love it. When you block the ends it uses even less gas. Mine barely registers on a gauge.

[@FireCreekForge]

Very nice!

[@HeavyForge]

Bout time you retired those Venturi burner forges! 😂 they certainly have there place though.

[@FireCreekForge]

Haha, yes sir. I'm keeping a couple on hand though for different applications. Forges are like potato chips. You can't have just one.

[@Jeffindsm]

What’s with all the side burners just blowing the main heat to the side wall? Seems like a waste of heat

[@FireCreekForge]

It's hard to see on camera but the flame actually creates a vortex and rolls through the firebox

[@rodgerwitchey9562]

I like what you have there but, it appears that there is no tutorial therefore, we don't really know how you built it. Additionally, as you mentioned, you bought many of the items. I guess you put your purchased materials together, to bad, I would have enjoyed a how to video.

[@Little_River_Forge]

Looks pretty simple, prolly not too difficult to put together

[@bigboybuilder]

A flap in the airflow that closes a micro switch and opens a solenoid valve on the gas. After all just because you have power at the fan doesn't mean it is blowing air.