12-10-2013, 07:30 PM
During an over zealous moment I tore this apart before I got a photo.
The blower for my forge, need to get a photo of it too.
![[Image: IMG_0911.jpg]](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OhRmYuP85AI/UqesJt2-pXI/AAAAAAAABvs/4eLPzRYluUg/s1280/IMG_0911.jpg)
It was on the verge of seized, you could turn the handle but it was some stiff. Tore it down and cleaned up the gears and brass bushings in varsol.
Turns free as can be now.
![[Image: IMG_0909.jpg]](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2OGEFt018Aw/UqesIOl8T3I/AAAAAAAABvk/Sld3D7sdk30/s1280/IMG_0909.jpg)
Quite a gear train, four stage giving about a cazillon to one ratio.
Interesting use of materials. The gear attached to the handle is bronze, then some steel, with the large gear in the final stage being aluminum. Maybe for weight to make ut easier to spin up? When did they start using aluminum? I was surprised to find it in a forge blower, can't imagine these have been made in the last 50 or 60 years.
Would like to try cleaning up the castings using electrolysis, first try, will the brass (or bronze or what ever they are) bushings be safe?
The blower for my forge, need to get a photo of it too.
It was on the verge of seized, you could turn the handle but it was some stiff. Tore it down and cleaned up the gears and brass bushings in varsol.
Turns free as can be now.
Quite a gear train, four stage giving about a cazillon to one ratio.
Interesting use of materials. The gear attached to the handle is bronze, then some steel, with the large gear in the final stage being aluminum. Maybe for weight to make ut easier to spin up? When did they start using aluminum? I was surprised to find it in a forge blower, can't imagine these have been made in the last 50 or 60 years.
Would like to try cleaning up the castings using electrolysis, first try, will the brass (or bronze or what ever they are) bushings be safe?
Free advice is worth exactly what you payed for it.
Greg
Greg