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The change from a hand crank blower to an electric one on my forge
I still remember the old hand crank blower my grandpa had. You know, the one that looked like a cast iron coffee grinder attached to the forge. I used that thing for maybe 10 years after I started. Then about 5 years ago, I picked up a used electric blower from a guy in Ohio for $75. The difference is night and day. No more arm fatigue after a long day of forging. But I do kind of miss the rhythm of cranking it. It forced me to pace myself. Has anyone else gone back to a hand crank for certain jobs?
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evan_green5211d ago
...and honestly my arm got so tired one afternoon I started cranking with my non dominant hand and nearly threw a hot billet across the shop. The electric blower saved my work and probably my dignity. But I get what you mean about the rhythm, I still pull out the hand crank for small stuff when I want to slow down and think.
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tessa_murray11d ago
Read an interview with a farrier who said pretty much the same thing, that hand cranking helps him work out a problem in his head before he even touches the metal. Evan, it sounds like you found that same balance with the electric blower for the heavy stuff but still keeping the hand crank for the deliberate work. I think there's something to that idea of letting the physical rhythm slow your thoughts down, especially when you're dealing with a tricky piece.
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paige3319d agoMost Upvoted
Honestly that whole comparison changed my mind about it.
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