Quick question about heat treating in a garage forge

I just read a post saying you can use a hair dryer as a cheap blower for a solid fuel forge, has anyone here actually tried that with a coal fire? I'm setting up my first forge in my garage and wondering if I need to spend $50 on a proper blower or if that hack really works?

2 comments

2 Comments

hayden72011d ago

Try it with a cheap hair dryer first (just don't tell your spouse you're stealing theirs) but be ready for it to overheat and die on you after an hour of coal smoke.

kim.dylan11d ago

Hold up, I gotta push back on this one. Honestly, spending $50 on a proper blower is way better than relying on a hair dryer that'll choke on coal smoke after like 15 minutes. Tbh, a hair dryer just doesn't push enough air for a solid fuel fire, especially if you're trying to get it hot enough for forging. Ngl, you'll end up with a weak fire that takes forever to heat up, and you'll just waste time and charcoal messing with a hack that isn't meant for this. Just get the right tool from the start, it'll save you headaches and frustration down the road.