Subject: Re: Champion hand-cranked blowers

From: Mike Linn <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 31 Mar 96 17:33 EST

At 07:28 PM 3/31/96 -0500, you wrote:
>Almost as soon as I posted my last message on the list about hand-cranked
>blowers I received a call from a guy that knew I was looking for one.  He
>has two blowers, one is a Champion Model 400, and the other is a smaller
>Champion blower attached to a floor model forge.  He is asking $200 each.
>He told me that they are in very good condition and invited me down to look
>at them.  Is $200 too much for either one of these?  I know from searching
>and finding an anvil that blacksmithing equipment doesn't come cheap.  Also
>is there anything that I should look for when I see the blowers?  Thanks
>again, in advance.
>
>
>Pat Retton
>[email-masked]
>

If your anywhere, near the Anniston/Oxford Alabama area (1 hr east of
Birmingham, and 1.5 hrs west of Atlanta) There is an antique fleamarket mall
called "The Mill". Its right off of I-20 at the Oxford exit. There are (as
of 3/15/96) 4 anvils, 2 forges, 3 champion blowers, 3 post vices, and
numerous other blacksmith tools for sale. The anvils are in pretty bad shape
but a couple of them can be fixed. The other items seem ok. If i remember
right the blowers were going for about $75 to $100 depending on size. Post
vices about $100-$125 and the anvils about $1 per pound. 

        The place is huge (about 150 vendor booths) and has everything under
the sun in it. If you want to take a road trip, you can bring your
significant other, as there is a little for everyone.

Hope this helps someone get their shop outfitted,

mike
                                    _///_
                                   /(o o)\
===============================o000o=(_)=o000o====
               Michael Linn 
            Artisian Blacksmith
              AFC Web Master
 http://www.the-matrix.com/afc/index.html
==================================================
Smile, it makes people wonder what you've been up to.

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 1 Apr 1996 09:49:07 -0500

Pat..

Part of the cost will depend on where you are in the country.  Blacksmith
tools are very common in the east and harder than hen's teeth to find in the
west.

I cant tell you what the going price is today, but a Champion 400 was going
for $75-$100 about ten years ago in NY state.  

The main thing to look for.. or rather listen for is the bearings.  If you
hear them rattling, it's on its way out.

An outfit that manufactured computer blowers is/was Rotron Inc. of Woodstock,
NY.  There was a scrap/buyout dealer in Kingston, NY by the name of P&D
Surplus on Abeel street that used to have these for about $25-$35.  They are
about 14" in diameter and about 6" thick.  Excellent air flow and very(!)
quiet. Anyone going through Kingston ought to check in there.  They've got
all kinds of goodies there.

Hope this is of some help.

Kent Reeves  :o)
[email-masked]