Subject: Re:Solar Powered Forges, and on

From: [email-masked] (Raymond Coon)
Date: Thu, 5 Sep 1996 08:36:26 -0700 (PDT)

>>Does any one out there have plans for a solar powered forge? 
>> 
>>Hochewa 
> 
>Try Edmund Scientific. They sell solar cookers, and I think they have plans
>if you want to up-scale one of them. It would be a nice idea if you live in
>Arizona with plenty of sun, and didn't care about working on cloudy days.
>Someone in the Seattle, WA. would have a tough time if they wanted to work
>on a couldy day, though. Now, we could discuss cold fusion forges, or even
>tokamac hot fusion reacotrs to power a forge. They're not here yet, but if
>we discuss it, we will set the stage for blacksmiths of a hundred years
>from now. 
>> 
>-- 
>               Bill Wyant 
>   Bladesmith / Art Blacksmith 
>Avalon Ironworks, Ft. Wayne, IN 
>    [email-masked]
>
Portland General Electric has a nuclear reactor near the town of St. Helens
that they would probably let you have pretty cheap.

Ray Coon

"illigitimus non carborundum"

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From: [email-masked] (Katana ---/-----------)
Date: Thu, 5 Sep 1996 18:52:30 GMT

>that they would probably let you have pretty cheap. 
Ha - I laughed like crazy... 
Great idea, Ray - but about those tuyere ashes glowing in the dark, and the
faint glow from the steel at night after being in the forge... 
 
"That which does not kill us makes us go shopping" - not Nietsche

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 1996 14:27:06 -0400

To All,
Does anyone remember the opening ceremony at the confrence in St Louis and
the howl of protest over the comments on using a nuke powered forge?

hochewa

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 10:33:26 -0400

In a message dated 96-09-05 11:13:34 EDT, you write:

> cold fusion forges, or even
>tokamac hot fusion reacotrs to power a forge. They're not here yet,

MIT in Cambridge had three Tokamacs back 15 or 20 years ago.  They never
generated a positive amount of power, ie, it took more to run them than they
produced.  Give them a call, they'll probably let you have one cheap.
Mike Schermerhorn

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From: "daryl (d.a.) bender" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 11:42:00 -0400 [/PRMD=BNR/ADMD=TELECOM.CANADA/C=CA/;bcars520.b.334:09.08.96.16.05.59]

Only 1 square meter?! That's a pretty good output!! There are electric 
kilns that are only 2.5kW (actually I think even less). While heating 
directly may not be practicle because of the losses I think 1kw/m**2 is 
actually pretty good. Say you had a 20ftx30ft roof (or collecting area) 
utilized in this manner - thats 66kw! Equivalent to running a 90hp 
engine continuously while the sun is shining. Unfortunately we don't all 
live in Arizona at noon though! 8^(

Hoping nobody tells me to put my portable forge where the sun don't 
shine 8^)
Daryl

In message "Solar Powered Forges, and on", [email-masked] 
writes:

>> We have off and on been tinkering with a set up that uses fresnel 
lenses, 
>> at one time also available from Edmund. They used to sell one that 
>> reaches 3000 F at the focal point, we have had only middling success 
so 
>> far, but then we haven't really worked to hard. If you try it be sure 
and 
>> have glass in excess of #14 in your welding goggles, that focal oint 
is 
>> fierce. Tom
>The problem is to get enough power. One square meter will get you about
>one kilowatt at best (that will just about run a big hairdryer).
>Heating tiny things might work though.
>
>Ralph
>[email-masked]
>