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Post by DuncanM on Apr 27, 2012 11:39:53 GMT
I read an article this afternoon on a BBQ/grill kit that can apparently reach ~600degrees C in 5 minutes because it is fan assisted. As sceptical as I am about the performance figures from the product it's a well known fact that the forced air-flow can increase the temperature a lot quicker inside a fire. (think of bellows for old blacksmiths etc). Anyway back to my original point, has anyone tried using some kind of forced air in their oven to either increase the heat or speed up the time it takes to heat up? The ways I can think of are manual bellows, leaf blower or desk fan pointed down a chimney flue that is laid into the oven (not down the actual chimney). Just wondering what sort of impact this would have, and might be a worthwhile experiment at some point. For those interested here is the article: www.gizmag.com/cook-air-1100-degrees-grill-top/21326/
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Post by webbaldo on Apr 27, 2012 14:21:44 GMT
Cant see why it wouldnt work, same principle is applied to homemade kilns and mini blast funances. Ive made one in the back yard before to smelt some aluminium!
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Post by bathsweep on Apr 28, 2012 9:56:44 GMT
use an old hairdryer on minimum setting once the oven is well lit after about 20 minutes really helps with smoke and secondary combustion every oven is differint I run the hairdryer for about 45 minutes until the bricks are hot enough to ignite the smoke luverly
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Post by rich361 on Apr 29, 2012 23:53:02 GMT
I use a heat gun on low setting (only because I had a heat gun handy rather than buying an old hair dryer)
I use once the fire has taken hold, pretty much stops the smoke and I think it gets the fire burning hotter quicker. Have had great results from using it.
Cheers
Rich
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Post by moorsy on May 28, 2012 21:02:23 GMT
I loved the hairdryer idea above so tried it out. It worked brilliantly! only one issue, i ignored the suggestion of using an "old" hairdryer. I borrowed Mrs Moorsys' dryer and handed it back once she wanted to dry her hair, unfortunately it had sucked up some smoke and soot had lodged in the filter so when she used it she got lovely smoke smelling hair! She wasn't impressed to say the least.
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Post by danny on May 28, 2012 21:16:04 GMT
How about a door with a number of holes in the bottom? This would behave like a wood burning stove with the doors closed and the bottom vent open. When I was young I can recall my father holding a sheet of newspaper over all but the bottom five or six inches of the fire opening. The results were spectacular (especially when the paper would catch fire). Thinking a little more about it a door with a couple of pipes feeding air from the outside of the door to a point in front of the fire could be interesting. I shall experiment!
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Post by Fat Bob on May 28, 2012 22:54:39 GMT
For a quick increase in temperature Big Dave uses a long copper pipe and uses his lungs to burst the fire into instant action.
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Post by pistolpete on Jul 26, 2012 15:02:10 GMT
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Post by turkey on Jul 26, 2012 15:52:09 GMT
I have a hair dryer but feel it blows almost too much, it does help tho and I think if I could make the fire larger then it would be better. for localised forced air a pipe has been very handy.
to light I just take a log and then use a wood plane and shave some shavings off, these really go up well and a few small wood twigs another some bigger wood bits, with a little blowing it really takes off and starts quickly. I think some softwood to get the initial heat might help as the hardwood does seem to limp off the line once lit, for me anyhow.
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Post by lindsayboy on Aug 7, 2012 20:48:38 GMT
Hi, As a heating engineer i had the idea of fitting an old boiler fan(240 V) under my oven and connecting it via a 15mm copper tube which has holes drilled into it fitted into the back of the WFO. The idea came because of the slow starting of a fire in the oven... if i put a slightly too big piece of wood on it would kill the fire and smoke like hell... Now i find within reason the wood size / kindling doesn't need to be small and a full fire is up to half hour quicker with the fan. As regards to a hotter oven when it is fully firing i don't know as the tube and airflow produced by the small holes is minimal as i didnt design it for extra temperature but help getting a full fire going without constant tendering,hope this helps Lindsayboy Bedfordshire UK
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Post by cannyfradock on Aug 7, 2012 21:39:44 GMT
Hello Lindsayboy....welcome aboard.
Some brilliant idea's/inventions coming out of this thread......
Terry
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Post by Fat Bob on Aug 7, 2012 22:55:18 GMT
We are Neaderthals we use a length of 14mm copper water pipe and use lung power if the fire needs a hurry up.
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Post by tonyb on Aug 8, 2012 7:32:49 GMT
Me too, but its a bit of a shock when you forget to take your mouth away and suck instead of blowing, or when moving the pipe suddenly hit a brick edge whilst the pipe is still in your mouth :ouch!
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Post by turkey on Aug 8, 2012 8:22:27 GMT
I am interested in an idea where you use a door with cut out at the bottom to restrict the air enough to make it force sir in itself in via the cut out.
I saw the idea in YouTube and a guy in my office says he does thus with his home fire to kick start it.
I will link the YouTube video in a sec when I find it, but its called rocket cob oven if anyone wants to watch it.
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Post by DuncanM on Aug 8, 2012 9:22:24 GMT
Turkey,
I've seen that video (I believe) - is it the guy with the walking stick and cup of coffee?
I was unsure as to why he had the door on there with the holes, I thought it was more of a safety/asthetic thing rather than for performance reasons. I might be wrong but I can't see how reducing the apperture for which air has to be sucked through will increase overall air flow, it will just mean it's moving quicker through the initial hole in the door would it not?
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