Serious question, how do you deal with a forge that just won't get hot enough?

Last month, I was trying to forge a set of tongs in my backyard shop and my propane forge was barely hitting a bright orange. I checked the regulator, cleaned the burners, everything. My buddy in Toledo said it might be the pressure, so I bumped it up a bit, which helped, but it still felt weak. It took me almost twice as long to draw out the steel. Has anyone else had this kind of slow heat problem and found a solid fix?

2 comments

2 Comments

thomas_young12d agoTop Commenter

Yeah, that sounds frustrating. What's the insulation like in your forge? If the lining is worn down or cracked, it'll bleed heat like crazy no matter what you do with the burner.

the_rowan11d ago

Hold up, I've had the exact opposite happen. My old forge ran cold for ages and I replaced the lining twice before I even looked at the burner. Turns out the mixer tube was just clogged with soot. A good cleaning and it ran hotter than ever, no new bricks needed. Sometimes you can overthink the insulation and miss the simple stuff, right?