Ribbon Burner or Venturi Burner | The Forge Fire | Forum

Hi Ethan,

I can tell you what I have learned, but please remember I am a hobbyist with only a short time at it. I have rebuilt both of the forges we (My Girlfriend and I) have, one is a ribbon burner and one a venturi.

I like them both for different reasons. A ribbon burner seems to get much hotter much quicker than a Venturi burner, but that could just be the way I have mine set up. The ribbon burner heats my material a lot more efficiently because the flames cover more area. You have to have electricity to run the Ribbon Burner model as it takes a blower. The venturi burner needs only Fuel (propane) and Air to run.

As far as efficiency of either burner? I really could not tell you which is better, I think it really depends on what it is you are trying to do with it ... ie, use the right setup for the right job?

I prefer my Ribbon burner setup but I tend to work a larger stock than my girlfriend does, she prefers the Venturi burner setup because it works the best for the smaller stock that she uses.

I think what you need to decide is what kind of work are you going to do with it. Once you determine that, it will be a little bit easier to decide on the type of burner you would like to work with.

I think noise is a consideration, less with a ribbon burner with the right blower....for the size. I'm actually considering one myself, about 4X10", for the new furnace.
the only question I was going to play with, was the bonding of the castable to the air box,,
cast it in, or use a bonding agent?

J Wilson;17338 wrote: There is a wealth of information here:
http://blacksmith.org/forums/t.....bon+burner

Perhaps the information you seek is there.

Good luck,
Jeff

Hi, thanks, yes I saw this. Also saw one where the air box had come away from the castable, and was wondering if there was a bonding agent suitable for heat, that might prevent leaks and or separation.
ill just try the castable as the seal for the first attempt, in case I'm over thinking things.

3door, Inside will be 8"X8"X24", 3" of insulation, 2" of castable over 1" of ceramic fibre, doors the same.
needed a slightly bigger production box for hammers and longer things. I'm running a single burner box with a lot of waste area that I can't use, if one or two hammers are in, and one or two hammers is too slow a cycle for reheat, for production, when I'm in the mood.
.88 cubic feet, but it looked bigger than the math suggested. So was giving the ribbon burner a thought.
Efficiency to a degree, was considered, with insulation, tho when it was time for the gas consideration, then thrown out the window for purpose. I was looking at consumption verses btu with area, and future melting possibilities or uses, and sometimes my slow mode, could prove wasteful while something sucking around 6 or so kg of gas an hour was running.
i don't know how the temp control would work or controlling combined flows would work that well with a ribbon burner....where as gas solenoids via plc switching between less than full speed and "on" feed lines, on three venturi burners works quite well.
the main consideration for the ribbon burner was noise, I could stick 35 kg of something in, light in the early hours of morning, without the rocket sound annoying neighbours....so, that was the thinking anyway.