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Date: June 2001 - 1 |
Date: May 2002 - 2/D1 Location: Wareham ON Team: DARC (2) + Dr. Kevin Smith Furnace: Norse boxed bowl stone slab sides, clay sealed, sod backed no tap arch Size: 30 cm x 30 x 40 H Source: based on LAM (theoretical) Tuyere: 25 mm ID steel pipe Placement: angle slightly up Bellows: standard Norse double chamber Air: (EE) 1.2 L per stroke (EE) 120 - 72 L per minute Charcoal 22 kg broken hardwood Consumption: Ore: St Lunaire bog ore 6 kg (roasted) mix of 2.8 ore / 2.5 scale / .7 sand Sequence: ore added as three large charges Duration: about 8 hours (plus preheat) Result: 2 kg slag mass total 4.3 kg magnetic slag recovered Yield: Notes: a number of basic errors: - use of large amount forge scale - extremely low air volume - low pressure / poor penetration of air - air flow not constant (cyles temperature) |
Date: June 2003 - 3/D2 Location: Wareham ON Team: DARC Furnace: Romano British Medium Shaft cylindrical cob with refractory liner tap arch fire brick base Size: 27 cm taper to 24 x 90 H Source: suggested by Sauder & Williams Tuyere: 25 mm ID steel pipe Placement: (E) about 20 cm from base about 5 cm in from wall angle at 15 down Bellows: electric blower (vacumn) Air: Charcoal: (E) 50 kg broken hardwood Consumption: about 1.5 kg charcoal every 12-15 minutes Ore: Virginia rock ore 8 kg (roasted) Sequence: ore added as 6 x 1.5 kg charges Duration: about 4 1/2 hours (plus preheat) Result: - initial liquid slag (faylite) tapped - burn through crashes sequence Yield: Notes: Generally sequence is closer to correct Slag bowl forms too high - slightly reduced air volume - incorrect tuyere angle |
Date: June 2004 - 4/D3 Location: Wareham ON Team: DARC + Mike McCarthy, Mark Pilgrim Furnace: Norse Boxed Short Shaft cylindrical cob backed with stone slab and sand no tap arch Size: 25 cm tapers to 20 x 50 H Source: suggested by Crew Tuyere: 25 mm ID steel pipe Placement: 2 cm from base about 5 cm in from wall angle at 15 down Bellows: initial Norse double bag / various Air: initial 2.2 per stroke at 130 per minute / various Charcoal: (E) 19 kg broken hardwood Consumption: about 1.5 kg charcoal every 12-15 minutes Ore: Virginia rock ore 7 kg (roasted) Sequence: ore added as 7 x 1 kg charges Duration: about 6 hours (plus preheat) Result: slag masses only Yield: Notes: - Clay slumps during smelter construction and moves tuyere to incorrect possition - too close to floor and shallow angle. This 'drowns' air flow. - Air system failures leads to fluctuating temperatures - Attempt to cut new tuyere unsucsessful |
Date: October 2004 - 5 Location: Cooperstown NY (Early Iron 1) Team: Michael Mahoney / Millard Wyman / Paul Burdon / Elizabeth Hendrix Furnace: Norse Short Shaft cylindrical cob set in earth trench no tap arch Size: 28 cm x 60 H Source: suggested by eariler experiments Tuyere: 25 mm ID steel pipe Placement: 15 cm from base about 3 cm in from wall angle at 15 down Bellows: Norse double bag Air: 2.2 L per stroke at 130 L per minute Charcoal: 100 L broken hardwood Consumption: about 6 L charcoal every 15 minutes Ore: Virginia rock ore 8 kg (roasted) Sequence: ore added as 5 x 1.5 kg charges + .5 reduction Duration: about 4 hours (plus preheat) Result: 'pre bloom mass' Yield: Notes: - Air cut during operator changes and short repairs to body of smelter only - Generally structure sucessfull - Air flow still low - Longer sequence required to develop larger bloom |
Date: October 2004 - 6/D4 Location: Wareham ON Team: DARC Furnace: Econo Norse (first prototype) firebrick backed with sand set in earth trench no tap arch Size: 30 cm x 70 H Source: suggested by eariler experiments Tuyere: 25 mm ID steel pipe Placement: 20 cm from base about 3 cm in from wall angle at 20 down Bellows: electric blower Air: 550 L per minute Charcoal: 110 L broken hardwood Consumption: about 6 L charcoal every 12 - 15 minutes Ore: Virginia rock ore (EE) 8 kg (roasted) Sequence: ore added as 8 x 1 kg (E) charges Duration: about 5 1/2 hours (10 hours total) Result: 2 kg bloom - high carbon (cast iron) Yield: EE 25% Notes: - Air cut (electrical problems) at pre-heat only - Sucessfull creation of small bloom - Air flow still a bit low - Longer sequence required to develop larger bloom |
| Date: February 2005 - 7 Location: Lexiton VA (Smeltfest 05) Team: Gangue aux Fer (3) Furnace: Econo Norse firebrick backed with sand set on plinth tap arch Size: 25 cm x 60 H Source: DARC 10/04 Tuyere: 25 mm ID 1/8" formed copper Placement: 18 cm from base about 5 cm in from wall angle at 20 down Bellows: electric blower Air: 815 L per minute Charcoal: 85 kg broken hardwood Consumption: about 2 kg charcoal every 10 minutes Ore: Virginia rock ore about 35 kg (roasted) Sequence: ore added about every 10 minutes as small charges .5 - 2 kg Duration: about 7 hours (not including preheat) Result: 6.5 kg bloom - (not tested) Yield: 18 % Notes: - Sucessfull creation of mid sized bloom - tap slag recycled |
Date: February 2005 - 8 Location: Lexiton VA (Smeltfest 05) Team: Vince Petty / Vandy Simpson Furnace: Econo Norse firebrick backed with sand set on plinth tap arch Size: 25 cm x 60 H Source: DARC 10/04 Tuyere: 25 mm ID 1/8" formed copper Placement: 18 cm from base about 5 cm in from wall angle at 20 down Bellows: electric blower Air: 815 L per minute Charcoal: 85 kg broken hardwood Consumption: about 2 kg charcoal every 10 minutes Ore: Virginia rock ore 28 kg (roasted) Sequence: ore added about every 10 minutes as small charges .5 - 2 kg Duration: about 7 hours (not including preheat) Result: 7.5 kg bloom - (not tested) Yeild: 27 % Notes: - Sucessfull creation of mid sized bloom - tap slag recycled |
Date: May 2005 - 9 Location: Wareham, ON Team: OABA / Neil Peterson / John Burton Furnace: Econo Norse firebrick backed with sand set on plinth tap arch Size: 25 cm x 60 H Source: DARC 10/04 Tuyere: 25 mm ID schedule 40 pipe Placement: 20 cm from base about 5 cm in from wall angle at 20 down Bellows: electric blowers / rotary hand Air: inconsistant flow Charcoal: 67 kg broken hardwood Consumption: about 2 kg charcoal every 10 minutes Ore: Stelco takenite 3 kg (roasted) Sequence: ore added about every 12 minutes as small charges .75 - 3 lbs Duration: about 7 1/2 hours (not including preheat) Result: 9.5 kg bloom - (estimated) Yield: 45 % E Notes: - Sucessfull creation of mid sized bloom - tap slag recycled - problems with melting of pipe tuyeres - packing of ash / sand / wood shavings proves a poor choice |
| Date: June 2005 -10/D5 Location: Wareham, ON Team: DARC demo team Furnace: Norse Short Shaft clay cob with stone slab support tap arch Size: 25 cm x 60 H Source: suggested by earlier experiments Tuyere: 25 mm ID schedule 40 pipe Placement: 16 cm from base about 5 cm in from wall angle at 20 down Bellows: large double bellows / electric blower Air: 600 l / min (estimated) Charcoal: 38 kg broken hardwood Consumption: about 2 kg charcoal every 10 minutes Ore: Stelco tacenite 9 kg (roasted) Sequence: ore added in variable sequence (10 - 20 min) as small charges .75 - 2.25 lbs shift to forced air at 2:30 Duration: about 5 1/2 hours (not including preheat) Result: 3 kg bloom - (estimated) Yield: 28 % E Notes: - Sucessfull creation of historic sized bloom - extreme hot weather limits use of bellows |
Date: September 2005 -11/D6 Location: Annapolois Royal NS Team: DARC demo team + Mark Pilgrim Furnace: Norse Short Shaft commercial clay cob with stone slab support tap arch Size: 25 cm x 60 H Source: suggested by earlier experiments Tuyere: 25 mm ID schedule 40 pipe Placement: 24 cm from base about 5 cm in from wall angle at 20 down Bellows: large double bellows / electric blower Air: no data Charcoal: 47 kg broken hardwood Consumption: about 2 kg charcoal every 10 minutes Ore: Stelco tacenite 9 kg (roasted) Sequence: ore added in variable sequence (10 - 20 min) as small charges .75 - 2.25 lbs shift to forced air at 6:45 Duration: about 9 hours (not including preheat) Result: cast iron mass 2 kg? no data available on size Notes: use of high purity tacenite means no silica use of high temperature clay means no silica no silica means no carbon control exit valves required on bellows ?? |
Date: September 2005 - 12 Location: Copperstown NY (Early Iron 2) Team: Elizabeth Hendrix / Toby Bashaw Furnace: Flue Tyle commercial tile reinforced with wire tap arch Size: 25 cm square x 60 H Source: developed by Sauder & Williams Tuyere: 25 mm ID forged copper Placement: about 24 cm from base 5 cm in from wall angle at 20 down Bellows: electric blower Air: plus 1000 L/min (estimated) Charcoal: 110 lbs primary sequene / no data for balance* Consumption: about 4 kg charcoal every 10 minutes Ore: Virginia Rock Ore about 16 kg * Sequence: ore added in variable sequence (8 - 12 min) as small charges .75 - 2.25 lbs Duration: about 7 1/2 hours * (not including preheat) Result: Two bloom masses Secondary at 3.4 KG Notes: Main smelt sequence abandonded at 6 1/2 hours Smelt assumed, produced secondary 'salvage bloom' * no clear records kept for secondary sequence |
| Date: October 2005 -13/D7 Location: Wareham, ON Team: DARC Furnace: Norse Short Shaft clay cob with stone slab support tap arch Note - reuse of furnace from June 05 Size: 25 cm x 60 H Source: suggested by earlier experiments Tuyere: 25 mm ID ceramic kiln support Placement: 16 cm from base about 5 cm in from wall angle at 20 down Bellows: electric blower Air: 600 l / min (estimated) Charcoal: 79.5 kg broken hardwood Consumption: about 2 kg charcoal every 10 minutes Ore: Stelco tacenite (unroasted) + Virginia Rock Ore (roasted) 7 kg total Sequence: ore added in variable sequence (7 - 10 min) as small charges .75 - 2.25 lbs Duration: about 6 1/4 hours (not including preheat) Result: 4.3 kg bloom Yield: 22 % Notes: - Sucessfull creation of historic sized bloom - Sucess in patching and re-firing smelt |
TEAM PARTICIPANTS (1) Parks Canada / L'Anse aux Meadows Mark Pilgrim Birgitta Wallace Arne Espelund (2) Dark Ages Re-creation Company Core (demo) Team: Kevin Jarbeau Dave Cox Neil Peterson Assisting: Ken Cook Marcus Burnham Karen Peterson Vandy Simpson Gus Gissing David Robertson (3) Gangue aux Fer Lee Sauder Skip Williams Mike McCarthy Assisting: Elisabeth Sauder |