Burner design!
Quote from notfeanor on May 5, 2026, 7:41 amCurious as to what folks are using. I'm leaning more towards a blown propane system, but could be convinced to go hybrid/diesel if necessary. No waste oil. Thinking about adapting the Apollo forge ribbon burner system- square forced air ribbon burner, cast into side of furnace wall at tangent. Would a single jet be better though, for vortex and even heat? Pictures welcome. What do y'all use in your furnaces?
Curious as to what folks are using. I'm leaning more towards a blown propane system, but could be convinced to go hybrid/diesel if necessary. No waste oil. Thinking about adapting the Apollo forge ribbon burner system- square forced air ribbon burner, cast into side of furnace wall at tangent. Would a single jet be better though, for vortex and even heat? Pictures welcome. What do y'all use in your furnaces?
Quote from Jerry Martin on May 7, 2026, 9:05 amI have a propane burner with a blower. It doesn't take much air; I'm using a squirrel cage fan from a computer. 12 volt DC. I still have to choke down the air. I use the same burner for melting 10 pounds of Bronze or Aluminum. My pictures are on the other computer, I'll see if I can find them.
I have a propane burner with a blower. It doesn't take much air; I'm using a squirrel cage fan from a computer. 12 volt DC. I still have to choke down the air. I use the same burner for melting 10 pounds of Bronze or Aluminum. My pictures are on the other computer, I'll see if I can find them.
Quote from notfeanor on May 18, 2026, 7:09 amThank you! Looking forward to seeing these. Currently still in design phase. Life has a way of getting in the way. Did you use the black iron pipe kind? I'm angling burner at tangent to make vortex and not directly impinge on my crucible.
Thank you! Looking forward to seeing these. Currently still in design phase. Life has a way of getting in the way. Did you use the black iron pipe kind? I'm angling burner at tangent to make vortex and not directly impinge on my crucible.
Quote from Jacob Christian on May 20, 2026, 4:29 pmMost of the diesel burners that I have seen are a bit of a hybrid, using propane to start things and then switching to full diesel once up to heat. I know that Peter Burt uses this method with great success. Diesel is supposed to be much more energy dense and rapidly increases the furnace temps.
To use diesel which I would recommend (staying very far away from waste oil. It has its places for sure but this is not one of them.) you will need an atomizer and compressed air supply. The compressed air siphons the diesel and sprays a fine mist and then the blower takes that into the furnace. You can find atomizers on ebay for a decent price.
I have used diesel before but my furnace is not exactly built for it. You will want your 2 inch blower pipe with the atomizer in the center of that and be sure to angle the pipe towards the furnace so that any accumulation of diesel that will inevitably form will go into the furnace and burn. If you do not do this, you will be choked out by diesel smoke that is half combusting. Trust me, that is not fun lol.
Something similar to this is what you are looking for. There are plenty of different types out there, some even with ignitors attached for burning "waste oil".
Most of the diesel burners that I have seen are a bit of a hybrid, using propane to start things and then switching to full diesel once up to heat. I know that Peter Burt uses this method with great success. Diesel is supposed to be much more energy dense and rapidly increases the furnace temps.
To use diesel which I would recommend (staying very far away from waste oil. It has its places for sure but this is not one of them.) you will need an atomizer and compressed air supply. The compressed air siphons the diesel and sprays a fine mist and then the blower takes that into the furnace. You can find atomizers on ebay for a decent price.
I have used diesel before but my furnace is not exactly built for it. You will want your 2 inch blower pipe with the atomizer in the center of that and be sure to angle the pipe towards the furnace so that any accumulation of diesel that will inevitably form will go into the furnace and burn. If you do not do this, you will be choked out by diesel smoke that is half combusting. Trust me, that is not fun lol.
Something similar to this is what you are looking for. There are plenty of different types out there, some even with ignitors attached for burning "waste oil".
Quote from Jerry Martin on June 1, 2026, 3:08 pmYes, I have a Delevan nozzle burner, but I've had a hard time with it because of my poor design. I have the nozzle too close to the inside of the furnace. It kept melting the O-ring and then blowing air back up into the oil tank.
I can't find my pictures, I think because my other computer crashed and burnt up the mother board. I one other place to look. I know I have thousands of pictures saved somewhere. A lot of them are duplicates which makes finding anything more difficult. I used a piece of tail pipe from auto zone about 15" long.
Yes, I have a Delevan nozzle burner, but I've had a hard time with it because of my poor design. I have the nozzle too close to the inside of the furnace. It kept melting the O-ring and then blowing air back up into the oil tank.
I can't find my pictures, I think because my other computer crashed and burnt up the mother board. I one other place to look. I know I have thousands of pictures saved somewhere. A lot of them are duplicates which makes finding anything more difficult. I used a piece of tail pipe from auto zone about 15" long.