Summary of Primitive Technology: Smelting Iron In Brick Furnaces

00:00:00 - 00:10:00

This Primitive Technology video discusses how to smelt iron using a brick furnace. The process begins by pre-heating the furnace, filling it with charcoal, and adding iron bacteria. The furnace is then powered by a centrifugal blower for about 5-7 minutes, and carbon monoxide starts to burn above the furnace in a violet tinged flame, signifying the reducing atmosphere inside the fuel bed. The process is repeated with additional charges of ore until the desired amount of iron is produced. The furnace is then extinguished and the result extracted.

• 00:00:00 In this Primitive Technology video, a clay pot is filled with iron bacteria, which over time seeps out and creates clear water on top. The water is then bailed out and the iron bacteria is concentrated, leached, and dried. Powdered ore is then mixed with charcoal and heated until it melts. The molten iron is then poured into the tuyere of a furnace, where it is turned into iron ore balls. Three layers of bricks are then put on top of the furnace to form a smelting furnace. The furnace is then plastered with mud to prevent the gas emitted from the ore from escaping. The furnace is then left to smelt the iron ore.
• 00:05:00 The video discusses how to smelt iron using a brick furnace. The process begins by pre-heating the furnace, filling it with charcoal, and adding iron bacteria. The furnace is then powered by a centrifugal blower for about 5-7 minutes, and carbon monoxide starts to burn above the furnace in a violet tinged flame, signifying the reducing atmosphere inside the fuel bed. The process is repeated with additional charges of ore until the desired amount of iron is produced. The furnace is then extinguished and the result extracted.
• 00:10:00 The author tries a circular brick furnace and finds that it yields more iron than a square furnace. He also finds that smaller pieces are produced with the circular furnace.