Overview of Experimental Variables

This large format spread sheet attempts to list all recorded aspects of the smelts conducted by Darrell Markewitz. (This larger format table may prove somewhat difficult to view.)

Experiments undertaken by the DARC team are also numbered.

TYPE* - The descriptions used here are expanded from the standardized types proposed by Coghlans / Cleere / Pleiner. For details go on HERE

REF GROUP LOCATION DATE PERIOD TYPE* CONSTRUCTION HEIGHT   DIAMETER       TUYERE           BLOWER   ORE TYPE                   PREHEAT FUEL SIZE         TIME EXTRACTION BLOOM     SLAG   REFERENCE OBJECTIVES NOTES
              TOTAL ABOVE TUYERE EXTERIOR INTERIOR THICKNESS TAP SIZE TYPE INTERNAL ANGLE from WALL BASE ABOVE DASE   VOLUME   SOURCE Fe2O3 Fe WEIGHT STATE ORE SIZE Si02 MnO Al2O3     WEIGHT average RATE TYPE SOURCE main sequence     CONDITION YIELD   AMOUNT      
              cm cm cm cm cm cm   cm degrees cm   cm   litre/min     % % kg   mm % % % hr / min cm kg min / charge     hr / min   kg   %   kg      
1 Parks Canada L'Anse aux Meadows NL Jun-01 Viking Age boxed bowl stone slabs , clay seal 50 42   35 x 30 NA none steel pipe 2.5 upwards 3 none 5 double bag 130 bog ore L'Anse aux Meadows 89.5 62.7 1.5 roasted 5 x / natural 1.2 5.3 2.5 0:30 as bagged 8 slug oak / hickory Royal Oak about 2 hours disassembled 0.1 cast iron prills n/a poor .48 ? B Wallace, A Espelund primary experiment on forms suggested by LAM restricted by materials and equipment
2 / D1 DARC Wareham ON Jun-02 Viking Age boxed bowl stone slabs , clay seal 40     45 x 40 NA none steel pipe 2.5 slightly up   none ? Norse double bag 100 bog ore, forge scale St Lunaire 93.8 65.7 2.9 roasted 5 x / natural 3.9 0.9   1:25 to 2.5 22 slug oak / hickory Royal Oak about 8 hours after cold none partially sintered n/a poor 4.3 B Wallace, A Espelund repeat #1 with shop support development of post smelt measurements
3 / D2 DARC Wareham ON Jun-03 Romano British medium shaft cob, refactory lined 90 55 35 27 to 24 5 15 x 20 steel pipe 2.5 flat 5 none 20 ? vacumn blower NR rock ore Virginia   55 - 60 8.1 roasted 1 to 5         .5 - 2.5 50   oak / hickory Royal Oak 4:30 dissassembled none sintered mass n/a good 5 plus ? after Sauder & Williams application of learned techniques burn out at about 3/4 of reaction haults
4 / D3 DARC Wareham ON Jun-04 Dark Ages boxed short shaft cobb inside stone slabs 55 50 45 25 10 + none steel pipe 2.5 15 down 5 none 2 Norse / hand crank 130 max rock ore Virginia   55 - 60 7 roasted 1 to 5         .5 - 2.5 19   oak / hickory Royal Oak 6 disassembled none vapourized n/a sluggish   after P. Crew establish standard smelter too wet walls slump for poor tuyere placement
5 Early Iron 1 Cooperstown NY Oct - O4 Dark Ages short shaft cobb partially banked 60 46 70 33 to 30 8 varies none steel pipe 2.5 15 down 3 charocal fines 14 Norse double bag 130 rock ore Virginia   55 - 60 8 roasted 1 to 5       2:15 .5 - 2.5 20 E 15 E mixed hardwood home made 5:45 top none pre bloom mass' n/a no tapping     application of historic methods iron starting to condense in sliced sections
6 / D4 DARC Wareham ON Oct-07 test Econo Norse brick inisde stone 68 45 55 35 7.5 + none steel pipe 2.5 20 down 5 none 23 vacumn blower 550 rock ore Virginia   55 - 60 8 roasted 1 to 5         .5 - 2.5 22 E 10 E oak / Hickory Royal Oak 4 top 2 cast iron 25 no tapping   group design develop easy to build test furnace prototype teaching furnace.
7 Smeltfest 1 Lexington VA Feb-05 test Econo Norse brick inside sheet 60 40 50 25 7.5 + 10 x 15 forged copper 2.5 20 down 5 charcoal fines 18 vacumn blower 815 rock ore Virginia   55 - 60 35 roasted 1 to 5       1:15 .5 - 2.5 85 8 E mixed hardwood home made 7 dissassembled 6.5 soft iron 17 good   teaching model refine test / teaching furnace use of forged copper tuyere
8 Smeltfest 1 Lexington VA Feb-05 test Econo Norse brick inside sheet 60 40 50 25 7.5 + 10 x 15 forged copper 2.5 20 down 5 charcoal fines 18 vacumn blower 815 rock ore Virginia   55 - 60 28 roasted 1 to 5       1:05 .5 - .25 85   mixed hardwood home made 7 dissassembled 7.5 not tested 27 considerable   teaching model refine test / teaching furnace dupilcate of above
9 OABA Wareham ON May-05 test Econo Norse brick inside sheet 60 40 50 25 7.5 + 10 x 15 E steel pipe 2.5 20 down 5 charcoal fines 20 various inconsistant taconite Stelco   65.0 21.3 roasted 1 to 5 4.9 0.2 0.2 :45 .5 - 2.5 67 11 oak / hicory Royal Oak 7:30 dissassembled 9.5 E workable iron 45 E excessive   demonstration introduce method to Ontario Blacksmiths ash / sawdust packing produces much slag
10 / D5 DARC demo Wareham ON Jun-05 Viking Age boxed short shaft cobb inside stone slabs 60 46 40 25 7.5 10 x 15 steel pipe 2.5 20 down 5 charcoal fines 16 Ubber Bellows * 600 E taconite Stelco   65.0 10.9 roasted 1 to 5 4.9 0.2 0.2 1:00 .5 - 2.5 38 12 * oak / hicory Royal Oak 5:30 top 3 E workable iron 28 E good   Viking Age demonstration develop VA demonstration methods switch to blower at 2:30 @ 815 LpM
11 / D6 DARC demo Annapolis Royal NS Sep-05 Viking Age boxed short shaft cobb inside stone slabs 60 46 40 25 7.5 10 x 15 E steel pipe 2.5 20 down 5 charcoal fines 15 Ubber Bellows * 600 E taconite Stelco   65.0 10.9 roasted 1 to 5 4.9 0.2 0.2 1:20 .5 - 2.5 47 9 * oak / hickory Royal Oak 9 top 2 EE cast iron 20 E limited   Viking Age demonstration CANIRON 4 - historic demonstration switch to blower at 6:40 (no volume)
12 Early Iron 2 Cooperstown NY Oct-05 test Flue Tyle reinforced tile 60 40 30 x 30 25 x 25 2.5 10 x 15 E forged copper 2.5 20 down 5 charcoal fines   electric blower < 1000 rock ore Virginia   55 - 60 16 * roasted 1 to 5         .5 - 2.5 50 + *   oak rail ties Cowboy 7:30 bottom 3.4 * workable iron *   good   teaching teaching second 'Rescue' bloom only
13/ D7 DARC Wareham ON Nov-05 Dark Ages boxed short shaft cobb inside stone slabs 60 42 40 25 7.5 10 x 15 ceramic tube 2.6 22.5 down 5 charoal fines 16 vacumn blower 600 E taconite / rock ore Selco / Virginia   60 E   roasted 1 to 5       :45 .5 - 2.5 80 7 oak / hicory Royal Oak 6:15 top 4.3 workable iron 22 considerable silca   established design establish repeatable methods  
14 Black Rock Traverse City MN Feb-06 test Econo Norse brick inside sheet 60 40 50 25 7.5 + 15 x 10 ceramic tube 2.6 22.5 down 5 charcoal fines   vacumn blower 800 E taconite Michigan       roasted 1 to 5       :50 .5 - 2.5 107 10 oak / hicory   7:30 dissassemble 13.5 workable iron 45 good   demonstration teaching  
15 Dick Sargent Lexington VA Mar-06 Dark Ages medium shaft cobb on plinth 85 60 40 30 to 40 5 to 9 12 x 18 ceramic tube 2.6 22 down 6 charcoal fines 19 vacumn blower 970 hematite Opta Minerals 98 69 45.5   1 1     :45 .5 - 2.5 86 7 mixed hardwood home made 7:30 bottom 21.8 lacey mid carbon 48 good   development use of hematite, modifications to furnace flask shaped with use of hematite
16 Dick Sargent Lexington VA Mar-06 Dark Ages short shaft cobb on plinth 60 40 35 28 to 40 6 to 9 12 x 18 ceramic tube 2.6 22 down 5 charcoal fines 14 vacumn blower 970 hematite Opta Minerals 98 69 45.5   1 1     :45 .5 - 2.5 68 7 mixed hardwood home made 4:00 bottom 20 lacey mid carbon 44 a bit dry   development repeat above re-use of smelter # 15
17/ D8 DARC Wareham ON Jun-06 Dark Ages half banked short shaft clay cobb 65 45 38 23 7.5 13 x 20 ceramic tube 2.6 22.5 down 5 charcoal fines 7 vacumn blower 1060 rock ore Virginia (D & V)   ? 18 roasted 1 to 5       1:10 .5 - 2.5 87 9 oak / hicory Royal Oak 8:10 top 1.5 + 1.3 cast iron 15 good   development use of half banked furnace construction all coverted to cast iron or high iron slag
18 / D9 DARC Bonfield ON Sep-06 Viking Age boxed short shaft cobb inside stone slabs 60 35 E 40 E 15 x 19 7.5 E 10 X 15 E ceramic tube 2.6 20 down E 5 E charocal fines   Ubber Bellows 600 E         10.5 roasted 1 to 5       2:10 .5 - 2.5 57 20 oak / hicory Royal Oak 6:10 top   cast iron ?   good   L'Anse aux Meadows layout based on LAM - use of Ubber Bellows problems with bellows design and labour
19 Early Iron 3 Peters Valley NJ Oct-06 Dark Ages short shaft clay cobb 66 50 30 20 5 11 x 20 ceramic tube 2.6 22.5 down 5 charcoal fines 13 vacumn blower 700 red ochre Minden     8.8   small to dust       :35 .5 - 2.5 36 15 tropical   4:00 dissassemble 0.7 nodules cast iron 8 good   established design test of ore body assumed low iron content demonstrated
20 Dick Sargent Peters Valley NJ Oct-06 test Flue Tyle reinforced tile 60 40 30 x 30 25 x 25 2.5 10 x 15 E forged copper 2.5 20 down E 5 E charcoal fines 15 E electric blower < 1000 E rock ore Virginia   55 - 60 45.5 roasted 1 to 5       :35 .5 - 2.5 60 9 tropical   5 bottom NR workable iron   good   established design none specifically 1.9 kg reproduction VA anvil from portion.
21 / D10 DARC Wareham ON Nov-06 Dark Age half banked short shaft clay cobb 60 + 30 75 50 23 7.5 13 x 20 ceramic tube 2.6 22.5 down 5 ash & charcoal 10 vacumn blower 1060 rock ore Virginia   55 - 60 23.5 roasted 1 to 5       1 .5 - 2.5 33 6 oak / hicory Royal Oak 2:40 top none iron rich slag only   good   established design none specifically 3rd reuse of furnace - why this result?
22   Wareham ON Nov-06 Dark Ages half banked short shaft clay cobb 60 + 30 75 50 23 7.5 13 x 20 ceramic tube 2.6 22.5 down 5 ash & charcoal 10 vacumn blower 1060 rock ore / gauge Virginia / # 21   55-60 8.8 / 10 roasted 1 to 5 / walnut       :45 .5 - 2.5 49 7 oak / hickory Black Diamond 3:20 top 7.5 workable iron 40 + good   established design Reserection' for # 21  
23 Mikaff & Paddon Wareham ON 1-Jun test Econo Norse brick inside sheet 60 40 50 25 7.5 + 15 x 10 ceramic tube 2.6 22.5 down 5 charcoal fines 15 E vacumn blower 800 hematite Opta Minerals 98 69 22.3   1 1     1:05 .5 - 2.5 63.5 8 oak / hickory Black Diamond 4 dissassemble 12.7 workable mid carbon 57 good   established design course excellent student results
24 / D11 DARC Wareham ON Jun-07 Dark Ages half banked short shaft clay cobb 60 + 30 75 40 23 7.5 13 x 20 ceramic tube 2.6 15 down 5 charcoal fines 14 vacumn blower 900 rock ore Virginia ( D & V)   ? 20 roasted 1 to 5       :45 .5 - 2.5 56 9 oak / hickory Royal Oak 5 top 0.9 workable iron 0.4 good   established design hot swap' doouble smelt 4th use / expected low return from poor ore
25 / D12 DARC Wareham ON Jun-07 Dark Ages half banked short shaft clay cobb 60 + 30 75 40 23 7.5 13 x 20 ceramic tube 2.6 15 down ? hot slag bowl ? vascumn blower 900 rock ore / hematite Virginia (D & V)   ? 23.9 roasted 1 to 5 / 1       none .5 to 2.5 42 9 oak / hicory Royal Oak 3:15 top 3.1 workable iron 14 excessive silica   established design hot swap' double smelt 5th use / expected improvement mixed ore
26 Neil Peterson Wareham ON Oct-07 Dark Ages half banked short shaft clay, stone slab front 65 * 55 40 23 x 27 7.5 + 15 x 30 ceramic tube 2.6 22.5 down flush ash & charcoal 10 ? vacumn blower 800 * taconite Stelco   65 12.3 roasted 1 to 2.5       1:05 .5 - 2.5 54 8 oak / hickory Black Diamond 4 top 6 workable iron 49 good   L'Anse aux Meadows use of stone slab above tuyere intial use of low air, increased half way
27 / D13 DARC Wareham ON Oct-07 Dark Ages half banked short shaft stone with clay seal 70 45 46 35 x 25 5 to 10 20 x 20 ceramic tube 2.6 26 down flush charcoal fines 18 vacumn blower 430 hematite Opta Minerals   69 12   1 1     1:10 .5 - 2.5 34 21 oak / hickory Royal Oak 4:50 bottom 1 poorly sintered 8 mininal 3.5 L'Anse aux Meadows all stone slab - low air 1.8 kg unsintered + 2.3 kg gromps = 4.1 kg
28 Martin Group Wareham ON Nov-07 Dark Ages short shaft clay cobb 72 50 40 25 6 to 8 15 x 20 ceramic tube 2.6 22.5 down 5 charcoal fines 10 vacumn blower 770 taconite Stelco   65.0 18.2 roasted 1 to 5 4.9 0.2 0.2 2 .5 - 2.5 60   oak / hickory Black Diamond 4 top 5.5 workable iron 30 good 9 established design course excellent student results

Last Updated on 12/22/07
By Darrell Markewitz
Email: smelt@warehamforge.ca