Diagnosing uneven forge heat across the firepot

[Alan]

As you’re hammering, you may notice that one side of the firepot feels hotter than the other. Let’s share some useful tips, tricks, and practical checks to help you spot any airflow issues, fuel inconsistencies, and adjustments needed to achieve a consistent heat across the firepot.

 

[WeldandTell]

While I was hammering out some brackets one side of my firepot just wouldn't cooperate.
A quick rearrangement of the coals and a minor air adjustment did the trick, bringing the heat into balance.
You can't beat even heat it makes the whole hammering process so much easier

 

[anvilabuser]

When I was working on a small batch of knives, I noticed the heat wasn’t consistent. It turned out that a partially blocked tuyere was causing one side of the fire to starve. After clearing it out and tweaking the airflow, both sides started to heat evenly. It’s amazing how little changes can make such a big impact.

 

[Sparksmith]

Last week, while I was making some leaf springs, I ran into an issue where the left side of the firepot was way too hot, and the right side just wouldn’t warm up. A couple of adjustments to the air and some fuel shifting solved the problem.