Hot take: I gave up on a clutch furnace and went back to a side blast for small jobs.

Everyone says a clutch furnace is the way to go for even heat, but I found it complicated things for my outdoor setup in Lancaster County. With a simple side blast, I can control the fire better for things like hooks and small brackets under a quarter inch thick. Does anyone else stick with older methods for certain projects, or am I just stubborn?

2 comments

2 Comments

allen.amy19d ago

Wait, you're in Lancaster County and you ditched a clutch furnace for a side blast? That honestly blows my mind a little. I mean, I get it for small stuff like hooks and quarter inch brackets, but I always thought the whole point of a clutch was to handle different thicknesses without fighting the fire all day. Maybe it's just me, but I tried a side blast once for some gate hardware in the rain and I couldn't get the heat to stay even to save my life. The wind kept messing with the airflow and I ended up with a batch of half melted scrap. So hearing you say you control it better for outdoor work is wild to me. I must be doing something wrong because I feel like I'd just end up cursing at the thing. Not saying you're stubborn though, maybe I'm the one who's missing the trick here.

wren30719d ago

You ever notice how we're always told there's a "right way" to do stuff, but then you go and find the thing that actually works for your weird setup? I think that's the deal with side blasts vs. clutches, it's like choosing between a sedan and a pickup truck for your daily drive. Most people swear by the clutch for variety, but if your weather's always messing with you, sometimes the simpler rig is just less to fight with.