In Duan Wenjun's plan to try to improve the smelting process, the blast furnace is the first step.
The blacksmith shop moved from the foot of the mountain to the Qifengya Iron Mine, but actually it didn't bring many things with it.
Because he wanted to try a new process.
However, this time he brought not only blacksmiths, but also masons and carpenters.
This was originally something that everyone didn’t quite understand.
After a few days of operation, everyone understood that there was a lot of knowledge involved.
Blacksmithing requires not only the blacksmith, but also the expertise of other people.
A blast furnace looks simple, but in fact it is not easy to build.
This is the first and most critical step in steelmaking technology.
In particular, in this era there was no steel material for reinforcement and sealing, and it was even more difficult to just use bricks and earth.
Although Duan Wenjun knew some basic steps of steelmaking, he didn't quite understand how to operate it.
Therefore, he could only give a rough idea.
However, when he suggested that the blast furnace needed to be lined with refractory bricks, and the outside should be sealed, reinforced and insulated, one of the masons suddenly had an idea.
Back then, Che Jianyi was the head of a porcelain kiln.
Moreover, his ancestors have been working in porcelain kilns.
When his grandfather was a child, he was an official in the imperial kiln of the former dynasty.
Chen Jianyi is an upright man and not good at communicating.
Therefore, it is easy to offend people on weekdays.
Later, he was framed by a villain and had to leave his hometown, and finally became a bandit on Moon Island.
He originally thought that he would never be able to escape his identity as a bandit in this life.
He even felt that he had no hope on Moon Island, and what he was waiting for was ruin.
However, he did not expect that a piece of recruitment notice would give him hope again.
Especially, he didn't have to be sent to the frontier and stayed in Duanjiapu.
During this period, relying on his craftsmanship, he was able to earn dozens of pennies a day, which he never expected.
When they arrived at Luocao Moon Island, he and his wife had already discussed that they did not want to have any more children.
Otherwise, he would be stigmatized as a bandit from the moment he was born.
But now, he seemed to see hope again.
His wife now works in a perfume shop. I heard that she is highly regarded by the person in charge. She has just been promoted to team leader and can earn more than 30 pence a day.
They had discussed that when things stabilized, they would prepare to have more children.
The boy will learn the skills of a mason from Che Jianyi, and the girl will follow his wife to work in a perfume shop...
When there is hope in life, there will be progress.
Therefore, Che Jianyi, like many bandits on Moon Island, saw hope and worked very hard.
He also knew in his heart that if he hadn't met Duan Wenjun, they would never be where they are today.
Therefore, he must repay the favor.
When he learned that Duan Wenjun wanted to recruit a group of masons to go to the mountains, he signed up directly without asking what they were doing.
What he didn't even expect was that he really came to the right place this time.
Because, his profession not only helped Duan Wenjun, but also helped himself, allowing him to live a better life than he had ever imagined.
When it came to his old profession, Che Jianyi, who had always been reluctant to talk, relaxed.
He began to introduce to Duan Wenjun and everyone around him that the furnaces in the official kilns were much taller and longer than the furnaces used by ordinary blacksmiths.
It is divided into five parts from top to bottom: furnace throat, furnace body, furnace waist, furnace belly and furnace hearth.
Moreover, the requirements and specifications of each part will be very different.
As for the wrapping layer mentioned by Duan Wenjun, the clay near the south slope can be used.
He knows some techniques and knows how to arrange them.
Everyone had not slept for a day and a night, but Che Jianyi had not slept for three days and two nights.
At this moment, with bloodshot eyes, he was staring nervously in the direction of the blast furnace exit.
Although he was very confident in his craftsmanship, this iron smelting was completely different from the previous porcelain kiln.
He was also worried about whether he could succeed.
Seeing the red molten iron slowly flowing out of the iron mouth, everyone couldn't help but hold their breath.
As an old blacksmith with many years of experience, Ma Xinyuan noticed the difference of this molten iron at first sight.
The color of the molten iron is more vivid, which means that there are fewer impurities in the molten iron.
"Lao Ma, how are you?" Duan Wenjun's voice was hoarse and he was the first to break the silence.
Ma Xinyuan didn't say much, just nodded slightly, then patted Zhao Xiaoliu on the shoulder, "Xiao Liuzi, let's start work!"
If you want to know the quality of molten iron after it is made, you must go through a trial to know it.
"Understood, master!" Zhao Xiaoliu nodded, "Masters, let's get to work."
With this voice, everyone started to get busy.
Zhao Xiaoliu led people to introduce the molten iron into the prepared mold, and then quenched it, and bursts of banging sounds began to come from the smelting room.
"Young Master, the impurities in this batch of molten iron are obviously much less than the last time." Ma Xinyuan's face was full of excitement. "The craftsmanship of the car master is really good."
"Master Ma, thank you for the award." Che Jianyi smiled and said, "They are all working for the young master's family, so naturally they have to show their special skills."
"Old car, your ancestral craftsmanship is really amazing. It has solved a big problem of mine!" Duan Wenjun also looked very excited. "It's just a pity that our blast furnace can only be heated with firewood, and the inside is not It can't burn well, it would be great if we could have pulverized coal."
"Pulverized coal?" Che Jianyi was stunned when he heard this, "Young Master, what kind of thing is that?"
Duan Wenjun frowned and didn't know how to answer for a while.
In this world, it seems that I have never heard of it. Who knows about coal?
Seeing Che Jianyi staring at him closely, Duan Wenjun said, "Actually, pulverized coal is coal powder, a black burning stone. If they are used to replace fuel, the temperature of the flame will be higher. In this way, our blast furnace The effect will be better.”
Che Jianyi nodded thoughtfully, and then said, "Master Shao, does the black stone like coal you mentioned turn into yellowish brown or grayish white after being burned?"
"Have you seen it?" Duan Wenjun was overjoyed when he heard this.
If Che Jianyi can help him find coal, it will undoubtedly make many things in Duanjiabao easier with less effort.
Unexpectedly, Che Jianyi shook his head, "I haven't seen this thing when I went back to Shaodong's house. But I have heard something before, maybe it's what Shaodong's family said."
"What's going on?" Duan Wenjun stared at him and asked.
