Hopefully this doesn't interrupt all of the Coronavirus fuelled conspiracy threads happening elsewhere on the site but I came across a video that explains how 17th and 18th century blast furnaces worked. It's from a show in the UK called Time Team, where a team of archaeologists have three days to dig, research, and explain various historic sites. It's actually one of my favorite shows.
The furnace here would have been very similar to the ones in the Pine Barrens. The video also goes into the various earthworks required to channel water to a water wheel, the mechanism of the wheel powering the bellows, casting cannonballs, and making charcoal.
So if you've ever wondered how the bog iron furnaces worked, here's your video.
If you have Amazon Prime you can watch it in much better quality here.
The furnace here would have been very similar to the ones in the Pine Barrens. The video also goes into the various earthworks required to channel water to a water wheel, the mechanism of the wheel powering the bellows, casting cannonballs, and making charcoal.
So if you've ever wondered how the bog iron furnaces worked, here's your video.
If you have Amazon Prime you can watch it in much better quality here.
