MikeTheMike

On 12/28/2018 at 6:50 PM, timgunn1962 said:

The Amal injectors are not complete burners: just the clever bit that is really hard to do in the average home shop.

Hi - AMAL are out of stock of the Butane burners... Do you think the Propane ones are okay to use? They've been out of stock of the Butane ones for a while I think!

28 minutes ago, timgunn1962 said:

First question: what are the gas jets in your current burners? Are they drilled holes, or can you swap them for smaller ones (many burner designs use MIG welder tips as gas jets)?

Second question: Where in the UK are you? It's not very likely, admittedly, but there may be someone fairly local who can help get your current burners running better. 

In my fairly limited experience, the mistake most folk seem to make is to put in too big a gas jet. This gives an excessively rich mixture and a low flame temperature in the forge. If that is what you are seeing, there will probably be a LOT of dragons breath. Run the forge in the dark and see how it looks. If it's easy to change jets in your current burners, a weekend of playing around with jet sizes will probably see you right. 

If you need to buy new burners, I would recommend using Long Venturi Amal Atmospheric Injectors from Burlen dot co dot uk. Ideally, you want the ones jetted for Butane because they give a leaner mixture and higher flame temperature on Propane without secondary air. The Butane ones are all currently out of stock. The only difference between the ones for different gases is the jet size. If you are in a hurry, some of the Propane and NG Long Venturi injectors are still showing in stock, so buying one or more of these with the extra jet(s) for Butane may be a quick option.

I'd guess those are currently 1" burners you have, but it's not easy to tell. I think you'll want 3 injectors sized to suit the present pipe.

There is not a lot of point in recommending any other burner over here, IMO/E. However, I am just some guy on the internet. Do some research online. If you can get to speak to a smith who has tried them, to get a less partisan opinion than mine, I'd strongly suggest you do so.

If those are 3 off 1" burners, it's certainly worth checking out the regulator and cylinder to make sure you are not running up against the maximum rate at which gas can be supplied. What size is your cylinder? What is your regulator?

I've had enough trouble with cheap regulators that I only ever use plugged Propane welding regulators now. At 20-30 quid delivered, new, off ebay, they have enough capacity for most realistic forges, are rugged, are finely adjustable by gloved hands and have the pressure setting scale marked on the body. Admittedly the scale is not particularly accurate, but it's not far off the accuracy of the cheap gauges you find on many regulators and is plenty good enough for me. To be honest, I'm not usually a fan of gauges, largely because they are so fragile. If you must use one, the cheapest thing I've found to work well and reliably is a Glycerine-filled gauge. Expect to pay around a tenner for a 0-4 bar, 0-60 PSI, 2 1/2" one with either bottom or centre-back 1/4" BSP male connection.

First question: what are the gas jets in your current burners? Are they drilled holes, or can you swap them for smaller ones (many burner designs use MIG welder tips as gas jets)? - Yup mig tips, will check the size.

Second question: Where in the UK are you? It's not very likely, admittedly, but there may be someone fairly local who can help get your current burners running better. Newport, Wales - just over the bridge from Bristol

Amal - I am looking at these actually as you're the 3rd person to recommend them!

Attaching a pic of my reg - What do you think? Should I get a better one? When you say welding ones, do you mean mig/argon

3 minutes ago, Frazer said:

I don't know much about burners/gas forges so I'll leave those recommendations for those qualified to make them.

That forge looks pretty big. Have you tried reducing the volume inside by adding some IFBs to the bottom? That might help and would be a relatively fast, inexpensive option.

I'd get some input on the burners before you buy anything though.

Good point! I made it a bit bigger than the last forge as I sometimes work with larger pieces that wouldn't fit on the old forge - fire bricks when working normal size stock is a good idea! Will do that.

I'm looking for gas burners available in the UK (need in a hurry!).

Anyone have recommendations? Adding a pic of the forge. Current burners Not getting up to welding temp (even with doors partly closed).

They are from a forge I bought on ebay, but that forge wouldn't get to weld temp either... and now on new forge, still won't.

Any recommendations would be great! 

Cheers in advance.

I am building a forge at the moment (box shape, not round), and have a question relating to this...

- I have ceramic wool

- I have castable refractory (Vitcas 1700 deg C)

- I have some wash to go over the top

HOWEVER I DON'T HAVE RIGIDISER!

Could I just line the forge with the wool (hoping friction will hold it in place!) and then coat with the castable? Or line the bottom & sides of the forge with wool and then coat with castable, wait for it to dry some, before turning upside down to line the top part of the forge?

Cheers

Yup! I love the idea of hand tools and no need for power etc, but tbh now I've had a few goes on my shiny 2x72... I won't look back Though quite an investment so hoping it lasts a good few years! Should do I think, seems well built.

Looking forward to shifting steel much faster now! Just need to finish the rebuild of my gas forge (awaiting on some new ceramic wool & refractory... it's shipped but still waiting) so I can heat treat... as otherwise I think if I grind the blades too thin b4 HT, then they'll likely warp during HT (chefs)

Cheers

I bought an 84 engineering one from multitoolproducts-com. They were really helpful with advice and that's part of the reason I went with them, but also they could ship & get it to me in a few days, some of the other places in UK wanted 2weeks to 6 weeks to deliver, and I kinda needed one asap to make some Christmas presents for folks!

Amazed how much it shifts metal compared to the old 1x30! really impressed, easy to change belts (old 1x30 had to unscrew the guard) with a gas ram tensioner, and has a VFD for variable speeds - Oh, and rotates between vertical and on it's side. Love it!

 

I did the same, then I thought maybe asking on a forum where people had perhaps used some models in the UK, well, thought folks might share their experiences - As I prefer people's experience to that of website's sales copy

If that sort of thing isn't welcome here, fair enough!  Hope I didn't cause offence with the question! I found a decent one in the end  Really happy with it (SOooo much better than my 1x30!)

My little 1x30 belt grinder has decided I'm working it too hard, so... any recommendations for good knife grinders (2x72 belt grinders ideally), but available in the UK with fast-ish shipping?

Looking for something quite high-end really, that'll last a good few years.

Thanks guys

Thanks! Sorry to ask... What is a bubble refractory?

Ah fair enough about links! Tho if I owned Vitcas... hahaha, I'd be quite happy

Anyway - Product for the refactory 'Refractory Castable Grade 1700'

Zircon Paint... that has me confused, so would that go on TOP of the refractory? There's quite a few types... Can't ask you to link to the most appropriate one, hmmm the castable one? (Zircon Coil Plaster Castable) or (VITCAS Zircon Paint Coating) or (Zircon Rapid (5kg+Liquid) ? Sorry to be a pain! Just don't want to buy the wrong thing lol.

Yer... The refractory isn't alumina tho - or it doesn't say so. Is that an issue? 

Hey! Frosty Cheers for the detailed reply! A huge help

Would this be better? Remove commercial link  It looks like it would?

Also, with the blanket, you mention the 2600f - this is 1430c / 2600f, think that would work okay? Remove commercial link.

Fibreboard, I'm not used to... never used it, would that be used instead of blanket? Would you still coat it with the castable refractory?

I'm thinking about the blanket and the 1700c (3092f) refractory. The forge is rectangular one, so thinking just the blanket and coating would be ok, keeping it nice and flat.

Sound okay?

IDFCW Oooooh! Removable floor!!! Hmmm, is that like a fibre board? Wondering if it'd prolong the life of the blanket that'd be coating in the cement? Would that work?

Looking for firebricks for the floor of a gas forge. The forge doesn't have much height, and as I'm putting in blanket and refractory cement, so there'll be even less height.

Am in the UK.

So, firebricks shouldn't be too thick, maybe like 20mm? 

Any recommended ones that don't crumble after 3 or 4 heats?!

OR, if I have used blanket & refractory, do I need firebricks on the floor? - I've not used refractory cement before so need advise! (more used to coke forges, just getting in to gas forges).

Looking at the blanket & refractory cement below... Will be doing mixed forging, variety of things but to include forge welding at times.

Remove commercial links per TOS.

Thoughts on firebricks, if they are needed, and/or if the above 2 products are decent? (Do I need a rigidizer too or can I get away with the refractory straight onto the blanket?).