(M)

Im in your same situation, im gonna just experiment for the flare and we'll see!

I'm not cutting the tank or casting a flat bottom, i want a mostly round chamber with a small flat floor.  I figure i might do a clamshell or something when i re-line it next.  I am going to make a flat kaowool flooor inside the round profile shown, providing the full 2" of kaowool for the floor, protecting thr concrete from any heat.  I figured it didnt really matter what i used for the spacer considering it is fully insulated like the rest of the tank.  I would use kaowool but i'm afraid i wont have enough to close off the one end and make an insulated door.  

Should i just do a small casting with the mizzou i have?? The issue here is that it needs to be like a circumference not like a chord if you get what i mean.  I still want a round chamber.  Maybe i should just buy some more kaowool and have 3" of insulation on the bottom... 

Snakes are Definitely one of the next things i'm trying: those cobra's are really nice!

I have my shell-propane tank, i'm going to cut it down to 8" and weld the rounded ends back on.  I dry-fitted the kaowool as shown.  That is a split concrete brick and a steel pipe as spacers.  Im gonna add a flat floor make of kaowool to the inside layer so that will make up the extra insulation.  

That snake from a few pages back is amazing!! I'm definitely attempting that.  A snake like that would be a great wine rack, if the snake was coiled around the bottle.  

I know that i want to use it for making knives, machetes, decorative hooks, decorative mini-leaves, hardy tools, and hammers.  Probably damascus at some point.  

I guess the main thing i was asking is would a forge that size and shape with ~150 cubic inch volume work with a 3/4" burner?  Or do i need a smaller burner or bigger forge? A forge like that can heat up basically whatever fits inside(within reason) right?

But would a forge that small still function? 

Could i go as short as 6"?

Ok thanks!  There shouldnt be any problems with the shorter length right? 

I have a welder and i can use it to weld the round section back on, would that provide all the same benefits? 

You should b able to make yourself a great and efficient forge for <$200, and have materials left over to boot.  Don't just wing it though, you'll waste money.  Check out forges 101 and Wayne Coe's website.  Best of luck!!

Thanks Wayne, i have looked at that, and my design is slightly different than the one you describe (but i have taken quite a bit from what you say) , i guess what i'm asking is "whats the point of having a 12" forge if a 8" forge will do the job just fine with less fuel needed?"

I have a 20lb propane tank (12" diameter) that i want to make a forge out of.  I have a 3/4" tee burner.  I have a sufficient amount of kaowool and refractories to make a half round design with a flat floor.  i know only about 5-6" of material needs to be heated at any time.  I was thinking about 8" long, leaving me with about 230" cubic.  I will position the burner tangential to the wall so it induces a vortex.  Is 8" too short? Too long? Will that cause too much back pressure? 

Thanks in advance. 

Just out of curiosity, in the king of random's video, it almost looks like a single envelope flame, and sustaining a flame up to 55psi seems impressive to my limited knowledge, Mike, can you explain it's problems?  

Marks supply, or any dedicated plumbing store should do it also

Tested it, still failed miserably, so i bought a regulator, still failed, but less miserably.  Was using a coupler for the flare, tried a 3/4" reducer and rested a 1 1/2 pipe nipple on it and got it to finally hold a flame.  It still wants to either burn in the tube or blow itself out.  Is this critical? Or can i just use it in the forge and see how it goes?  Im planning on trying a 1" gas pipe for a flare next, maybe forge it to make it more flarey

got mine online for about 2$ a pound, a 100 ish pounder.  it has chips the size of highliters out of the sides, almost no usable face left.  i plan to weld and repair it with some medium carbon steel rods

I volunteer blacksmith at a historical villiage, and a kid walked into the shop, and said "there should be a crafting table"  

What has this world come to?

maybe cut them in half?

nice job!  looks quite good! may i suggest a twist or two on your next one? did you beeswax it?

Got the part, testing it in a few hours.  

3 hours ago, Frosty said:

 

The MSDS for ceramic blanket lists the breathing hazard only occurring with heavy and repeated exposure. It's not intended as a flame contact refractory so vitrified little spears don't happen when used as designed. WE don't use things as intended, our forges typically get hot enough to vitrify the high temp blankets so the breathing hazard is higher in a propane forge. The breathing hazard from off the roll ceramic blanket may not be something to freak out about but it's EASY to take precautions even if nor really necessary. 

Your main concern was for the kiln wash.

Again, we aren't using these things the same way a factory would. If you're patching or rebuilding a furnace that gets charged with rail road gondola cars, 4" thick is pretty minimal. A guy who maintains an industrial furnace works in a different world, it'd be like asking the A&P specialist who works on F 18s how to tune a Cooper Mini. They may both burn fuel and get hot in places but they live and operate in different worlds.

 

Thanks this explains alot.  

3 hours ago, Frosty said:

You can buy small quantities  of forge building supplies from Wayne Coe so you don't end up with 40 lbs. left over from a 50 lb. bag.  He also has proven forge plans posted on his site.

I dont mind the extra, i can make crucibles and share it with my local smiths.  

As for puns and jokes, my best one is:

What do you get when you cross a rhetorical question with a joke?

Think about it....

Thanks irondragon, i just had a look and i think i learned most of those things the hard way by asking stupid questions.  I hope i have gotten better.  

Lol i did read some of the labels, however home forge applications are typically quite unique require experiential knowledge of which i have none (and all y'all do).  I didnt want to go hunting around for obscure info-the place where i got this stuff doesnt even have a website.  didnt think much about the MSDS, but the MSDS for kaowool doesnt say anything about it's fibres being distributed in air when fired in a forge.  I learned that from you guys, and im thankful for that so i didnt kill myself.   

 In this thread, https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/6614-high-alumina-refractorycement/

you discuss putting sawdust (others reccomend styrofoam) in clay to make a makeshift refractory.  I had heard of doing that in other places too. Thats where i got that idea. Can u explain a tad more whats wrong with it in this application?  

With the rigidizer, i knew what the label said, just asking for personal experience/any tidbits of advice

The guy i talked (through my dad, i did not go personally) to is a professional refractory worker, he builds crucibles, furnaces etc, not just an over the counter guy (he made the crucibles for the gold supplier of the Canadian mint).   Thats what shocked me, it went against everything i learned here.  

And making a flat floor is a great idea, didnt even think about that one.  That is perfect.  I was thinking all kinds of wierd ideas.  

I DO have a method to my madness, i DO appeciate all your help, even if it is a bit curmugeomly . 

And yeah i admit i was a bit lazy with the first question, but again, heat applications are unique

My high school has several metalwork classes, from welding to milling and turning on the lathe.  Love it