alexscg

Thank you Maxwell and Frosty! Reading through Forges 101 I remembered that I've neglected to ask about the rigidizer. Seems like colloidal silica and water (and food coloring) will do the trick. From what I am reading the method is generous spot application with a spray and spot hardening with a torch, working your way all around. Do the first layer then do the second layer in the same fashion. What is the right ration of silica to water for this type of application? Also I read that ITC-100 is more of an IR absorb-and-release kind of a thing and becomes diamond-hard after curing, and Plistix is more of an IR reflector. Wouldn't it be better put a coat of Plastix on top of rigidized inswool and then a 1/4" layer of ITC-100 ? This would sort of trap the heat in the ITC-100 layer and allow it to get hotter quicker. Silly thought, if I won't have enough of ITC-100 to coat everything, would mixing it with Satanite be a good/bad idea? I am not certain of the exact composition for both so don't know if they will play nice together at all temperatures. Another question on flooring. I already have some firebricks (the common Rutland 1-1/4")... If I glaze a firebrick with borax and MAPP gas (as I know some do for small couples for gold melting) would that be a good idea or just a waste of time? Thanks!

Hi everyone, did a lot of reading on this forum, first post. I am building a gas "forge" out of a 6 gal steel pail and decided to go with 2x 1" inswool insulation. Now I am considering refractory layers and a rigidizer. I have Satanite, Plistix 600F and ITC-100H. The order I am thinking of going with is (starting from outside to inside): Steel wall, 1/8" satanite, 1" inswool, 1/8" ITC-100H, 1" inswool, 1/8" Plistix 600F. "Buttering" each application. Looking for advice on better order, replacement of materials, etc., and reasons why. Also have a question on whether I should spray paint the inside of the steel walls (before applying anything) with heat resistant paint (Rust-Oleum 248903). The reason I am thinking it would be a good idea is because I want to prevent any kind of rusting, especially given that the first application of satanite would bring water in contact with the steel surface. I am planning to melt aluminum, brass, maybe silver and at most copper so I am not planning on having anything over 1100 C in the crucible. Thanks in advance!