Hi all, and thanks for the welcome! I ended up digging up some more dirt from the yard and pounded it in on top the previous layer. And yes, I made it flush with the rotor. I fired it up yesterday and it all worked like a charm! The only problem is the refractory cement I used has craters in it. That explains the tiny pops and burning bits that kept hitting my arm. I used 3000* cement and had a chicken brooder heat lamp on it on and off with a timer for most of the week. I guess that wasn’t enough. Can I patch it with more cement? Or will it eventually crater itself to nothing?
Having never worked with an electric air source, I couldn’t believe the heat and power coming from the hair dryer on low (cool setting)! I definitely need to upgrade to real tongs because my pliars are all too short.....and not the right shape for holding anything, of course. I have fallen oak trees in the yard and I need to cut one to size for the track anvil I was given so it doesn’t rattle around so much. It has a nice base to strap it down, at least. I also have a block of granite I was given. Hopefully they both last me until I can afford a real anvil.
I don’t have a wide repertoire of things I can make yet, but I make a xxxx good leaf keychain since that’s what I demonstrate most often at the museum. Suggestions for items to practice making would be appreciated. Hooks and bottle openers are on the list. The cross was a pre-cut blank given to my by one of my museum mentors to practice with.
Thanks again!
Bridget
Oh, and I made a round grate with holes in it from 16 gauge sheet metal. It survived, but I made a 2nd if the first burns up.