Iceman35

1 inch blanket topped with 1 inch fire brick. 1 inch blanket on the side walls and 2 inches of blanket on the ceiling. Leaves roughly a 4 inch by 4 inch by 12 inch forge chamber. 265 cubic inch chamber area

Plan Fat50 Ammo Can : 11-3/4" x 6-3/4" x 8-1/4" inside dimensions. 8# 2300 degree Kaowool Ceramic fiber. 1 inch on the sides.  1 inch fire brick and 1 inch Kaowool for the shelf 2 inch Kaowool  on the top. Gives me a  chamber size 265 cubic inches My plan is one single 3/4 inch burner. I don't intend on welding with this forge. Is applying anything other then rigidizer necessary for my intended purpose? Any suggestions you might have would be appreciated.

I have decided on a paint can forge should suit my needs for heat treating the blades I intend on making.  I’m not going to be welding or forging any blades just heat treating blades from a 2 to 6 inches in length.  So I don’t think I will need a hardened forge floor because I’ll just be setting small blades on it or holding or supporting them on a rest.  2 layers of Kaowool insulating blanket all around the inside and back wall with an extra cut to form a flat forge floor. Buttered and “Rigidized” with fumed silica. Then the inside will be coated with either Plistix or Metrikote. That in a nutshell will be the forge hull. I’ll close down the front with a couple of insulated fire bricks if needed. Now my big question is how to get it hot? A  Propane torch?  Maybe use a 3/8^th or a 1/2”  “T” burner, “Z” burner?  Heck maybe something else?  I have a grasp on how to build the burners, but I haven’t a clue on what size orifice to use on burners that size. I have read countless post about burner theory here by the masters and my head is melting.

On 12/10/2019 at 9:35 AM, ThomasPowers said:

So computer controlled, electric elements, inert atmosphere for heat treating the more exotic knife alloys; or a hole in the ground filled with charcoal and a hand operated air mattress pump for air supply.  Both are within your criteria depending on how you personally evaluate "basic".

Basic = cheap and easy Sounds about right! 

I thinking 6" x 15" square tube 1/8th" wall volume =453.75"

2.5" od tube volume= 76. 

net volume 377.15

Kast-O-Lite 3000 19.2 cubic inches per pound

19.643 pound if i did the math right

25lbs just to be safe

3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

You should be able to price the parts list.  (Quite a bit of which I would get at the scrapyard and buy the refractorie(s) at a refractory dealer).  Then I don't know your skill levels/equipment to estimate your time...)

Actually I should be asking how much Kast-O-Lite 3000 it took to fill. I can handle the rest

Oh I so want to make this forge! Any chance you have a total cost of this project?

I'm looking for a small to medium forge for some knife projects I have in mind. Right now I am in need of the basic heat treating type forge to start with.

Hail from Smithville Missouri. Wanting to build a small heat treat forge to start with and learning on the way!