So I have an idea for a forge.
I have a 400,000 BTU natural gas heater for my pool that had the heat exchange develop a leak. I rarely use it so it is not worth fixing it.
It has a ¾ inch natural gas supply and the heat ex changer is stainless steel. It has a blower unit for the flame, and there is a “flame tube” in the assembly drawing. (item 11),
I am thinking of making it into a forge.
Take the front plastic panel off, but keep the rest to keep it weather tight. I will make the front panel so I can take it off to use the forge, but drop it back in to keep it weather tight.
Take out the heat exchanger and use the opening for the door.
I have some fire brick to use for a door.
I have a Kilm shelf that I can use for the floor and top (just because I have and and do not want to spend money unless it works)
I have extra light fire brick that I got from a kilm manufacturer when I was there for a class on kilm repair that can use for the walls
I will keep the existing exhaust setup. (it is already balanced to the blower)
I might replace the flame tube with a ribon burner. (item 11 in the parts break down below) But for the first firing I can use the existing flame tube.
I will keep the existing controls including the self igniter, and gas control valve. I will just put the thermo couple that normally measures the water heat in the air (or a glass of cool water) and I can use the control to turn the burner on and off. I could try to rewire it to a switch, but the existing controls already turn on the ignitor and have the safety interlocks built in, so it is pretty easy to reuse them.
I will build a stand to move it up to a comfortable level. I may reuse the outside cabinet, just to keep it weather tight,. (since I do not have a shed built yet)
In reality it will be a year before I get around to it, it is already 100F here in Texas, to hot to get a forge going right now. And I have other projects to get done first.
A basic newbe question.
If I want to replace the flame tube with a ribbon burner, I assume I need to keep the area of the holes for the ribbons equale to the area of the existing tube so the blower and flame front are balanced. Is that correct? Any other pointers for the ribbon burner design? I have not taken it apart yet but from the general size of things, I assume that the flame tube is about 4 inches in diameter.
The outside housing (which is stainless steel) is about 24 inches in diameter. (rough guess. I did not measure it)
Am I wasting my time on this, or does it have possibilities? .