Cat litter

[CRAFTBENDER]

I want to buy some cat litter to use in my gas forge. What brand or brands are actually bentonite? Thanks.

[Frosty]

Can't you find fire clay? Better still would be a refractory cement or castable/rammable refractory.

The label should list the ingredients, bentonite should be the main if not only ingredient though you may need to search the web to find out if there's a generic geological or chemical name for it.

Frosty

[CRAFTBENDER]

I am ordering some ceramic blanket and fire brick from Jay Hayes to put thicker lining in my forge. While doing a search on this forum, a fellow said he used cat litter on his floor that absorbed borax and was easy to pluck out and replace with more litter. Figured I'd do a little experimenting. The closest place for buying the cement or castable is about 70 miles from where I live. I also have some plastique 85.

[Frosty]

That sounds reasonable, let us know how well it works.

Bentonite is used in iron melters for patching spalls, cracks and making the plug in cupolas so it'll take the heat all right.

Frosty

[Don A]

In the recipes for cat litter refractory, I've always heard folks recommend the cheapest, non-scented, non-colored stuff.

Not sure about bentonite clay. Wiki says this:

Bentonite can be used in cement, adhesives, ceramic bodies, and cat litter. Bentonite is also used as a binding agent in the manufacture of taconite pellets as used in the steelmaking industry. Fuller's earth, an ancient dry cleaning substance, is finely ground bentonite, typically used for purifying transformer oil. Bentonite, in small percentages, is used as an ingredient in commercially designed clay bodies and ceramic glazes. Bentonite clay is also used in pyrotechnics to make end plugs and rocket nozzles.

So, you might want to check the automotive places for "spill-dry" that is "fuller's earth".

Says here that's it's good for you as well:
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/bentonite-clay.htm

[divermike]

I read something somewhere by somebody, that cat litter could be a problem to breathe.

[Frosty]

Those would be the crystal litters as it's mostly silica sand and the dust can cause silicosis if you spent hours a day breathing in your cat's litter box.

Bentonite is pretty benign stuff, a favorite of mud wrestlers and drillers. I've been splashed square in the eyes with gravy thick mud and it was just weird. Everything went dark and gradually blinked clear through shades of brown to tan and everything was fine. No pain at all but it was fresh mud, hadn't been down the hole so there were no cuttings in it.

I DID look like I'd been hit by a giant mud pie but that isn't terribly noticeable on a driller.

Frosty

[Don A]

the dust can cause silicosis if you spent hours a day breathing in your cat's litter box

I felt that a humorous reply might be in order, but words fail me.


:D

[Bentiron1946]

I try very hard not to get that close to my cat's litter box. The cheap cat litter is what you want as it is just small chips of clay, no perfume like the expensive stuff. I should know I have 16 cats and only buy the cheap stuff that comes in the brown sack that only says "cat litter". It used to be $2.98 for forty pounds but has gone up to nearly ten dollars for same bag, I guess because they added a picture of a cat on it.:rolleyes: