Countryforge Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I just started building a gas forge for the first time. The flame keeps burning in the forge but the forge takes a long time to heat up. I used solid fire brick all around. So my question is as most of the home made gas forges are lined with Kao wool is this my problem with slow start up. Should I have used this first or insul brick which is almost the same. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 (edited) How you build a forge is a matter of taste and ecomomy. There is nothing wrong with an all firebrick forge. I have built them and covered the outside with insulation. The longer heat up is compensated for by more even heat and faster recovery when cold steel is placed in it. Coating the inside with ITC 100, ( a zirconium based refactory coating) will reflect more of the heat to the inside while improving heat up and economy. Many folk like the Inswool fiber inside of steel shell for its fast heat and ease of construction. My personal favorite is a hard brick floor over a couple of layers of insulation with walls and ceiling constructed of insulating fire brick covered with mortar and refactory coating. The outside surrounded with a couple of layers of Inswool. The hardfire brick provide a good floor and heat retention, with improved durability. Insulating fire brick is easy to work with and lends itself to a number of configurations like an arched roof. It is easy to create a larger internal volume with out the constraints of a metal cylinder. Mortar and the refactory coating protects the brick from carbon monoxide infiltration that weakens the brick. Edited May 7, 2009 by Charlotte left out word Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I agree with the post above. Kaowoll lined forge heats up much faster but a cast or firebrick forge will stay hotter longer if you put in a large cold piece. If just forging knife blanks smaller forge works well But if doing 5# or larger billets a welding heat cold take a very long time. Tools are like vehicles everyone knows which is better only in there mind and 50% or more disagree Are you using a blower or normally asperated forge? Blown forge should heat faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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