Any thoughts or experience on using lime rock as a forge lining? May be a stupid question I dunno. Just a random thought, and I cant seem to find any info on how it reacts to heat.


Edit: never mind stupid question. http://www.teichert.com/documents/public/MSDS%20Limestone.pdf

"Decomposes at 530

Edited October 11, 200916 yr by Skidbat

In a forge shop it is more common to find "limericks" than limerocks.

If memory serves me, heating lime rocks is how cement is made. I have no idea what gases may be given off.

You may wish to use refractory material or clay.

There once was a man from Nantucket... nah I cant do it

I don't know about elsewhere but lime rock is everywhere here in Florida. I have a big pile of it from where I just recently had a well put in. Seeing it today and knowing how it hardens when packed just got me to thinking.

Not knowing what byproducts might come from heating it is exactly what stops me from experimenting. Was just curious if anyone knew because I cant seem to find more info than what I posted.

I am thinking lime stone would turn to dust very quickly. You can heat it and use the powder (mixed with water) to heat things and give off light.

It turns to quick lime, a corrosive and unfriendly material---unless you are disposing of road kill.

Thats the response I was looking for. Quicklime, bad, limerock goes in the driveway. lol

I remember an uncle talking about using quicklime for fishing when I was a kid, scary stuff.

Thanks for the heads up.

Limestone is useful as a flux in smelting and refining steel. But no, I don't think it's what you want to line a forge.

As far as using stone to line a forge or heat retention,,,try dolomite. It is a refarctory stone and usualy easy to find. They are most offen pink and cream colored swirls and can be easly cut with a diamond saw blade or masonary saw blade on a circular saw.
make sure the rocks havent been sitting in water for a long period of time. They are very porus and water trapped in teh rock may cause an explosion.