Ye Ole Claying Conundrum

[Mount'neer]

I know there's been plenty of discussion here and elsewhere about whether to clay or not, and I'm in for a snowy weekend which could be perfect for such an indoor project if I can determine it's right for my portable forge.

This forge will remain indoors so the exposure to excessive moisture should not be an issue. As you can see in the attached pic it has no fire pot to speak of, and did not come with a grate over the tuyere so I fashioned one out of a floor drain cover. If claying is deemed proper, should I clay the grate in place on the forge surface or raise it slightly to insulate the opening? I reckon the raising of it may not make enough difference to justify going to the trouble, or perhaps increase the likelihood of the clay cracking by enveloping the grate's edge, i.e. less solidity of the clay(?). The thickness of the pan is about one-half inch.

Thanks in advance for input from both pro- and anti- camps!

[Stash]

I've got a similar setup- my pan is stamped steel, kinda corroded when I got it. I cut a section out of a plastic plant pot ~ 1" high to form a collar, slightly larger than the grate and laid in some refractory cement I found at my local (non-big box )supplier. Made it an inch thick, and I can replace the grate as necessary. Needless to say, once the cement cured, I pulled out the plastic. After a few fires, a crack developed, but that's inevitable. and my pan oughta last a while longer.

Steve

[Mount'neer]

Thanks for the advice Steve. The collar mold makes sense, and I'll use your idea to create a uniformity that wouldn't have been there otherwise.

Thanks again!