What is kaowool?

[V]

I think about makeing a gas fueled forge, and best insulation material seems to be kaowool. For a moment tought it was glass fiber pad, like the oven in a kitchen has. But I burned fiberglass the other day. So it is a simple question: What the hll kaowool is?

Many thanks.

[Tyler Murch]

Kaowool is the oxides that form at high temps of several different metals. Obviously, because they form at high temps, they are quite heat resistant. That's what I know.

[V]

Thank you Tyler!!

[Tyler Murch]

a google search will tell you more. It has some ceramic material in it too, which is made from kaolin. Kaolin is a mineral I think. They mine it about half hour from my house.

[Tyler Murch]

Hence the name KAOwool

[metalmaster1766]

kaolin is a type of clay, heated and melted at a high temp, then it is made into fibers similar to cotton candy, then made into kaowool, well at least thats how it was explained to me, i could be totaly wrong

Ron

[Tyler Murch]

I've been exploring those mines around my house. When kaolin is dry it's like a dusty powder. When it's wet it's a thick clay that's real easy to get stuck in. It's pure white in color.

[V]

I Imagine how is ts made now, my problem is where to get some here in Mexico. Maybe high temp. refractories. Does anyone know about a company exports it?

[Woody]

Victor:

I think the anvilfire store sells it, don't know about the export end of it though.

Woody

[V]

Thaks Woody, I´ll try.

[Jeff Mack]

[quote name='V

[metalmaster1766]

iv seen it on ebay a lot, dont know how the prices compare to buying from a refractory supply place, take a look, ya never know

Ron

[Chris Pook]

pottery places sell it too. thats were i get mine from here in Canada

[V]

Thank you guys, valuable ideas, I´ll check them all.

[Charles]

K O wool is ceramic fibre furnace liner sorry cant help in mexico Iam in australia

[Dodge]

Another point we're missing here is that Kaowool is a brand name of the ceramic or kaolin (or what ever it is) blanket refractory material. I don't know how many brands there are but another popular one that is actually available in my area (Omaha Ne) is Inswool. At least I think its the same as Kaowool, but less expensive :)

[Glenn]

Charles, go to the top of the forum page, click on user CP and enter your location and save. We would like to know where in the world your located.

[agsolder]

Just use your computer and Google Thermal Ceramics. They make all sorts of high temp insulation for stoves, chimneys, etc., such as Super Wool and Kaowool. FYI, their tech support people are among the most snidely and totally unhelpful people I have dealt with in a long lifetime, refused to answer the simplest questions re: a wodstove chimney problem I was working on last year. I guess they are scared to death of liability. Perhaps if you are really polite they will deign to tell you who might sell you some Kaowool. Or, if you just Google Kaowool, you can bypass these jerks and will find leads to scads of dealers. There are. by the way, other solutions, similar products.

[aametalmaster]

We use it at work for high temp pipe insulation. It looks like a big thick roll of cotton...Bob

[racer3j]

But you need to handle it like fiberglas- it will do the pokey-itchy thing to you. I have been using some lately and I use some tyvek coveralls with elastic wrists and nitrile heavy duty(still good tactile) gloves. I have been cutting it outside and in open so wind(we have had a bit doncha know,) blows airborne away- I am up wind. I will likely pick up a few decent masks for when there is no wind. I sure like the way it sticks to metal with ITC stuff and toughens up well with the ITC 100. I have the #8 2600* stuff. I got 8square feet. It is easy to poke through when handling but it is like cotton candy in texture and you can pull off a scrap and fill the hole and it just blends in well- that miracle ITC 100- I am eager to get the 200 series stuff- I am fabricating a forge with my "revolutionary" HA-HA burner arrangement- some of you may find it interesting- it will offer a kind of flexibility not usually seen in gas forges. Really- might be the only clever thing I have come up with lately.mike

[Jan]

Hi Vic,
there is another material,which came from French spaceprogam(i think) and is called
Sibral-my gas forges are full of it,it`s perfect insulation,lightweight and they are selling it
in sheets,it looks kinda like cotton.

[Golden_eagle]

Jan, Sibral is used in more low temp. uses i got some out of a crockpot...
See http://www.thermalceramics.com/superwool/pdf/ECFIABrochure-ENGLISH.pdf

[Ice Czar]

strange to get to 3 pages without the "technically" correct answer


aluminum silicate fiber

High temperature insulation wool


http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/203459469/Aluminum_Silicate_Wool.html

Production Technique
1The standard aluminum silicate wool is made from the chamotte of hard clay blown into floccose fiberafter melted in electric oven.
2High aluminous aluminum silicate wool is made from the mixture of high purity alumina and silica powders blown into floccose fiber after melted in electric oven .

Edited July 29, 2008 by Ice Czar

[Ice Czar]

deja vu



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[Charl. Crossforge]

Kaowool is in fact a ceramic fibre blanket. You will be able to obtain it from any company that build kitchen ovens as this is used for the insulation of the oven.