SamT Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Does anyone know how well stove firebrick will work in a gas forge? Something like these. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H7UGU0?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1 Or should I buy the bricks from budget casting supply? I'm planning in using the BCS blanket as well unless I hear bad things about it. Shell will be an old 5 gallon air tank with a naturally aspirated burner, not sure which design yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 In general you want an insulating firebrick for a gas forge except for perhaps the bottom one that will see a lot of abrasive wear. Check with a local company that deals with pottery kiln supplies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I got a depression about halfway through one of those from the burner impinging. I expect it to last a little more. I have 2 inchs of ceramic wool insulating my forge , this brick is just the floor protecting the wool. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamT Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 That's what I meant, brick for the floor. Lol, sorry I wasn't clear. But now that I look again, would a forge made of stacked brick be comparable to a cylinder lined with 2" of kaowool? If internal volume was the same of course. Brick at BCS has a pretty steep volume discount on their 2300* brick. 3 brick flat for floor, 1 1/2 brick standing on long edge for each wall, and 3 more for top would give a chamber of 6.5 x 4.5 x 13.5 with 9 bricks. Just another brick front and back for doors and done. Could be nice to be able to change the layout. Kiln shelf or kitty litter for a floor, for that matter a box filled with riverbed clay and skip the three floor bricks all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Is this hard firebrick or soft firebrick? Hard firebrick takes a lot longer to heat up and cool down and so "saps" the heat of the system. Soft is quite insulative and so fast heating. I had a friend who build a gas forge out of soft firebrick and managed to accidentally melt a billet when he was showing it off to the group---Hi Patrick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamT Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 BCS brick is soft 2300*F brick, 9 x 4.5 x 1.25. 12 bricks for $74, shipping included. Not sure if that's a good price, but I'm in a pretty rural part of MS, so closest pottery place will probably be in oxford, about 70 miles away. I have to admit that I have No idea about a pottery supply anywhere in MS, can't find any info. Round trip would cost me about $35 in my truck to oxford, so they'd have to be a good bit cheaper. You think regular old red clay would work for a floor? Or better to go with soft brick topped with kiln shelf or hard brick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamT Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 WHOOPS! I lied, the bricks at BCS are 2.5" thick. Can't edit posts with my phone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamT Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 http://www.jamesriser.com/Machinery/GasForge/PropaneForge.html This looks like a nice little forge to copy. Any comments before I order the brick tonight? Should I coat the inside with itc-100? Should I get a kiln shelf for the floor? An inch of kitty litter? Stainless pan? The reil burner looks simple enough, but isn't the mini-mongo more efficient? Sorry for all the questions. I do have a 7x12 lathe, if it matters on burner building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Efficiency on all these home built pipe burners is pretty similar for the BTU they produce. You have to have good transitions and design to get better efficiency. A slot up the side so it can accept wide pieces, but be closed off when not needed, will be helpful from time to time. I built this burner. works good. Annoying to tune as you cut the contact tip shorter...but it stays tuned. ITC-100 or a similar mix is important. It is paint on insulation. I made my own mix, basically 70% zircon flour and 30% kaolin. I don't know if it is as good as ITC-100, but it does stabilize my ceramic wool rather well. I melt steel in my little forge if I am not careful. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamT Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Thanks phil. I'll take a look at the link in a second. I wonder how much more efficient a T-Rex or the 1/2" variant would be, as in how long would it take to recoup its higher price in gas savings. Probably not enough difference to justify the $125-$150 spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Kitty litter or kiln shelf is required if you are forge welding in your forge. I don't recall you mentioning that possibility and if you want to you may need to engineer for it from the start wrt burners, volume, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamT Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Thomas, I ordered soft and hard brick, and 3k* mortar, going to follow the design on zoeller's site. Only difference is my hard brick is 1.25" thick instead of .75". About to head out now to get a regulator and some parts for a sidearm burner. I may want to try welding in it, so I'm going to go ahead with the 3k* brick floor. Bought it from www.clay-planet.com if anyone needs a source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamT Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 Got an email from Clay Planet. My hard firebrick is out of stock, he offered a refund on them, so I took it. Now, will a 1" thick kiln shelf be a sufficient floor for a welding capable forge? The site says Cone 10, and the chart says thats a final temp of 2381*F at 270*F/Hour surely they'll take more faster than this... I hope... 11"x 22" will give me some overhang on the 9"x 18" forge base, but I doubt it would be a problem as long as I dont hammer on it I could call one of the momument companies around here and see if they could cut it, or is there a way to cut it myself? Dry masonry abrasive blade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I have cut hard firebrick with a fiber disk. The masonry disks cut better and last longer than the ones for metal when cutting brick. Get a name brand disk, and get several, one false move and you may break the disk. The shelf should take the heat, but it need to be backed by insulation or it will allow the heat right through it since it has little R value. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamT Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 Thanks Phil. I'll go ahead and order the kiln shelf then. Don't worry, it will be backed up by the 2600* firebrick base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyScott Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Cutting the kiln shelf with either a fiber disk or a masonry blade will create vast amounts of airborne dust. Wear your personal safety gear and protect your eyes, ears and lungs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Cutting the kiln shelf with either a fiber disk or a masonry blade will create vast amounts of airborne dust. Wear your personal safety gear and protect your eyes, ears and lungs. Yes. Please take the time to use your PPE. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamT Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 10-4 Phil, devinately don't want silicosis. Scratch the kiln shelf, found some 3k fire brick on evilbay. Auction says only one available, but he says he has more, trying to figure out how to order more than one, ebay wont let me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 10-4 Phil, devinately don't want silicosis. Scratch the kiln shelf, found some 3k fire brick on evilbay. Auction says only one available, but he says he has more, trying to figure out how to order more than one, ebay wont let me. Buy one and request an invoice. The seller can figure it out then. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamT Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Well all my brick is in. May start on putting the forge together tonight. Should I skim the inside with my 3000* mortar for some extra protection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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