Adirondacker Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Anyone clayed a forge?, if so how thick should it be? also around the draft tube and grate how close to get? Thanks Adirondacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 where are you from ? please fill out your profile so we can help you with different products you can get . Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xwingace Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Size of the forge would be key information too -- volume, number of burners, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Call me foolish but I believe he speaks of a solid fuel forge ( in that he mentioned grate ). Yes, i have put clay on a few forges, and some I haven't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondacker Posted October 19, 2012 Author Share Posted October 19, 2012 Sam, I just checked my profile and it was there? Yes its coal fired, and just want to know how thick should clay be, on this forge, on bottom of fire pan is a warning to clay forge before using, so I will clay the forge rather than risk burning thru the bottom. Adirondacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 OK your profile may show your location but here on the forum, it doesn't show. Sam merely said that if we knew where you were we might be of further assistance. Burning through the bottom is really not the issue (although clay may make the pan last longer). The biggest thing is cracking of the pan due to thermal shock and/or being foolish and pouring water on the edges of the fire. Fire management is a class by itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r smith Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Anyone clayed a forge?, if so how thick should it be? also around the draft tube and grate how close to get? Thanks Adirondacker If you want the answer then I suggest doing a search for it on here or even a google search may work better to find things in here. This has been discussed in depth many times. search for lining a forge, homemade refractory...etc.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george m. Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Dear Adirondacker, My first forge (which is still in use) which I bought in 1978 had the same "clay before using" cast into the pan. I put fire clay in the pan sloping from the edge of the pan to the tuyere. It was a huge hassle. The clay fused with the clinkers and was a mess. I removed it and have used the forge without it for the last 34 years with no problems. I've had to replace the tuyere grate twice and probably will again within the next year or so. I started a thread about this a month or so ago. You may want to look it up. The gist of some of the replies was that the manufacturers put that in to reduce warranty claims but that it really doesn't make much difference unless you are building HUGE fires. The only part of the pan that gets hot for me is the tuyere area. I don't see what good clay would do more than a couple of inches back from the edge of the tuyere grate. Not following directions, George M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Sorry I do not check every profile as there are well over 250000 folks on here if it does not show in the forum it is mute to me . just as it is for you to check the site for your answer on the thickness of clay in your forge . ! Best Regards Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 well so somebody answers your question, you are in thurman new york acoring to this form. why no one else can see that i do not know but it comes up under your member and post that you are from thurman. so as for your question, you can use a mix of portland and vermiculite in a 2 to 1 mix. 2 parts vermiculite to 1 part portland, mix it fairly thick and spread it at least 3/4" to 2" thick. you can slop it some to the air gate to make more of a ducks nest for your fire. you can also ask around thurman new york where you are from acording to this form if there is a blacksmiths club around or close to thurman new york where you are from. there might be someone by thurman new york that is doing a forge lining class or has lined a forge and will drive to thurman new york where you live and help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondacker Posted October 20, 2012 Author Share Posted October 20, 2012 Matto, Thank you for information, I had purchased from local concrete co. fire clay used between chimney flues. There is one farrier here I could ask, plus a folk school that offers blacksmith courses, so can try there also. Did find some information outside this forumn, and was a 50/ 50 split on claying. Will try this and if it goes south will try something else. Adirondacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 In my brake drum I used 3 parts sand, 1 part portland, just enough water to form a hard ball. I did not add the optional 1/2 part clay. Clay the grate in place, but don't obstruct it. Your grate may be bolted down, but mine is held by only the clay. Hooking the grate out while cleaning clinker is no fun. HOT clinker does not stick, but once it looses that bright red color, it is glue. Clean the forge HOT and regularly, and especially at quitting time. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Yeah, there is always a split on claying a forge pan. I have a cast iron buffalo that says clay before using. The guy I got it from was in the don't bother camp and the pan is cracked almost in half. So I like a mix of mason sand and fire clay though most any sand or clay will do. I found using more than 1pt sand to 3pts clay is a clinker magnet so I used 1pt sand x 3pts clay last time and it worked well. Don't bother with adding saw dust, perlite, etc. it does NOT need insulation, none at all. Just use sand and clay. how much water to add is even more critical, the more water the more it will shrink check as it dries. Shrink checking occurs when the water dries and the clay as drawn together to replace the water, look at a dry mud hole for an example. If you've done any green sand casting you should already know how to do the test but I'll go into it anyway. You only want to add just enough water to make the clay stick together enough to be rammed hard. Add just a LITTLE, mix thoroughly (getting carried away mixing is actually a good thing, a cement mixer is NOT out of line) Then let it rest in a sealed container, over night is better but a few hours is good enough. Now for the test: take a handfull of the mix and squeeze it in your hand HARD. It should form a clump that leaves no residue on your palm, dust means it's probably too dry and wet or mud means it too wet. Those aren't the definitive test though, just indicators. now break the clump in half, if it breaks cleanly and leaves your hand clean it's right. If the clump crumbles it's too dry, add a LITTLE water, mix and let it rest again. Retest. Once you have the clay right, don't worry it doesn't have to be perfect. Now is time to ram it into your forge pan, a wood mallet is perfect. lay a couple few inches evenly over the pan and hammer it till the mallet bounces with a whack sound. Next you want to sculpt your air gate, I really prefer a "duck's nest" which is a depression in the liner down to the air grate forming a little clay nest. To get a good duck's nest you need a couple inches of clay so I make the floor of the pan about 2" +/- thick tapering to the outside edge of the pan. Smoothing it is important as the smoother it is the less clinker can stick to it. A wood stick on edge is good for striking the liner smooth. Then use something like a butter knife and score the liner. Scoring is a series of controlled cuts so the liner will check in a controlled way rather than crumble. It's going to absorb moisture from the air and heat will cause it to expand and shrink checking it. The last thing I do is burnish it with a piece of burlap to a polished state. Burnish it after it's had a few days to dry completely, hang a light bulb over it if necessary. I know this sounds like a lot of hassle but it produces a pretty durable clay liner. I'm a tinkery kind of guy. Ramming a damp clay is far better than molding wet clay. that's the bottom line. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Rider Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 Sure wish I read Frosty's post 24 hours ago. I just packed the bottom of my forge with clay/sand that was far too wet. Good thing the raw materials are cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Don't sweat it, when it dries out to a stiff but still barely malleable state take a mallet to it, it'll be okay. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondacker Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 Frosty, Wow, right to the point and step by step of how to proceed, I have pretty nice bank run sand that I use for concrete work, so will fine screed some for this job. We have a saying around here "Ain't got time to do it right but have time to do it over" I like things done right. Will sent a picture after I clayed this forge. Have been working on the shop and have it close to being done, lack the ceiling, installing lights and hooking up heat. I try and work at it when its nasty out. Thanks for sharing, nothing beats experience. Adirondacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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