I just cast a new floor for my Chili forge, using Blazelite 2300 refractory. Anyone know the fastest way to dry this product?? I'm in a tight spot with deadlines approaching for two big commissions. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks in advance.

Wot does the maker suggest?

Floyd: I don't know what to tell you, casting refractory correctly requires the time to dry properly, casting under a tight deadline isn't a good idea. Best I can suggest is hanging a light bulb in the chamber and setting a gentle fan to blow through it. Heck, just rushing the dry CAN cause problems for going too fast.

 

Can you do this work with a simple Kaowool lined forge and kiln shelf floor? I've mad quicky forges with rolled chicken wire and Kaowool. Welding fluxes will kill it quickly but it might get you through. A brick pile forge is a lot more robust and quick to build.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks Richard and Frosty.

I've been using my old standby: the pile of soft insulating bricks on top of some hard firebrick, with a hastily fabricated bracket for the two Chile Forge burners, while baking the Blazelite at home in my wife's oven. I did 255 for 5 hours and just called her to up the temp to 450.

I'm just not sure if I can use the new, much thicker cast floor (1.75") after say, another 5 hours at 450. She tells me the casting has no visible cracking and has turned completely white.

I'm going to hope for the best and go ahead and coat the floor with ITC and use it for the heavy forging I need the Chile for. Worst that will happen is I'll have to fix or replace the floor again after getting this work done.

Thanks again for responding.
The makers website gives no info on curing, and it's the weekend. I'm calling their tech line Monday am.