First gas forge

[Michael.Bell]

Hi guys;

I am new(ish) to the site (I have read a great many of the articles posted here prior to joining) and I have a question: Can I use a homemade plaster substitute (ie: flour based plaster) or homemade fire clay/sand mix for the refractory or should I go and purchase proper plaster of Paris? 

Thanks in advance,

Michael

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Michael glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance.

Sure you can use that type plaster substitute. Are you patching nail holes in your walls? Spackle will work better but if the budget is tight enough even white tooth paste will work.

If you're talking about making a propane forge, don't be silly, read more. You need a refractory liner not plaster of Paris. Have you ever tossed a piece in a camp fire? A camp fire is pale by comparison to a proper forge, say around 1,400f while my home made forge melts 3,000f fire brick.

You can buy good quality castable refractories and if you consider how long they last compared to light fire brick it's a bargain. I used Green Cast 94 for the floor and rear wall of my current WIP gas forge.

A 8lb. ceramic blanket, say Kaowool for instance will take about 2,600f and is a good insulator but is darned fragile so you need to kiln wash it or just get used to changing the inside layer pretty frequently.

There are lots of good methods of lining a kiln/furnace, there are many books about it and while Bentonite clay AKA kitty litter is a viable refractory I've never, not once seen plaster of Paris mentioned.

There are hundreds of posts here about building propane forges, pull up a comfy chair, pack a lunch and something to drink, there is a LOT to read on the subject.

Frosty The Lucky.

[WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith]

For  a start read the attachments on the Forge Supplies page on my web-site www.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com .  This is not the only way to build a gas forge but it is the way I like to build a gas forge.  Do plan to use ceramic blanket (Kaowool , Inswool) do plan to use a castable refractory such as Kast-0-Lite and over coat that with an infrared reflective product such as Plistix or Metrikote.  This will build a good, long lasting, efficient forge.

[Michael.Bell]

Thanks for the info guys! This has been something I have considered doing for a while but couldn't due to time/space constraints. Frosty, I was referring to the ever popular soup can/coffee can forge for a starter forge, something small to get some practice in with. It uses plaster if Paris and sand (50/50) as the refractory. That said I was intending to get a better liner ASAP as I do eventually want to make a more permanent (yet still portable so I can bring it inside after it's cooled) forge for larger projects.

Thanks again guys!

Michael 

[swedefiddle]

Good Morning, Michael,

Frosty made a very good suggestion and explained reasons why. You appear to have brushed him aside.

If you are not going to entertain the suggestions as offered by VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE people, Don't ask silly questions.

I have a Tiny/small Forge made from 2" pipe Tee. It works best when the inside is coated with refractory cement.

Neil

[LastRonin]

I lined my soup can forge with kaowool

[Michael.Bell]

Neil; I apologize if that was how it came across. It was not my intention for it to be taken that way at all. Frosty had said he had never heard of using plaster of Paris as a refractory so I was just telling him where I got the idea that it might work. Sorry for any confusion.

Thanks, 

Michael

[Frosty]

No worries Neil, I was a little flip with my reply. I've had this conversation so many times it gets to me once in a while.

Michael, I know where you got the idea, you even said you watched a lot of Youtube videos. I was pointing out less clearly than I should have that there are GOOD sources of information. The internet is filled with how to stories posted by folk who are trying to figure things out. There's an normal reflex to identify with folk at our own level. It's a lot easier than following folk that are more advanced. My technique of instruction is to make a statement and give an explanation. If someone doesn't understand what I mean just say I don't understand . . .X

"I don't know" is fixable.

Wayne's site is a go to for proper forge building instructions, data and materials. Wayne and I only have different brands of supply available we don't really disagree about these things. There are a lot of different good ways to do it. Unfortunately all to much of what you see on the web is BS.

A soup can forge works well with a single roll of ceramic blanket but it wears quickly.

Frosty The Lucky.