portible champion forge

[Nick O]

I have a champion forge and I need to figure out what I can use as a clay because it says clay forge before using. Any information on what I can use as a clay would be a big help.

 

Nick O

[Charles R. Stevens]

Many fust let ash and cinder accumilate, adding clay makes them heavier (les potable) and if stored out side, the castic water (ash+ water= lye) traped between the liner and the forge pan eats it up. If shelterd and you dont plan to move it for demoes, any local clay soil will work fine ask around or look in the road bank cuts of not a potery house can fix you up, ask for a heavaly "groged clay" or go to a masonry suply and get a bag of fire clay and sand, mix dry anout 1 part clay and two parts sand. Put in a plastic buket with a lid and add water. Let set a day ir three and check to see if its wet enugh (should hold but not tranfer moister or mud to your hands) if not at a bit more water and alow to "case" again, to wet take off the lid and let dry, case again for a few days to wet the crusties

look up "ducks nest" to get an isea how to form a fire pot witht he clay for effecency

[Nick O]

is it ok if I took some dirt from my garden which has a high amount of clay in it and made it wet broke all the clumped dirt and mixed it and put it in my forge I just got done doing half the forge just to see how it would look now I am just letting it dry in the sun?

 

Nick O  

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I have been using one for 30 years without clay, it is fine. It also sits outside. 

[Nick O]

ok but so far I hear people say it don't matter and it dose I don't really know what to think anymore  

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Is it indoors, or outdoors? Indoors, clay it if you like. Outdoors like mine, I wouldn't. As Charles mentioned , a liner can trap water between it and the pan causing rust. Mine sits outside, and gets rained on, but it dries out quick without a liner.

Fuel can also make a difference, coal has sulfur which can be acidic.

[Nick O]

I use coal and I store it in my shop but I use it outside

[JHCC]

is it ok if I took some dirt from my garden which has a high amount of clay in it and made it wet broke all the clumped dirt and mixed it and put it in my forge I just got done doing half the forge just to see how it would look now I am just letting it dry in the sun?

 

Nick O  

If your soil is like mine, you've probably got a layer of topsoil that's a mixture of clay, silt or sand, and organic material, over a subsoil that's more pure clay. Go for the pure clay subsoil if you have it.

[Nick O]

ok

 

[matto]

You can use a mix of vermiculite or perilite and portland cement for a lighter mix.  mix about 50/50  

[JHCC]

You can use a mix of vermiculite or perilite and portland cement for a lighter mix.  mix about 50/50  

 Not Portland cement -- it will degrade and spall at forging temperatures.

[matto]

Have used Portland in my travel forge for 8 years now and it has yet to spall.  That is over 500 demos. Will send pics of it.