ForgeMan32 Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 I just built a new propane forge with a 2" layer of inswool and a 1 " layer over top of that . 3" total. I have 2 venturi burners . And I used instuf for the rigidizer and then itc-100 on topof that. My question is I have a half fire brick layed down for a bottom and there is air space under the brick. Is this an appropriate bottom or should i use something else for a hotter forge temperature. I painted the brick with itc100 also. I plan to use insulating firebrick to make a front door. I'm trying to make a good forge for forge welding or whatever I throw In it. I have a Freon tank forge and it's size and heat limitations are why I've built this one. ive heard of people using kiln shelf and pouring high temp mortar for a floor . Just wondering what's best and keep in mind I won't be doing a lot of forge welding but if it comes down to I don't wana have to fire up the coal forge unless absolutely necessary. I know o e forge can't do it all but my other propane forge wouldn't reach that nice juicy white heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natenaaron Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 I have no clue about your question but what is the seam thing? Did you do it on purpose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 We get back to the eternal question that determines the answer to your question. What is the volume and what are the burner tube diameters? No, a split firebrick isn't the "best" forge floor, kiln shelf is less a heat sink and much more resistant to flux erosion. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForgeMan32 Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Well nate the split thing is where I cut that outer layer of blanket an inch short. And frosty thank you for that . Is there any thickness that works better ,I live near a ceramics supplier and they have some of all sizes . I seen they have 5/8" thick for a good price or should i go thicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Mike Porter and I were talking about kiln shelves a while back and he has a lot more experience with kiln shelves. My forge is old and has a split fire brick floor, I'll change it out when I rebuild it. Don't quote me but I THINK he was saying 1/4" +/- high alumina. But I seem to recall another designation he used too. My memory isn't good enough to recall details sometimes. I can remember the generalities but not specifics. It's a TBI issue. It'll probably be faster to look back through some of our threads on forges and burners. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Is there a particular reason you have not set your burners tangentially to the chamber? Likewise why not make use of the gap in the lining to poke the burners through? Just curious. My furnaces are designed and built with a different goal in mind so my heavy 1600˚ C castable floors are not appropriate for yours. But I gather you can use Bentonite (Kitty Litter) as a sacrificial layer to soak up flux and oxides from welding temperatures, which might give you a greater leeway as to the shelf/floor construction. Reducing the opening as much as possible and baffle the view of the interior to reduce radiant heat loss can make all the difference as to whether you can achieve welding heat (make any flue longer rather than wider)...but as you are building a door you probably know that! Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 It has been awhile since I was throwing at one studio, but they were trying out some new high temp shelves that were a dark gray. They may have silicon carbide, or carborundum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natenaaron Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 On 4/10/2016 at 8:11 PM, ForgeMan32 said: Well nate the split thing is where I cut that outer layer of blanket an inch short. And frosty thank you for that . Is there any thickness that works better ,I live near a ceramics supplier and they have some of all sizes . I seen they have 5/8" thick for a good price or should i go thicker. Ahh. Been there. You will lose a lot of heat there. When I mismeasured I discovered the velcro qualities Ceramic wool has, just cut a hair more than you need. Once sealed there is no way of knowing you made the wrong measurement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForgeMan32 Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 Yea nate the one layer that was short was just one of the one inch layers so hopefully it won't hurt to bad. I've did my research on all this stuff except for flooring.Alan you asked why they are not set tangentially, I guess because I've always had a better result with the offset burners and I've kept my burners and inch back into the kaowool so I don't burn up my flares. Hek I wasn't even sure what tangent meant when I read that.lol. north carlinian boy here. I think il try a kiln shelf and try it out and I will let y'all know the results. And of course i will have a door on this thing i want to heat the forge not my garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Fair enough...I have always made furnaces with the burners set tangentially in order to create a swirl which I found created a more even spread of heat throughout the furnace...It was an attempt to prevent a hotspot. Some top and side mounted burner furnaces I have seen tend to just heat the bar immediately opposite the burner. The first edge of a bar which the swirl strikes in my big furnace does get hottest, but it seems all the way along its length, and can be quite useful when working a sequence of bars to keep rolling them over to the right and adding another on the left. The swirl works best on my small furnace which is 600mm (2') long. The chamber is oval in form and I place the bars on supports at either end so the swirl rotates all around the bar, no hotspots or edges at all. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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