Meeco Red Devil and a new anvil

[Gijotoole]

Howdy fellas. It's been a while since I've been on here (work has taken me out of the country frequently lately) but I'm going to redo some of my eqpt - forge and anvil setup - and wanted some advice. I got some 1" blanket, refractory, and plistix a while back for my forge. I'm going to relive it with some of the same blanket I currently use and finish it up with some extra that I have in reserve. I wants to pour the floor and use some of my Meeco Red Devil for it. It has a 3000* rating so it should hold up. Has anybody used MRD for this application? I can't remember the other refractory I have, but it's a powder that you mix and then drop it in. I've ised the MRD with great results on my 1095 hamons and thought that I might as well use it since I have it.

Lastly, my darling of a wife got tired of me working on an old 35kg bick that I found in a trash pile in Germany and told me to "just get a good anvil". I put my name on the list for a Nimba Titan anvil and it should get here right before I leave again in a month or so - I read some reviews and understand this is a good buy, any comments?

[ThomasPowers]

Want to include me in your will?  I think the Nimbas to be a great design!

[Frosty]

Nimba are a top shelf modern anvil. Hold onto the lady, she's a keeper!

Frosty The Lucky.

[Gijotoole]

Coming from you two I'll take it as fact, thanks. The next batch of Titans won't be ready for a few weeks and then I'll have to get it shipped to Hawaii (ugh) but I'll post pics of its loving new home when it gets here, unless I'm already out of country. Then my wife will send me pics of what the very burly stork brought by.

[Buzzkill]

I'm not sure how happy you'll be using the Red Devil for a floor.  I think you're referring to the refractory cement they make.  I used a different brand of cement, but also rated at 3000 F, to line a propane forge a while back and was a little disappointed with the results.  In my case it glazed, then turned "gooey" in the forge to the point where if I bumped into it with hot steel it would stick a bit like peanut butter.  Again, this was a different brand, so your results may be better, but if you can get your hands on some kiln shelf I can recommend that far more than my attempt at using high temp refractory cement in a propane forge.  Unless it specifically states it is a castable refractory I probably would go a different route based on my previous experience.

[Gijotoole]

I still have some satanite but it's not enough to re-line the entire forge. I might be able to get some shelf from the ceramics workshop nearby. I don't want to leave the blanket free-standing because I have an issue with poking the sides and inhaling ceramic fibers. Maybe I'll just kick this particular can down the road. My burner is currently TDC on both X and Y axes on the forge body so I have a hot spot right in the middle but it's hard to do both small and large pieces because of where the burner is. I'll probably just fill the hole where it is currently and then cut a new orifice for the burner closer to the front but angled slightly so it doesn't just blast the area directly underneath.

[Gijotoole]

Edit: I have matrikote and kastolite 30. Instead of relining the forge I just changed the angle of approach of the burner and took out my kastolite shelf. It has a pretty swirl and I think the adjustment to the burner will let me get an environment more conducive to pattern welding, which is my next hurdle. I don't have a trip hammer or press so I'll be doing it all old-school. I've never been able to weld before but I was using coil spring or mild steel (old forge) and haven't given it a new go. I also believe that I had a bad burner setting so it was too oxidizing and created too much crap on the metal.  Going to try it again today, so I'll see how the new setup works. Thanks guys.