bigb Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 I need to get started on my N/A propane forge build and I have acquired three possible cylinders to start with. The small LP cyl is 9" across, the bigger one is 11 and the chunk of 3/16" wall pipe is 13". They are all about 13" tall. The second picture shows the crosses which will be the majority of what I plan to use this forge for. Problem is the crosses can be over 6" wide. I want to have the forge cubic inches small enough for one burner, but I would like to have room for at least a six inch wide cross, maybe seven. As you can see my dilemna would be a bigger cu inch area with two burners or a flatter design, instead of cylindrical. But this being my first gas forge build I am heeding the advice of you guys and sticking with one design without variation, like the Wayne Coe design so this pretty much leaves me with the cylindrical design. I also considered the one where you split the cyl in half then put it back together, which can then be opened for wider pieces but seems like that will waste more gas than a two burner. Any ideas welcomed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Stop thinking yo have to use something for the shell. Things like propane or whatever tanks let alone pipe were suggested years ago because someone had one handy and more importantly he had the tools to work it. What you need is important so start there, either a wide vault (D laying on it's flat side) or oval shape chamber an inch or two wider and longer than your largest project estimate. Someone talked about using old linoleum floor tiles as forms to cast hard refractory and that stuff can be bent into virtually any simple curve. That will make forming a vault or oval hot face easy peasy. I'll bet a guy could trowel the refractory onto butcher paper and wrap it around the form, let it dry and wrap it with kaowool. Rigidize the Kaowool as you go. After that all there is left is the shell and all a shell needs do is support and contain the forge liner and projects. What's that, 10-20 lbs, maybe 30? I'm a fan of single wall stove pipe, especially Stainless as it's a better IR reflector. Black ungalvanized! stove pipe works a treat, you don't need special tools; tin snips, hand drill, bits a hole saw for the burner port(s) and screws or pop rivets and a puller. For an oval or vault once you have the flame face and kaowool wrapped, hold the Kaowool in place with news paper and tape. Just bend the stove pipe to fit before or after you snap the seam together. If you can't find or combine stove pipe diameters to fit the forge liner you can either adjust the size of the refractory, I highly suggest adding more over removing some. OR you can simply cut and pop rivet to fit your liner. Just because somebody else uses and likes a thing and you have a couple does NOT mean you have to use it. There are other things an old propane tank is good for. How about a Minion chimnea for the porch? It doesn't have to be a forge. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Frosty has it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigb Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share Posted August 22, 2016 I like the wide vault idea and I have the ability to build that shape easily. Here is how it is coming together in my head. If I make it 9" deep I calculate 286 cubic inches. With a 9" x 9" floor it will easily accommodate my work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 I believe you have it! That's a good floor size and a great volume for a 3/4" burner, it'll have plenty of overkill for those special projects. You can also align your burner flatter so it hits the roof of the forge first. This will heat the top and one side hottest and the curve will act like a lens to focus the IR radiation to a degree. However projects like spread crosses are fairly flat so aligning the burner towards the center of the floor won't make a flame shadow behind the work. Does that make sense? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigb Posted November 27, 2016 Author Share Posted November 27, 2016 Well here it is three months later and I finally had time this weekend to start the forge. Cut my scrap piece of pipe but it opened up another inch so my forge will end up a bit wider and lower, which will be fine for my mostly flat work pieces. The bottom and end is cut from some scrap A-36 I've had leaning up in the corner for a few years. I plan to install the NC Tools door shown, in the back end at or near floor level. Not sure if I'll cut anything for the front or just use fire brick. I could cut something like a "D" ring to fit around the end to close off the Kaowool and Kast-O-Lite. I have literally tons of steel stashed away. The drawing has been modified to fit the actual dimension of the pipe with two inches of liner, but since I am planning to use Kast-O-Lite on top of that there will likely be another 1/2". I do want to get a piece of kiln floor from the local kiln supply. Going to email Wayne for the liner materials before I tack the pieces together. Comments & suggestions welcomed. Frosty I'd like to discuss the burner angle before I cut the hole and weld in the pipe nipple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackdawg Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 getting there! You cant these things! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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