Right, so, I think I'm on the same page. If my test block has too many ports and thus has too little back pressure, I'll reduce the number of ports and spread them out over the surface, increasing the pressure and attempting to maintain the coverage relative to my flame face below. Which, in turn, will allow the radiant heat to reflect back into the forge with the assistance of the IR coating and bring the temp up (sooner?)

Hopefully you put too many holes in the test block, it's faster to just block them to reduce the count than it is to drill more. If it wants to burn back block another outlet to speed up the flow. 

There's a common mythconception that zirconia kiln washes are IR reflectors, they aren't. They are more efficient re-radiators than typical refractories. They don't conduct heat very well so they get hotter and radiate it in 3D. Having more equally hot kiln wash surrounding it in 2D it must shed heat into the next layer of forge liner, the Kastolite of Missou or whatever you used. These don't conduct heat well either so the easiest direction for the kiln wash to shed heat is back into the forge. Radiation does not inhibit radiation just because they're going directly at each other. 

The flame and IR are two different things. The flame heats the forge liner which radiates IR back into the forge and your work. 

Forgive me if that's basically what you just said and I didn't understand. I have those kinds of days. 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

I think we're good. I haven't lined or coated the forge, as yet the materials are in the mail.

 

Two questions: Can anyone point me to the post for materials for the T-burner? 

Is there anyone in North Ga. Who has blacksmithing materials available for sale?

I would go visit Wayne, but the current social situation dictates I should avoid contact with him. No offense Mr. Coe.

The list of materials and tools is in the pdf linked in this post:

 

Much thanks for that.

Ah, that clears up one thing. The mig tips I sell at work are M6-1.0. Either way, I can tap it.

What I don't already have laying around the shop, I can pick up at work before I leave. The dangers of working at a hardware store, pretty sure they get half my check back each payday...

Thanks again.

Got the tee burner put together with an .023 tip. Used a 1 1/4" 3/4" tee just cause it's what I had laying around. Seems to run ok. It's got 25 psi going to it and just turning down with the valve for now.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZGB9asP9LRPy8z7g9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VWUPe638mkZLFfCD8

There's nothing wrong with a 1 1/4" x 3/4" T. The pic of it burning looks very nice.  I think you should try a larger jet, say 0.035 mig contact tip? A 0.023 is way less propane than that baby should burn beautifully. 

Do you have a needle valve in the circuit? I don't recall.  

While I really REALLY dislike semantics . . . you didn't build a "ribbon" burner that's called a "button" burner. Okay, so that isn't semantic difference it's a specific shape designation of a multi outlet burner. 

Now, will you PLEASE lose the tape? 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

Thanks for the input Frosty, button burner it is! Just waiting on the rest to be delivered and I'll definitely be losing the tape. I do plan on using a needle valve and I'll try the bigger tip when it's all together and I get the door on. I appreciate all the advice and knowledge you guys so freely share.

 

I lived in Wasilla for a couple of years back in the 80's, great place!

Nice looking flame!  If I counted correctly on the test block last page that's about 160 holes?  What size are they?

And hello all!  It's been awhile, but Im still lurking around....

Thanks! It ended up being 181 1/8" holes. I just drilled what would fit to try it out. I'm not really looking forward to casting it but I can't stop now it's stuck in my head and needs to get out!

I'm thinking of making a burner with holes that size, using bamboo skewers for the mold. Even if I can't get them to pull out cleanly, I can always burn them out without dealing with the mess of melted wax.

On 4/21/2020 at 11:28 AM, JADF said:

I lived in Wasilla for a couple of years back in the 80's, great place!

It's a mite more crowded now but still not a bad place to live. Frankly anybody who's lived in Anchorage and Wasilla are pretty enthusiastic about Valley life. 

I'll be watching for pics of your forge lined and running. 

Frosty The Lucky.

On 4/23/2020 at 1:23 PM, JHCC said:

I'm thinking of making a burner with holes that size, using bamboo skewers for the mold.

This project is underway and is being documented HERE

JHCC thats a great idea and on your thread the idea of pushing them through after you pour sounds good. Just wonder how well it will work pushing the aggregate.

Just don't put a point on the sticks and they should go through pretty straight, maybe have to GENTLY tap them through but I'm pretty sure hitting things isn't an antiblacksmitherly activity.

What I'm wondering is how much release agent grease is left after a journey through the refractory. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty maybe pull out and reapply? I guess until you try it's all what if.

That won't help, the refractory is pretty fluid, pulling the skewers would result in it filling the spaces and you'd have to push them back through. Kastolite is darned sticky stuff, you can't hardly scrape it off a crayon without greasing them up first. Wiping the grease off crayons only means you have to melt them out.

Good thinking though.

Frosty The Lucky.

Dip the skewers in melted wax first and try a melt/pull for removal?

It could work though to get enough wax coating might effect the outlet diameter enough to matter. Worth a try though.

Frosty The Lucky.

I was worrying about the possible uneveness of the coating resulting in non-uniformity of the holes myself.

I'd try not to dip them that much but maybe draw it through a warm 1/8" hole and true it up?

Frosty The Lucky.

I'm thinking of letting them sit in vaseline for awhile to see if it will soak in a little. Hoping to start this weekend if my stuff gets here.

That was my plan as well, possibly thinned slightly with a bit of mineral spirits. First priority is adding the hard refractory to the new forge, though.

If you warm the skewers up before you dip them, capillarity will draw your chosen grease into the wood as it cools. I do this to get a deep oil finish on wood, warm it in the shop toaster oven set at "warm" long enough to warm the wood through. 

Do NOT assume the temp setting on any oven that isn't intended to be, dead on accurate, is going to be better than pretty close to the set temp. I test a scrap of the wood I want to treat before submitting the piece I want to finish for effect.

Test a skewer first, a little browning shouldn't hurt but you don't want them toasted.

I don't think, maybe a layer of ash would act as a release agent? I strongly doubt it but there is a world of stuff I doubt but is true and correct. Experiment so something sacrificial.

Frosty The Lucky.

Being able to tap into the brain trust on here is definitely raising the chance of success on the first try! I'm a firm believer in not reinventing the wheel!