DKish Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Put this little guy together recently, but have a nagging suspicion that it could be better. Granted, this is only to hold me over until I can complete my freon tank forge. I personally like the way it can change sizes depending on the size of stock I am working with. Was able to work some cuts off of a coil spring into some straight sections to practice bladesmithing. Any questions, ideas, and/or criticism (constructive only, please) are welcome. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 To begin with, those look like insulating fire brick, BUT, obviously not the standard 2300 F overly friable (crumbling) variety, which cannot withstand thermal cycling; possibly, it is 2600 F semi hard insulating fire brick? This makes a huge difference, because the later variety is worth coating with Kast-O-lite 30 hard castable refractory, and then with a heat reflective coating. You can buy the refractory and heat reflective coating in small quantities from Wayne; a member here. If you are going to continue burning propylene, you should consider buying it in an industrial cylinder from a welding supply store Also, you could get just as much heat from common cheap propane, if you switched out your canister-mount air-fuel hand torch for a 1/2" "T" burner in a sealed burner port. I personally like your torch holding clamp, but placing the brick in drilled angles, and employing tubing for burner ports are a lot SAFER way to go. I hope you simply take this critique as helpful advise, and not as hostility to your forge choice. What are often called Two Brick forges around here, are a popular idea, which I would rather support, then drub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKish Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 Thanks for the reply, Mike. I understand where you are coming from with safety being top priority. I plan on contacting Wayne before too long to get supplies for my other forge. The propylene being used is some leftovers from work. I have a much larger propane tank that will be connected via an adapter hose. As for the clamp rig, this is just a temporary setup until I finish my freon tank forge body. When that is complete, this little guy will be for quick little odd jobs that may come along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 It is hard to beat a two gallon forge, with any kind of a good burner design mounted in it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manuel-Pagani Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Hi Dkish , I think your forge will work to start, I recommend to experiment with making your own burner. This month I finished my gas forge and y had to say that the key is the burner, I spent a lot of hours searching and learning about propane forges from Ron reil's page and then start building my own of EZ burner , it takes three attempts to susefull (it take an whole year of experience ) but the results pay the effort. I put the burner in mi experimental fire brick forge and the result surprise me, a very good forge . So the forge it self is the easy part, it can be whatever you can afford, the best and more insulating material the best but the heart is the burner, and de iddle system. Here some photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted July 15, 2017 Share Posted July 15, 2017 Well, I see a nice hot forge interior, so you are doing fine. Could you do even matter? Yes, you can always do better...for years, and years. Or, you can just be happy with what you made Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsmith Posted July 16, 2017 Share Posted July 16, 2017 built this from a borrowed idea, trailer jack supports top while reconfiguring walls of insulation brick, restackable to many different sizes, floor is hard brick two sidearm burners are run on 2 seperate regulators 2 seperate 30lb tanks not attached in picture, you can forge weld with one burner if stacked small, and easily weld biiger stuff when running both burners, pros; very efficient, much quieter than a blown gas forge, good capacity, cons; this brick is not durable, its not very portable compared to compact lightweight kaowool lined cylinder forges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKish Posted July 18, 2017 Author Share Posted July 18, 2017 On 7/15/2017 at 8:28 PM, woodsmith said: built this from a borrowed idea, trailer jack supports top while reconfiguring walls of insulation brick, restackable to many different sizes, floor is hard brick two sidearm burners are run on 2 seperate regulators 2 seperate 30lb tanks not attached in picture, you can forge weld with one burner if stacked small, and easily weld biiger stuff when running both burners, pros; very efficient, much quieter than a blown gas forge, good capacity, cons; this brick is not durable, its not very portable compared to compact lightweight kaowool lined cylinder forges That looks very nice! I really like the variable height setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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