Check out the Build a Gas Forge attachment at the Forge Supplies page on my web-site.  You can find the url and other contact info on my Profile page.  

Let me know if I can help you.  I prefer e-mails over PMs.

Wayne

 

Rework progress...

Okay, busted all the brick out. (2) 1" layers of IFB all the way around. Rigidized sort of. I ran out pretty quick, have some metrikote on the way. The floor of the chamber has hard split bricks that are replaceable over fire blanket. Have a beer bottle pressed in shaping the burner hole. Got some 1/16" steel sheet metal to closeup the shell.

Bought some heavy gate hinges for the front and back of the chamber and i'm going to build some doors. Have some more IFB on the way to line the doors. Trying to figure out how I'm going to make adjustable openings on the doors. Maybe use stainless pins or something. 

I'm sure I'm going to hear about something I missed. Fire away...

Question, is a castable liner more for longevity or is it going to up the heat?

I see forges running both ways.

45 minutes ago, SeniorNugg3t said:

Question, is a castable liner more for longevity or is it going to up the heat?

Mostly it's to protect the far more fragile blanket from both mechanical and thermal damage.  It's a little bit of a heat sink, but once hot it acts a little bit like a "heat battery" in that it stores some of the heat and will help bring your stock back up to forging temperature quicker than it would with just the blanket.

For the doors you may want to consider just using fire bricks that you can slide in to a channel or rearrange as needed for your openings.  A problem that can happen with steel doors is warping from repeated heating and cooling cycles.

36 minutes ago, Buzzkill said:

Mostly it's to protect the far more fragile blanket from both mechanical and thermal damage.  It's a little bit of a heat sink, but once hot it acts a little bit like a "heat battery" in that it stores some of the heat and will help bring your stock back up to forging temperature quicker than it would with just the blanket.

For the doors you may want to consider just using fire bricks that you can slide in to a channel or rearrange as needed for your openings.  A problem that can happen with steel doors is warping from repeated heating and cooling cycles.

Okay, got it. 

I had firebrick doors before. Thx

 

On 4/29/2018 at 11:26 PM, Buzzkill said:

Mostly it's to protect the far more fragile blanket from both mechanical and thermal damage.  It's a little bit of a heat sink, but once hot it acts a little bit like a "heat battery" in that it stores some of the heat and will help bring your stock back up to forging temperature quicker than it would with just the blanket.

For the doors you may want to consider just using fire bricks that you can slide in to a channel or rearrange as needed for your openings.  A problem that can happen with steel doors is warping from repeated heating and cooling cycles.

Okay, got it. 

I had firebrick doors before. Thx

 

Got the front door built and hung so now the shell is all closed up.  IFB has been rigidized and metrikote applied. Mixed a little blue food coloring with it to show coverage. 

I put a heavy coat of Metrikote on it a few days ago. It's not as hard as I thought it'd be. Actually it's quite soft and kind of chalky.

Does incrementally firing it harden it more?

I'm leaving the back open and planning on just stacked bricks for the rear wall and adjustable exhaust vent.

It's rough looking still and I haven't cleaned it up yet. Pics coming once it's more presentable.

 

Yes, firing helps harden it. If the castable is set and cured the incremental firing can be larger increments. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Okay, got hot pretty quick on first firing. Metrikote turned a light ashy gray.

Flare is still getting hot and turns orange pretty quick. How can I keep the flare cooler and still have a good flame?

Just back it up some more?

Backing it out farther is my first thought when I read your statement but the pics show the flame burning IN the flare not at the flare's end. It's a pretty good looking flame but it's burning back in the burner is should be burning in the forge instead. 

I think Mike should be addressing this one, it's his burner design so my suggestions aren't going to be the better or most direct solutions.

HEY MIKE E E E E ! 

Frosty The Lucky.

I did shorten the flare, not much difference, until I started getting flame-outs

You're using a version of a Mike Porter burner so he's the guy to make suggestions. Do NOT take my thoughts as ANYTHING BUT sort of educated skyballing. Got that? 

The flame SHOULD be holding at the END of the flare NOT in it. I'm thinking were it mine I'd pull the flare back farther on the burner if possible or make a flare that wasn't QUITE as wide.

Do NOT do those things till Mike speaks up, he's your man on this burner. I'm just a talky guy on the internet. Be patient it's Mother's DAY, he's Feteing the missus and Mother like you and I should be today. Hmmmmm?

This is only tuning the machine in the machine. Patience WILL be rewarded. This is SO MUCH like cooking. Make a little change let it simmer, and taste before you make another. Always keep in mind, the old saying, "Too many cooks spoil the soup."

You're close Brother, take it little at a time. I'm going to step back listen and and wave pom poms in encouragement. 

Frosty The Lucky. 

You did not bevel the forward ends of the burner's air openings; that's like running your car with the handbrake on and wondering what's wrong. A  cheap Harbor Freight rotary grinder with a cheap diamond encrusted rotary file can fix that in twenty minutes. Bevel the insde surface of the opening's forward ends and the outside of the openings back ends.

5 hours ago, Mikey98118 said:

You did not bevel the forward ends of the burner's air openings; that's like running your car with the handbrake on and wondering what's wrong. A  cheap Harbor Freight rotary grinder with a cheap diamond encrusted rotary file can fix that in twenty minutes. Bevel the insde surface of the opening's forward ends and the outside of the openings back ends.

Okay, I can give that a shot. Gas pressure does move the flame cone out to the flare end but only at really high pressure. Increasing air velocity can only help.

That will change once you release the handbrake. You have already done way too much work to end up with a burner poor burner.  

On 5/14/2018 at 5:05 PM, Mikey98118 said:

That will change once you release the handbrake. You have already done way too much work to end up with a burner poor burner.  

Didnt get to this point yet, but backed up the flare a bit and recessed the burner into the liner a bit more. There is a bit of flare molded into the liner. The flame moved out to the flare. Ran it about an hour. the new forge design works well so far.

 

Well, I'm seeing a pretty hot forge there. The next question is "are you happy or not?"

8 hours ago, Mikey98118 said:

Well, I'm seeing a pretty hot forge there. The next question is "are you happy or not?"

Yeah it's working good. I'm going to bevel the air intake slots like you said though.

I appreciate all the help so far gents!

There are two kinds of  decisions guys make: the kind that can be easily changed; or through the kind that ends up at "through it out and start again". There are lots of burner improvements you can still make, but none of them are vital. Your forge is getting hot enough and I don't see blue flames in the exhaust gases. Further improvements will only ease your fuel bill, so go enjoy your work. 

The next improvement you really want to work on is providing a hot-face coating to further protect your insulation and your lungs. 

On 5/21/2018 at 4:55 PM, Mikey98118 said:

There are two kinds of  decisions guys make: the kind that can be easily changed; or through the kind that ends up at "through it out and start again". There are lots of burner improvements you can still make, but none of them are vital. Your forge is getting hot enough and I don't see blue flames in the exhaust gases. Further improvements will only ease your fuel bill, so go enjoy your work. 

The next improvement you really want to work on is providing a hot-face coating to further protect your insulation and your lungs. 

Thanks Mike, Frosty, and others who helped me get going.

First project out of the forge:

Table post straps

I've got a long way to go lol

 

From the beginning I have noticed quality work in your efforts; keep on keeping on