Bitmor Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Hello all. I have been browsing and trying to find just a general answer for the question, “How thick should the ceramic blanket be?” i have been looking around I’ve seen for sale anything from 1/2” to 2” blankets. I am repurposing an old #40 propane tank into a forge. I will be cutting a small rear access and a door up front with a shelf to rest fire bricks. What thickness should I be using and would this be a two burner project in your opinion? thank you for your time!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Well the number of burners depends a lot on how large they are/what type they are; which you don't mention. How thick should the insulation be in the attic of your house? It's a question without a single answer and depends a lot on various parameters specific to the case. I like 2 x 1" layers as you can replace the "wear layer" cheaper/more often; but if it will be dedicated to billet welding then a thicker layer covered with a thick flux resistant coating would make it much more efficient to run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 20 gallon tanks are about the biggest that are advisable. Two-inch wall thicknesses are usual, but I would go with three inches in such a large forge. Don't use more than one-inch thick layers at a time or you will find them nearly impossible to keep anywhere near uniform/manageable. Rigidize and fire each layer before laying the next one, to fit collective errors from building up. You will need two 1" burners eqaually spaced at one-third distances on the shell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Check out the Build a Gas Forge attachment on the Forge Supplies page of my web-site. You can find the url and other contact info on my Profile. This attachment calls for 1" of ceramic blanket and 1/2" of Kast-0-Lite over coated with Metrikote or Plistix infrared reflective product. I have not built a forge with 2" of ceramic blanket, however, with my forge after forging all day I can still touch the outside. Let me know if I can help you. I prefer contact by e-mail. Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitmor Posted May 23, 2018 Author Share Posted May 23, 2018 Thank you everyone!! I am going to make some adjustments according to your suggestions and knowledge. I will let you know how it goes. I will be cutting down my 40 lb tank to something smaller. Thank you for your help once again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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