Firepot Question

[John Martin]

I have a few questions in regards to firepots, what is the minimum thickness it should be, and if it is to thin, what kind of clay could you use to make it "not to think" . My welding teacher is helping me make a forge, since I don't have a welder yet. The pot dimensions will be 5 inches wide by 12 inches long x 3 inches deep.

So basically....

Minimum thickness of a firepot, and if it isn't that thick, what kind of clay to use to make up for the thiness.

Could you use a small tire rim for a firepot with clay in it.

Edited July 14, 2008 by m_brothers

[civilwarblacksmith]

I personally would not make the firepot any thinner than 1/4". With a 1/4'' firepot as long as the forge is not used day in and day out at 8 hours a day, you shouldn't have to line it with anything.

Any thinner, you will have to line it with a refractory clay or cement.

[welder19]

My first fire pot was made with a car wheel and worked fine for quite a while, like Reb said 1/4" should be fine but if you had 3/8" or 1/2" would be better, anything less than 1/4" I would line it with clay, kaolin would probably be best but really any type of fire clay will work, you can get it at a pottery/ceramics supply, add sand also.

welder19

[blksmth]

M, you may have a reason to make the fire pot the size you mentioned, but for general work I would want it larger. The Centaur, Sofa, and Laurel Foundry rectangular fire pots are all ( measured at the inside of the top) about 9 inches wide, 13 inches long, and about 4 inches deep. I prefer a 4 1/2" deep fire pot myself. The hole for the clinker breaker or grate would be approx. 3 inches in diameter and the air inlet assembly would all be made of 3 inch round or square pipe. You can see a drawing of one at MILD STEEL FIREPOT Hope this helps, Dick