DoubleG Posted December 11, 2020 Author Share Posted December 11, 2020 Steve! Done!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 You don't need fire bricks either. What you need is fuel over the top of your stock. Take a look at this thread and the illustration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wirerabbit Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 Good idea to get rid of the lose fiber blanket, but no worries. Sporadic exposure of a few hours over a few days to the fibers is negligible. Those of us repeatedly exposed, spending long work days over months and years, are the ones who really need to be careful with that stuff. I rarely touch that stuff without wearing my P-100. Although someone just suggested piling more fuel in the firepot, rather than topping with brick or fiber, I have seen solid-fuel forges set up pretty much like what you are doing. You should experiment and let us know which system seems to work for you and what you are doing. I have not really tried the enclosed forge (oven) and have had good luck with a nice deep coal bed, but I'm using charcoal rather than coal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleG Posted December 11, 2020 Author Share Posted December 11, 2020 Wire I used to be a potter and have used kaowool for years. I don’t really think it poses so much of a threat in the manner I used it but I like to please posters in online threads. I’m trying to refrain from piling coals on top as my chimney draw is small so I want all my coals red hot but a small amount at a time. So far she’s working perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 You may want to read this thread again. Breathing ceramic wool insulation fibers blowing in the air and landing in the lungs of you and your family can result in severe granulomas of the lungs and eventual silicosis and cancer of the lungs in any age group with the risk climbing with each exposure. This was written by a doctor treating his patients. For those that suggest "Sporadic exposure of a few hours over a few days to the fibers is negligible" and " have used kaowool for years. I don’t really think it poses so much of a threat", please show us the documentation to back up those comments. Medical reports and x-rays are a good place to start. IForgeIron is a world wide forum with over 150 countries viewing the site each month. We try to inform folks on what can happen so they can avoid exposure and or getting injured. Taking chances with your safety is your personal choice, but please do not dismiss safety issues that may put others in harms way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wirerabbit Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 Please do not mischaracterize my safety habits because you refuse to read carefully. I, in no way was suggesting the use of unencapsulated ceramic fiber. I was trying to put DoubleG (unnecessarily) at ease that his lungs were not going to fill up with phlegm after one or two exposures to his kaowool. information is readily available online from more credible sources regarding health risks associated with exposure to ceramic fibers. I do not need to cite sources for such a simple concept like one or two short duration, low level exposures to ceramic fiber is not going to give you cancer. On the other hand, dangers of prolonged exposure to refractory ceramic fibers is fairly understood and the basis of my own praxis as well as my statement: 22 hours ago, wirerabbit said: ...Those of us repeatedly exposed, spending long work days over months and years, are the ones who really need to be careful with that stuff. I rarely touch that stuff without wearing my P-100. ... Best advise is if you do not understand it, do not use ceramic fiber. Ever. Safer for everyone. If you are willing to do the work to understand the product, RCFs can be useful tools if used and handled correctly. Know you tools. Be safe. It's your job. Sound good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleG Posted December 12, 2020 Author Share Posted December 12, 2020 Woah fellas! It’s all good, everyone being helpful and keeping us newbies safe! Thank You! Moot point anyway as you can see I now have some less cancerous firebrick in its place. I used to build kilns as a younger man and I get irked by the inefficiency of an uncovered forge, this way I can get great fuel economy and high temps! Practicing on some weld steel today, cut some 4” bars and sanded and welded them, also put the Borax under my bench to use today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 With no fuel on top of the work, you will get a lot more scale formed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleG Posted December 12, 2020 Author Share Posted December 12, 2020 Thanks for the Tip IronDragon, I had no idea! I didn’t know! So how is scale not formed in gas forges with no fuel at all surrounding the metal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 That depends upon the flame from the burner. A flame that is too lean (too much oxygen) will cause scale, While a flame that is slightly rich (less oxygen) will not produce scale, until the metal is removed from the forge and is exposed to the air. Of course an overly rich flame will produce much more CO carbon monoxide which is a serious health hazard. Maybe some of the gas forge gurus will chime in and add to this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Pushups Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 Nice Forge!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 Yes the early gas forges were notorious for producing scale; which is why so many of the early burners include a choke so you could tune them to control scale. More modern systems running neutral to rich don't have that problem! This is also an issue with people trying to build forges using weedburners that have a very oxidizing flame. Ran my gasser with 2 Frosty T burners today; tuned rich as I like to do knives at times, had a strong breeze running through my open gables; but we still had the 10'x10' roll up door fully open. NO CO is GOOD CO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleG Posted December 20, 2020 Author Share Posted December 20, 2020 Haven’t made it to the local Steel supply yet but found a decent one online here in Indiana, will get out there Monday to get some good tool steel. Was playing around yesterday trying to have a go with some hot rolled steel I got from Tractor Supply. Just working with an angle grinder now, but the wife signed on to get me a Palmgreen 2x42” belt grinder for Christmas (all we can afford, and xxxx !! Those nice ones are expensive!!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 17 hours ago, DoubleG said: Palmgren* 2x42” belt grinder Ha, that's funny. I have the same one. Good progress on the knife. What are you thinking for the handle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleG Posted December 23, 2020 Author Share Posted December 23, 2020 Nice! The sander is under the Christmas tree and I’m patiently waiting! So not much progress on the knife, however after quenching I did see something odd, I ground it smooth before heat treat but I had this odd pitting once ground after quenching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted December 23, 2020 Share Posted December 23, 2020 To me it looks like you probably got it too hot before quenching - at least in the area where you are seeing the pitting/deformation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleG Posted December 23, 2020 Author Share Posted December 23, 2020 Thanks Buzzkill! I was having some trouble getting the forge back up to temp and had a hot spot in it, that would make sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted December 23, 2020 Share Posted December 23, 2020 This may very well have affected the integrity of the steel in that area. Hopefully it just caused some surface decarburization, but it's likely to be more severe than that. If you quenched right out of the forge with that part of the blade overheated you most likely have large grain structure in that area which tends to mean a weak/brittle section where it was overheated. In the future you may want to consider using a piece of pipe or steel tubing that you can put in the forge and then put the blade inside that to help with more even heat distribution and also avoiding direct flame impingement. Sliding your knife blank in and out through the hot spot will also help you attain an even heat on the blade before quenching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleG Posted December 23, 2020 Author Share Posted December 23, 2020 Excellent advice sir! Will do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted December 24, 2020 Share Posted December 24, 2020 DoubleG, there is a place called Alro Steel on Chrurchman ave. in Indianapolis. Go there. They sell drops fairly cheap and their stock is much cheaper than the hardware store. I got a 13# piece of 4140 that is 4" x 4" x 6" for $8. That is enough material to make 4 nice sized hammers or about 5 dozen knives out of. (i would not use 4140 for a knife but you get the idea) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleG Posted December 24, 2020 Author Share Posted December 24, 2020 Billy I get the idea! Great advice thank you sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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