molten scale buildup on gas forge floor

[Domnu]

I am starting to get tired of the pool of molten scale that sits on the floor of my gas forge. When forgewelding the scale runs off the pieces and collects in the bottom of the forge together with som of the borax it then gets stuck to other pieces I am working on. i scrape out my forge from time to time and replace the bottom firebrick when it gets all too nasty. Do you guys have trouble with this aswell? I am wondering if there is a better solution, like cutting slots in the bottom firebrick for that stuff to collect in so my workpieces aren`t bathing in it or putting ceramic chips or coke in the bottom of the forge instead of firebrick...

[Frosty]

Do you scrape it while it's still molten? The borax and any silicates that are so sticky, I made a little hoe shaped scraper to help keep the floor "cleanish."

Recently I experimented with soap stone marking "chalks" to hold my work off the forge floor. In part this was to allow the flame to circulate under the work to help heating. It also helped keep the work out of the pool of molten goop in the cupped part of the split fire brick floor directly under the burner. 

Yes, the split, 3,000f hard fire brick I used as the floor in that forge has actually melted about 1/2" deep under the burner and turns into a pool of super sticky goo and I've tried a number of ways to remove it or prevent it forming. I changed out the split bricks and kiln washed it with ITC-100 to no avail.

The best way I found to mitigate the goo pit was to stir in bentonite clay immediately after shutting the burner off and scraping it as clean as reasonably possible. I tried fire clay at first but bentonite works better.

For what it's worth, there's still a sticky goo pit under the burner.

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

Having a tray of clay kitty litter has been used to collect flux and scale when forge welding.