What is one thing you wish you added to your current forge or current foundry furnace before building it?

[Ryanw]

I'm currently building a foundry furnace for melting metals. So im curious, what is one feature, design choice, change from common design, or idea, that you wish you added while you were making your current setup. 

Or what is an existing change you made previously that you really liked and you think other people would benefit from. 

For example. My forge works great, but I wish I made the doorways longer and more insulated. 

 

[Frosty]

That's an easy one. I wish I'd made the changes I learned this one needed.

Building forges, especially propane forges, is an exercise in evolution. It doesn't matter how much you read and listen to others, when you start building your own you discover things you'd do differently next time and you do.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Ryanw]

What are some examples of changes you wish you made?

I definitely agree that it evolves, my forge has evolved a lot since the first one. 

Im interested in hearing specific design choices some people choose over others. 

 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Comparing a forge for heating steel and a furnace for melting metal is like comparing apples to oranges.

[Frosty]

Ryan: I don't want to be a spoil sport but if you want to catalogue specific changes folk make to their forges, Iforge has several thousand pages discussing propane forges, what worked what didn't what we did about it, etc. Same for propane burners. 

I'm more than happy to answer folks questions, make suggestions, etc. to specific questions and or problems, lots of the guys here do.

However if you want a list of specific changes, improvements, etc. we've made to forges over the years I suggest you not ask US to do it for you. Instead get a comfy chair beverage and snacks a notebook and start reading the propane forges and propane burner sections. 

Frosty The Lucky. 

[ThomasPowers]

So would suggestions for systems melting 500 pounds at a time be appropriate; or ones melting a couple of ounces?  (If a couple of ounces I would suggest an induction furnace!)   Will you be working by yourself or will you be able to use 2 person tools for lifting, transporting and pouring the crucible?  Will you be melting platinum or gallium?

This is another "I need a vehicle what should I get?  But I won't tell you if it needs to cross open water, transport 15 people, haul 15 tons of gravel or reach the International Space Station!"     Details make all the difference!