So ITC100 is thick enough to fill the cracks that have formed? (Guessing 1mm wide.) I was of the impression it only to be used as protective radiant coating without any real structural rigidity.

If so, that's great news!

Just ordered a half pint. Thank you!

Yes, the new formula is thick enough to repair cracks. I bought some of the new product to check it out, because their new product system is likely to become important; possibly even standard, and for $15 I couldn't afford to maintain my ignorance

You are suppose to thin the product with water, to use it as a coating,but note that you want to wet the surface to be repaired first, to insure good adherence.

Understand that I do not expect the new product to do a better job of heat reflection than the old product did, without modification. We are back to your original circumstances. You state that you can't find Plistix or Kast-O-lite 30 in five pound packages right now. The new product can be used to make repairs, and then to coat the forge, forestalling the need for further repairs, yet will now allow Plistix or Kast-O-lite 30 to be used over it later on. What more could you ask for fifteen bucks?

I ran a test the other day, starting the forge and ran it a short time without the fire brick. (The cracks had already formed.)

Without the brick inserted, I had to crank the regulator almost wide open to keep a steady flame. Even then, the forge took much longer to show any signs of heating up. With the brick (aka) heatsink inside it's reducing the open volume (216 cuin) of my forge by around 1/3. Still plenty for what we're using it for at the moment.

I realize there are better options out there for doing the same thing, but it's a pretty steep learning curve between dialing in the forge for effectiveness and efficiency, mounting the anvil, procuring forging tools and safety gear, grinding equipment and learning to move hot steel!

All input is greatly appreciated. Sometimes its difficult to prioritize things when just starting out. (Especially for someone like me who tends to obsess over every single detail.)

Edited January 9, 20233 yr by LeeHene
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3 hours ago, LeeHene said:

Without the brick inserted, I had to crank the regulator almost wide open to keep a steady flame. Even then, the forge took much longer to show any signs of heating up. With the brick (aka) heat-sink inside it's reducing the open volume (216 cuin) of my forge by around 1/3. Still plenty for what we're using it for at the moment.

If you're better off with the brick than without, than leave the brick--for now.

How much attention to pay to internal area reducing efficiency isn't an absolute; that is to say once again..."circumstances alters cases"

It will take some time and effort, but once you have proper external baffle walls, and a good re-emission coating on all internal surfaces, and on the surface of the baffle wall(s) that face toward the forge opening(s), you will find that "the square of the distance" loses much of its power to diminish.

This is all a process. Don't get in a hurry, or in a fret.

Thanks a bunch!

I found Plistix on Amazon and I bucked up for a 55# bag of kastolite from PMC. I have future plans for a melting pot down the road so the big bag will be used.

I'm only jumping in to maybe ease your mind a little, slow down like Mike says it's a process and takes time. The ONLY thing rushing guarantees is your mistakes will become unrecoverable sooner. You're actually doing fine, learning from other's mistakes and trying things as you go really flattens the learning curve. It isn't likely to turn it into a paved highway but it flattens it significantly.

Frosty The Lucky.

Yeah; what he said

My 100 HT was delivered today. The (online) application instructions from ITC state something like let it dry 24 hours and then heat below 600⁰F for six hours. Granted, the instructions seemed to be geared toward very large kilns.

How do you guys cure it before use?

 

 

 

The ITC-100 product I used decades back had nothing in common with this product. today's ITC-00 should probably be handled pretty much like any hard cast refractory coating. As to their instructions, you need to remember that this product is meant to be sold as part of a complete system of two or more products that form a finish coating. I intend to use it with the same care--and no more--than I would use for Plistix 900. Why? Because it probably is no better than Plistix, and my readers aren't going to put up with any extra cost or inconvenience to use it.

So let it dry overnight then fire it up for a couple minutes? I'm not sure what is normal.

I'm starting to hit information overload where a lot of stuff runs together.

(Tomorrow I'll probably be recalling I need to mix the stuff with a 2hp VFD controlled motor running 3400rpm until it reaches 1550 to 1650⁰F with a slightly rich, non oxidizing flame. -lol)

Forge and firebrick have been coated, now I wait...

You whetted down the old surfaces first, right?

Yes sir!

Lee, In the last pictures you sent it looks like the bottom of the burner is in the forge below the insulation, it should be inside the insulation, not in the forge. 

Thank you for pointing that out. The reason is because somehow the fiber blanket ended up not being even around the burner port after I applied the coating. The hole is just big enough for the pipe to come out. Any refractory added to the edges of the hole would be a partial blockage. At the same time, I'm afraid to back the burner off without something to protect the glass fiber.

 

More and more, I wish I'd built a forge rather than buying one.

Whatever you do, there will be second thoughts. Not everything needs to be "this or that." I recommend cheating, if you're dissatisfied.

Just because you bought your forge doesn't stop you from changing to be more to your liking. While working on it, you can be using it too; can't do that when starting from scratch

Very true, thank you for the encouragement. The 100HT is partway through drying. I'm already seeing cracks starting where they had already formed in the original coat. Is that anything to be concerned about?

After today I have to work through the weekend. Guess I'll let it dry naturally until Monday.

39 minutes ago, LeeHene said:

I'm already seeing cracks starting where they had already formed in the original coat. Is that anything to be concerned about?

I don't know whether it is or not. Haven't used the new formula yet.

Lee, you can take a half moon file and trim back the refractory to enlarge the hole then coat the inside to seal the glass fiber. Wear a mask while doing it.  My volcano forge was sputtering on low pressure and I raised the burner another 1/4 inch and cured it  

 

Ok, I saved a little bit of the coating, just in case. I'd have ordered the pint size container if I had it to do over again. It applies a lot like the Hellcoat 3000. Certainly a different blend though.

I mixed it to the consistency of very thick latex paint, as per what I read on another post. Maybe that was for the old formula. Probably a mistake on my part, as the label specified one part water to two parts 100HT.

Yes, but did it specify by weight or by volume?

LeeHene: When you bought it, you bought the right to do with it as you please. You can turn it into a bird house or an art deco planter if you wish.

The cracks in the hard refractory are transferring through the ITC-100, yes? That isn't unexpected the kiln wash is bridging over a gap and is thinner than the hard refractory under it. When it heats up the expansion forces of the refractory conduct mechanically to weak points like that little thin bridge over the cracks. 

Some products like Plistex are strong and sticky enough to fill and cement cracks together but you have to get it to the bottom of the crack and even then the original refractory may fail at the bond and voilA'! crack's back. 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

I tried packing it into to cracks but there's only so much that ya can do. Biggest thing is I don't want it to release fibers while my boy is using it.

I realize I'm OCD. That's also why my projects turn out awesome  ...eventually anyway. Thank you for baring with me as we get started.

4 hours ago, Frosty said:

You can turn it into a bird house or an art deco planter if you wish.

Na; it won't do for a bird bath, but I could see it as an Art Deco planter

Only blossoms in hot color, right?