New gas forge is popping

[royboy47]

Purchased a small 1 burner stainless steel forge on line. Work well for me with the exception of the insulation deterioration over time so I built a 1 burner brick forge using the original burner from the first forge. I really like it. The only thing different is the position of the burner. The original burner was almost  flush with the insulation on the inside. The burner was a challenge to mount being it's  ss so it is currently recessed  maybe 3/4" into the brick. I think the brick forge gets much hotter. My dilemma is that when lit it develops a little popping. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you. 

[Mikey98118]

Judging as much from what you didn't state as what you did, your new forge is smaller than the original. For you did say that it gets hotter, and you did say you used brick. Brick suggests a box forge, which is the hardest shape to heat, so if the forge is getting hotter, the likely reason that it's cubic area is decreased.

A smaller forge is likely to call for lower gas pressures. If the gas stream coming out of the burner's gas orifice is weak enough, the burner will huff or even start back firing; especially when the burner is cold.

Or your problem may be something else, entirely. Would you like to provide more information?

[Frosty]

A brick liner will get a lot hotter than a ceramic wool liner so it's possible the fuel air flow is pre-igniting in the brick rather than burning at the opening. This isn't an issue with a refractory blanket liner, even if it's been covered with a refractory flame face, it has a much lower potential for holding heat so the flow of fuel air cools it. Brick just keeps getting hotter until it reaches the ignition temp of the flow and lights it, starting with sputtering or popping.

There could be something else going on but that's my first thought from what you've said. My opinion could change with more info, naturally.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Mikey98118]

Now, Frosty, you can't stop there

this leads right into how to carve a proper flame opening for his burner, in the brick; then put a surface coating on it...

[Frosty]

Sure I can and you can't make me talk! 

Well, I DO like to talk. . . Okay. For it to be getting hot enough to cause pre-ignition I'd have to think it's heavy fire brick so changing out to K-26 or K-28 insulating firebrick by Morgan Thermal Ceramics might be enough to stop the pop. 

Drilling the burner ports about 1/4 larger than the burner outlet will make the brick behave like a step nozzle. Or my old solution was to make a wooden cone that fit the drill motor, glue coarse sand paper to it and "mill" the burner port into a burner flare.

If you're using a Morgan IFB then a kiln wash is all the coating it needs.

Something like that Mike? Wait, what if I was wrong in my post above? If so it's your turn next time!

Frosty The Lucky. 

[Mikey98118]

Something just like that, Frosty. You were quite right in your post; especially, if would have been my turn next, otherwise...

[Frosty]