Arbalist Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Been looking at the Wash Tub Charcoal Forge threads but not seen anything like it over here so I had a radical re-think and came up with this. I managed to get this discarded steel shelf and it was easy enough to cut and bend at work. It's held together with three lengths of 10mm threaded rod. I've just drilled the end plates to take the Air Tube and test fitted it. I need to drill a line of 1/4 inch holes along the top of the tube. Shown are some hard Fire Bricks in place but I plan to make some of my own (larger) insulating Fire Bricks to line it with when I decide which recipe to use. How am I doing? Any ideas/suggestions greatly appreciated Vic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meisenmann Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Be careful with your construction. The first times you heat it up, all kinds of toxic vapours will go into the air. I do not know the material you worked with, but it looks like it is at least coated with some kind of varnish. Depending on the alloys of your material, there could be other metals than iron that take a gaseous form when heated (zinc would be a very famous metal for example). To sum it up: Careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbalist Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 Thanks for the warning. As far as I can tell the shelving is just covered in grey paint and the air tube has primer on it. Next job is to cut both end panels just above the Air Tube to get the work near the hot spot, and drill those Air holes. Also need to make a former for the Fire Bricks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Mulholland - Tetnum Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 there is a vearry high chance that it is galvinized so be cautious if white somke starts from rhe sides or bottom or it turns a weird yellow color turn it off and get away like realy away as far away as you would be if you herd the lines for a gasser hissing be safe and careful we will continue to enjoy your input sorry for the rant i have come accross to much powder coated steel that was galvinized Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 To be safe about the paint or what is under it just take a knife and give it a scratch test to see but I suspect that it is just painted mild steel. I would get some fire clay to seal the joints a little on the fire brick. Looks like an innovative idea for the materials at hand.:cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Another option is to take just the metal to a vacant area, start a fire and put it on. come back later, wire brush the ash off and use it. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 Make sure its first heat is in the open without you around!! Even if its "only" paint the fumes form that stuff are not nice that is one of the reasons why firemen wear CABA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbalist Posted October 4, 2008 Author Share Posted October 4, 2008 Ok, I've got some: Portland Cement Vermiculite Perlite Bentonite (Cat Litter) Silica Sand (Silver Sand) Anybody got a recipe using some of this stuff or do I need to go shopping some more? :confused: Vic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 (edited) go here http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/fireplace-mortar-1851/ also look under all the stickys are here thread under coal and gas forges Edited October 4, 2008 by jimbob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 I have never used any kind of liner for my forges, so I have never researched it, but look-up wash-tub forges, and they have a good recipe for mixing a liner up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbalist Posted October 5, 2008 Author Share Posted October 5, 2008 (edited) This is one recipe that's looking likely: 2 parts Clay 2 parts Silver Sand 1.5 parts Portland Cement 1.5 parts Perlite Just made a small trial brick to test. I increased the Perlite to 2 parts as it didn't seem enough for what is supposed to be an Insulating Firebrick. Soon as it's dry I'll maybe cook it in the oven then "test" it with a propane torch! Edited October 5, 2008 by Arbalist Update Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbalist Posted October 12, 2008 Author Share Posted October 12, 2008 Here it is lined. I need to let it dry for a while now ..... Vic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 That looks very nice. Perlite is only good for about 2,000f and you may need to lay a thin layer of refractory over it to preserve it. Nice work. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbalist Posted October 18, 2008 Author Share Posted October 18, 2008 Well I fired it up today and as the pictures show it certainly worked well enough. I (thought) I wanted a nice compact forge and the wash tub forge that was the inspiration for this seemed a good idea, although in fairness it is aimed at knife makers. The limitations of the design (for me at least) mean that I'm going to have to re-think what I need. The only other forge I've used was Coke fired and that certainly produced less fire scale than this one so that is a concern for me as well. Hopefully I'll be trying out a Chip Forge next week so I can see what that is like. Setup 10mm Bar fresh from the fire. Melted off end! Vic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalliferous Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Congratulations on the forge, Arbalist. That looks like a good setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hill.josh Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Thats a very pretty forge man. The scale means you don't have either a deep enough fire or too much air.. not that the forge is a bad setup. congratulations on the forge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 You need to add fuel to the fire, enough to at least fill the forge 1/2 full. This will give you a more controlled heat, use less air, which will cause less scale. Good job on the forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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