Cast v Welded Firepots

[Archie Zietman]

Hello!
What are the pros and cons of cast and welded fire pots? Wear? Fragility? Cost? Wall thickness? How does one compare to the other, generally?

thanks,
Archie

[Max Mulholland - Tetnum]

i like welded because they wear well but a little faster than cast they are not fragle and they wont often shatter when dropped or when watter is involved i think they are about the same in cost unless you make it your self from a scrap pile

[FrogPondForge]

I think welded steel is tougher, and more easily repairable. It won't crack when you drop it (or drop something on it), if it does, you can weld it easier than cast. You can throw water on it without that nasty cracking sound too. Steel has a higher melting point than cast iron, probably erodes away slower as well. If you can cut and weld it, and, are lucky enough to use scrap, they are cheaper too. As I recently learned, hours add up. If you had one made, it would cost at least as much as something similar in CI. Since I have the CNC torch and a welder, I'll be making my own. I'll probably never profit from making them as a side business though. The welding and assembly takes too long. I could probably do a fair job of cutting out u-weld-it pots for folks (depending on the price of plate these days!). Alot of people have welders. MIKE

FrogPond'sDad

[John Martin]

My cast brake drum works real good, but when I have a welder and a cutting torch, I am going to fab my own up one of these days.

[Travis Covington]

I can cut one out and weld it up in less than an hour, so I would have to say it would save some cash. My first one took longer, but the next was easy.
Travis

[Arbalist]

Can I ask, would there be any difference in say the depth of the Firepot between using Coal/Coke and Charcoal?

[John B]

Not necessarily the pot in a bottom blast, the depth of the fire above the base varies on the fuel being used

[Arbalist]

Not necessarily the pot in a bottom blast, the depth of the fire above the base varies on the fuel being used

Thanks John, sorry to hijack this thread but can you expand a little on that, is the fire deeper for Charcoal?

Vic.

[John B]

Yes I think so, not a fuel I use very often, although I sometimes mix the fines with coke to help keep the fire in.

There are others on this site with far more experience on this matter than I have.

[HWooldridge]

Cast iron is a much cheaper way to make the pot than from fabricated steel so that is likely why it originated in the first place as a preferred manufacturing method. I have had both fabbed steel and cast iron pots but cannot see much difference other than clinker does not seem to stick to cast quite so readily as steel - although that may simply be my perception.

[divermike]

When our group lost our meeting place, I offered my pole barn, so we welded up 5 forges, built a vent system and got to forgin again. The welded pots are working well, but if you do some welding, understand that many types of weld, need to be peened, or work hardened in order to be most effective, this all depends on what rod you are using. The cast pots I have work equally as well, but it was a cool experience to have all the guys, cutting shaping, welding etc. and quite a sense of accomplishment!1