grimcat27 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I am having a lot of trouble trying to make a cast-ablemold-able refractory. I am on a tight budget and don't have much for natural resources here in central Florida. If someone can give me some ideas for formulas I can use with either cheaply bought, savaged, found or harvested component. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Check the early blueprints for info on forgees,,think there is something that may help you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grimcat27 Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 By the way dos anybody know what kind of refractory is used in the bottom of a fireplace or around the flew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petersenj20 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 (edited) Check this page out. Doesn't get much cheaper than adobe recipe.http://64.176.180.203/washtubforge.htm Quick and simple is 1 part fireclay, 1 part sand and 5-10% water. Some people use Perlite and fireplace cement like rutland, both at Ace hardware, but is a bit spendy for the cement. Edited February 4, 2009 by petersenj20 Added link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 What kind of forge are you building? If it's a solid fuel forge, charcoal or coal almost anything will do, even kitty litter or compacted wood ashes. If on the other hand you're talking a propane forge most home made refractories won't hold up at all well. I know I spent a couple hundred $ trying to make my own when I could and later did buy a super duty rammable refractory for just a bit more than a bag of fire clay. Shipping might be the deal breaker though, I know it counts heavily in my case. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgtwister Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 i know if you are thinking about buying refractory i got 2 50 pound pails from mcmaster carr shipped to my door for like a hundred bucks and that was 3000 degree refractory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markh Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 google refractory supplier there in your town. A lot of time they have to throw out or discount out dated supplies. these supplies are just fine for us but do not meet industry standards for freshness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welder19 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 If you want to do it as cheap as pos. then your gonna have to find what you can locally, cause no matter how cheap of a product you buy the shipping will get you. If you can, find a pottrey/ceramic supply, they will sell some commercial refractory's but if they are still too much for you then get a hight temp clay, I prefer to use EP Kaolin, which comes from FL so it should be even cheaper for you. Get some fine grog or if you want to stay even cheaper then you can go with silica sand which they will alos sell there, you can go about 50/50 clay/grog or sand and as little water as pos, just enough to make the clay bond nicely, which you will be able to tell as you mix, the more water you use the longer and slower it will take to dry and fire it. You should be able to find EPK for $7-$10 a 50lb bag and it can withstand 3000F no problem. These guy's are in FL, I don't know where in relation to you though,Raw Materials: Ball Clays at Axner.com welder19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grimcat27 Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 I was thinking a brake drumrotor. With a 55 gallon drum for a main body. And do you think I can use crushed up bricks, clay pipe or the clay from a clay road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
element Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Check out the 55 forge yet? Its in the blueprints. You can use any clay as long as its dry before firing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyvern Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 as for refrac I use the cheapest all clay kitty litter with a little portland cement it gives it a little more plasticity avoid perfume or the green scent crystals they may contain metal impurities that may oxidize and get caught up in your work ,and I second that on the cure of the clay if you can't heat it a little 'give some quality time with a dehumidifier in a closet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grimcat27 Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 Up date I can (for now) only find pearlite, sand (backyard),silica sand (kitty litter),red clay(brick, clay pipe), ash, silica furnace cement, cement(Hydrophilic and portlend). Thats all I can find or make. I made a patch for my old way to small forge with 2 parts clay 1 part silica sand 1 part ash 12 part Hydrophilic cement. Wateing for it to cure hope its more durable then just the silica cement that I burnt thrue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welder19 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 You don't really have to use any refractory for that type of forge, my first solid fuel forge I made was a truck wheel with the holes welded up and the air coming up through the center with a plate with holes drilled in it to keep the fuel from falling down in the tyuere. The fire pot I use now is made out of 1/2" plate and doesn't have any refractory either. welder19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grimcat27 Posted April 2, 2009 Author Share Posted April 2, 2009 oops kitty litter is Bentonite clay not sillica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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