another forge question

oldold442

oldold442

Joined
Dec 11, 2006
Messages
154
actually, several questions.... i have an empty 30lb freon tank that i think may be a good size for my first forge. it will probably start out as propane, and later maybe waste oil fired. it is about 9 inches across, and i was thinking of using castable refractor. cut off the top, by the valve, about 4 inch wide,and while standing upright, insert a 2 liter soda bottle filled with water, and then pour the refractory in it while keeping the bottle lifted a couple of inches off the bottom. should have about 2 1/2 inches on each side, and the bottom. i figure, i could also insert a 2 inch pipe before casting for the burner inlet. would it work? what kind of refractory to use? where can i get it? anythiing iin middle Georgia? sorry for the long thread. and thanks
 
Go to the ABANA web site and find the link to Ron Reil's website ...I used his plans for my forge and it turned out real well!
 
http://www.abana.org/ronreil/minifor1.shtml

Here's a link to Ron's freon tank forge build. Darren Ellis is in Knoxville, TN and has flat rate shipping on refractory. It may be cheaper to buy enough kaowool and a little bit of castable to do your forge up. Full castable is wonderful but if this is your first forge you'll most likely not like it after a bit and wind up building another or 10 like the rest of us ;) so might as well save a bit of money.
 
oldold442, I have a few R22 freon canisters that I thought about using but because of the fazine gas (forgive the spelling) I made one out of a hellium tank instead. I had a birthday party for my daughter and had bought one of those kits with the balloons and tank. It is 14" around lined with kao-wool and refractory cement. Two burners in the top and two thin fire bricks in the bottom. I cut the top off of it so to close it in alittle I used firebricks across the front with approximately a four inch opening. Works great! Make sure to paint the outside with high temperature paint. Good Luck!
 
would 1 inch of inswool be good for a 9 inch cylinder, or would that be too much volume ? thinking of using just one forced air burner. also, for forging/welding would it be better to use castable for the bottom, or firebricks? would the firebricks lay on top of the inswool, or directly on the shell?
 
I like 1 in. kwool with an 1in. of rammable refractory for the bottom, over the kwool and moldable over the kwool or the wet blanket type Kwool on the top of the forge, thats the best compromise between fast heat and durability that I have tried.

Using the moldable increases my temps i the forge at the same settings.

The rammable is more durable than the wool and holds up to flux, i use either bluram of APGreen 8500 I think it was.

A bit of rammable around the burner inlet is a plus also.
 
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