Flux

G

Gib Guignard

Joined
Jul 8, 2001
Messages
849
How dose every one handle the pool of flux in the forge after forge welding. I get a puddle that causes trouble when I start forging after welding. I have heard of using ground clay on the floor of the forge, is this what it is used for. Gib
 
My neighbor made a stainless tray and fills it with kitty litter Gib.
Once the kitty litter gets all globbed up he dumps it out and puts new litter in.
He says that saves the bottom of his forge from getting eaten by the sludge that drips off the steel.
Michael
 
Mike Sweany has some of the new plastic refrac stuff. It is tough to get in the shape you want, but it is the best out there, thinks it is calle Bluram.
 
I use several sheets of HT foil,trimmed to fit the bottom of my NC forge, with a kitty litter (clay type) layer over it.When all fused up,just throw away and reline the bottom again.
 
I use the Don Fogg vertical type forge and just let the flux build up in the bottom, I throw a little cat litter in every so often. We call it a trash can forge, can't seem to mess it up, I clean it out about once a year or year and a half and I make a lot of steel. This one is 4 years old and is just now needing relined. It's the best forge I've ever used for welding and I've made 6 or 7 forges. You can take a look at Foggs website and see how to make one, very easy and cheap to build. Also when my billet's in the forge it's not sitting in a puddle of flux, seems to heat more even in this type of forge also.
Just my long winded .02 worth. :)


Don Hanson lll sunfishforge.com
 
If you use stainless you will need to pick the correct grade. I used some from the scrap yard and the heat totally destroyed the metal. It cooked it up and it became brital like cracker biscutes. It also what did not go brittle bent and expanded and was a pain to get out. It dod work for a few times. I now use a refractory brick on top of cat litter with a bit of a hollow in the top of the brick. I only run a small forge and only forge a couple of hours at a time. I clean it out before it has a chance to build up. Cat litter I think is just an absorbant clay. One of my forges I have a piece of 20mm thick kiln tray on top of the cat litter. All works just needs regular cleaning.

The last thing is a mate of mine makes clay dish / trays out of a special refactory clay
 
I'm with Don. When I went to gas I had a nc knifemakers forge, a very good forge. But then I built a vertical and I wouldn't use anything else. Very even heats though the entire billet, the steel is always up and away from the crap laying in the bottom and about once year like Don I just replace the bottom lining and keep going.

Bill
 
When I build my forges I put the half firebricks on the floor on top on the Inswool then fill in the gaps with kitty litter and seal it with Satanite.
 
B . Buxton said:
I'm with Don. When I went to gas I had a nc knifemakers forge, a very good forge. But then I built a vertical and I wouldn't use anything else. Very even heats though the entire billet, the steel is always up and away from the crap laying in the bottom and about once year like Don I just replace the bottom lining and keep going.

Bill
Click to expand...


Cannot find the info on the trash can forge???
 
Hey IG,
Stand that forge up and cut an opening in the side (front and back) and it should work real good ;)

Don
 
indian george said:
HEHEHE!!! Don what are you trying to say. :confused: :confused: :D
Click to expand...
IG I was just saying your forge looks real good :D laying on it's side ;)

I like the horizonal forges for blade forging but the vertical ones are the rats a$$ for welding.

Don Hanson lll
 
Bill Burke has a couple tons of flux that is ground so fine that very little is required. I dont have that problem any more.
 
sunfishman said:
IG I was just saying your forge looks real good :D laying on it's side ;)

I like the horizonal forges for blade forging but the vertical ones are the rats a$$ for welding.

Don Hanson lll
Click to expand...
Don: I never tried a vertical one. The horizonal forges are easyer to build, less holes to cut in the pipe. :D :D
 
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