Recommendation? Getting a swirl

[Ian Fifelski]

When I made my forge about a year ago I made it off a design on instructibles.com I have used it for heat treating a bunch and have gotten good and keeping the heat pretty even on the blade with an angled burner.

But I would like to possibly get a more even heat without having to 'pump' the blade the whole time. Can I angle my burner to make more of a swirl with my current forge without losing heat? I would have to re-position some of the ceramic wool to allow better swirling and I would need to cut the welds on my tube that holds the burner. Is the inside volume to large for an effective swirl? Could the burner kind of 'hang' in the drilled hole for the burner without attaching it?

The wool has changed a bit from in that photo. There is a piece running along the right wall and a piece around the door now. Also the burner is a bit more angled down.

 

[KnuckleDownKnives]

Your biggest issue looks like the sharp corners at the bottom. If you have any insulation left I'd cut some strips to build up the corners to round them some and get some satanite to coat the interior. you really don't want to breath the dust from the insulation and it will give you better reflection of heat.

Edit: also if you are heat treating i'd recommend a muffle.

 

[Ian Fifelski]

I have since that photo actually done those things you suggested. Well other than the satanite. It is on my priorities but still hasn't happened.

I am already thinking maybe I should just leave the burner and accept having to move the blade often to get even heat and get some satanite.

 

[Ken H>]

Do you have the muffler tube to put the blade inside of? If so, then I expect moving the blade some is going to be required.... in fact, I'd expect moving blade will be required to even heating anyway you do it.

 

[Ian Fifelski]

No, I do not have a muffler tube. I just lay the blade in the forge with the flame on the thickest part and as soon as that heats a bit then I start moving it around.