Questions about Satanite and other refractories

PIndelicato

PIndelicato

Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Messages
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Trying to finish up a forge, and I have a few basic questions about the various types of refractories. It seems the most common thing for people to do is coat their insulating blanket (KaoWool, Inswool, etc.) with Satanite, but others use various combinations of that and/or 'rigidizer' and/or ITC-100 (which I understand to be most effective but also most expensive.)

Does Satanite reflect or absorb heat?

Does it improve the efficiency of a wool lined forge, or is it really there just to stabilize and protect the blanket? If it's just there to stabilize it, why not just use 'rigidizer' which I understand does the same thing?

Also, I see some folks using ITC-100 over Satanite, while others put the ITC directly on the wool. Is there a benefit to using both?

Thanks much
 
Rigidizer makes the wool blanket firmer.It keeps the wool from collapsing under the weight of the refractory.
The Satanite is a refractory cement that insulates the surface of the wool, this keeping more of the heat in the chamber ( it does not reflect or absorb, just insulate).
The ITC-100 is a highly heat reflective coating that greatly reduces the heat loss.
My process is to use a 2" kaowool blanket. Use rigidizer to make it firm, Coat with 1/4" of Satanite.Let dry for a couple of days. Fire the forge to cure the Satanite. Coat with ITC-100. This will make a robust forge that will last a long time,.If you will be doing forge welding in it, coat the floor with bubble alumina.
Stacy
 
Thanks Stacy!

From your description above, it almost seems like you could even skip the Satanite as I imagine the ITC-100 is more effective? Perhaps the Satanite is more durable than the ITC?
 
the ITC 100 is painted on in a very thin layer. The satenite is quite durable when cured. Many people use a hard high temp firebrick for the floor of their forge if they're going to be doing forge welding in it. It takes longer to get up to temp but keeps flux from seeping through the itc100 and satenite and eating the kaowool. Molten flux hitting kaowool is like dripping water on cotton candy, it eats it away wicked fast. satenite is like clay, itc100 is like a liquidy paint.
 
Think of it as building a wall. First you put up the supporting studs, then the sheet rock, then the paint. The wool is the studs, the satanite is the sheet rock, and the ITC-100 is the paint. You can't leave any one off and still have a finished wall.
Stacy
 
new guy here and this was the closest thread i found for my question.
i'm making a forge,kind of, for heating my pool.
what i've done so far is cut the top off a 100 gallon propane tank and lined it with 2 1" layers of ceramic wool,then i applied 2 coats of satanite.
And then i left it to air dry outside during our drought like summer. Sure as hell we had a rain that night and a good portion of the sananite is sitting on the bottom.(this is an upright forge).
back to square 1
I replaced the second layer and am waiting for more sananite,itc-100 and rigidizer now.I live on Vancouver Island British Columbia and shipping kills me,think $55 to ship $15 of satanite!
I want this to be the last time i make UPS richer,so i want to do it correct.
I'll use all the rigidizer then all the satanite then all the itc-100,but with the tank being 4' deep i"d like to coat the wool with rigidizer on my bench and then install into the tank for ease.
question is,how long do i have to work before the rigidizer sets uo or hardens?

I'm using a copper coil inside the forge that water will be pumped through by the way.
sorry for the long winded post,i just want to do it correct.
dean
 
It was his first post, so I cut him some slack.

Dean,
When you find a thread, look at the date of the first post and the last couple posts. Resurrecting an old thread is not a good idea. Just post a new thread and link the old one is better.

Also, fill out your profile with your location and some info about yourself. It will help us help you.
If someone could just take a quick look and know you were in Vancouver, BC it would make for better suggestions.
 
Last edited:
sorry, i knew it was an old thread,but didn't think it was a no-no to post in it.
won't happen again.
and thanks for the answer stacey.
 
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