Thread: Gas forge for heat treating?

Maybe start a new thread on the build, John?

I was going to just throw it in this thread, but I think you’re right about a new thread. I’ll just link back to this one.

How thick of insulation do you plan on having? The inside final diameter is going to be small to me.

Originally Posted by 32t

Charlie already gave a good answer. For lack of better terms you more or less thickly paint/smear it on.

The types I have used come with a layer of what seems like oil if it isn't on the top and when you get done level it out and make sure the oil covers it when stored. That will make it last longer when stored.

Satanite comes in powdered form to be with water. If you mix too much you can just let the remainder dry and use it next time. It doesn't really set until it is fired. I just went ahead and bought a 50 lb bag of it. It makes good trading fodder for other forge supplies.

I’m going to go with kast o lite and then coat that with some itc 100 knock off (Metrikote IR reflective) that I found, for more efficiency, at least for the small forge, may be too difficult to keep the temp down for the larger heat treating forge if it’s as efficient as I’ve been reading.

Just to clarify, for the burners, I don’t need a flare on exhaust side because the forge will give me the same effect?

Another topic, but it seems it will be a smaller forge for knives and razors.

Forgive me, but looking at the Mini-forge linked-to above, it has a small, half-moon intake at the bottom on the back. Makes me think.
Why cut the whole back out of your cylinder?
Might be beneficial to do something of the sort and coat the back as well?

Originally Posted by jfk742

I’m going to go with kast o lite and then coat that with some itc 100 knock off (Metrikote IR reflective) that I found, for more efficiency, at least for the small forge, may be too difficult to keep the temp down for the larger heat treating forge if it’s as efficient as I’ve been reading.

Just to clarify, for the burners, I don’t need a flare on exhaust side because the forge will give me the same effect?

A guy in our club was saying that he buys Zirconium...something and an inexpensive clay from pottery supply places that works in place of the itc 100 at much lower cost. The cast-o -lite is good, but the forge will take longer to heat up. If you're cycling a bunch of steel through the forge the extra thermal mass of the refractory is a good thing. For shorter forge sessions it's not as good. The forge cantake the place of the flare.

Tom:

I’m going to leave the back on the helium bottle, at 14” of useable depth it’s plenty deep for any current plans I have. I believe the back of Charlie’s and Tim’s forges were cut to allow for longer stock but covered up when we were using them for better efficiency.

Victor:

The reflective coating I’m using is about a 1/4 the cost of itc 100

The kast o lite is going over 1” ceramic insulation. I’m thinking of beefing up the floor a little but otherwise just going to plaster the insulation with around a 1/2” or 3/4” thickness. I may try to cast it, haven’t decided yet, either way I don’t want to make something that’s going to take forever to heat up so if that sounds like too much casting lmk.

Sounds OK.

Well ended up welding the burner to the body, hope that isn’t a no-no.