Subject: [TheForge] Strengthening castable refractory

Fri Aug 22 13:12:02 2003

Thanks, Tom. I'll give them a call about the needles.

Another thought. Someone else mentioned using bricks. I've already got the 
castable, but now I'm thinking of putting in expansion joints. When casting, I 
could insert some thin cardboard dividers running the entire length of the 
shell. The cardboard would just burn out during the curing. 

Would that even be necessary with the needles?

-Marc

Quoting "Thomas A. Troszak" <[email protected]>:

> > From: Marc Godbout <[email protected]>
> > Date: 21 Aug 2003 22:17:02 -0500
> > Subject: [TheForge] Strengthening castable refractory

> Dear Marc,
> 
> The people who sell the refractory should be able to supply you with
> stainless steel "needles" for reinforcement, they are usually 4-5 dollars
> per pound. Add 1-2 pounds of needles per bag (50-80 lbs.) of refractory to
> the dry mix, and you are good to go. They make the resulting refractory
> tough like straw in bricks.
> 
> I have used insulating castable refractory (reinforced with stainless
> needles) to cast furnace roofs that span as wide as 4 x 6 feet, in a flat
> slab, suspended from a steel frame by floating stainless J hooks cast into
> the slab. Works great.
> 
> The most important crack prevention is to simply mix the refractory using
> the absolute minimum water necessary, and cure it well at low temp. before
> firing.
> 
> Tom Troszak  
> 
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