[TheForge] Strengthening castable refractory

[Marc Godbout]

Norm asked me off-list about the refractory I'm using and I thought I'd
also answer here in case others were wondering.

My refractory came from a refractory contractor in Woburn, MA, called
Cutter Northern Refractories. The refractory guy near my house didn't
have any insulating stuff in the temperatures I needed. Luckily someone
I know works almost in Cutter's back yard. One thing I didn't want to do
was have this shipped.

I paid about $40 for a 50lb bag. I also got the SS wire from them,
although it looks like I won't use it for this project. Cutter's website
is www.cutternorthern.com but it's not much more than a contact sheet.

The label on the bag says Mt Savage Specialty Refractories,
www.mtsavage.com and their website is even less informative. I am
sending them an email to get some technical specs on the stuff. Luckily
they have the mixing instructions on the bag.

A couple other things about my forge design. This arched roof is going
to be able to be raised so that I can re-arrange the insulating
firebricks that hold it up. I'm finding that my current 4" X 6" opening
is good enough for most of what I do, but difficult to impossible for
other projects. Just making a 3-legged candle stand takes lots of
finagling. Maybe I'll put together a coal forge some day, but that's
impractical in my shop.

With the new forge, it's higher ceiling I can let me do a lot more. If I
move the opening from the front to the side, I can get up to an 18" wide
opening. Well, that's the plan, anyway. I'm also spending an inordinate
amount of time making it fancy. What the heck - it's just a hobby.

I've been taking pictures and notes along the way. I just need to put
them on my website.

-Marc


-- 
Marc Godbout
http://www.ironringforge.com

New England Blacksmiths Membership Director
http://www.newenglandblacksmiths.org