[TheForge] Re: forge design

[Chuck Robinson]

Hey Ralph,
Yes it holds up pretty well. Any reasonable arch or dome seems to work .
If you drill the screw holes in the shell slightly over screw body diameter,
you can easily replace any screws that deteriorate.
If you knock a piece of wool off the sides or roof  of the forge, it can
easily be replaced by saturating a chunk of wool in satenite slurry and
stuffing it into the gap with a pair of tongs with the gas idling. The
repair takes less time than it takes me to write about it.
I also found that making the shell from Stainless steel not only makes it
corrosion resistant but also makes it very easy to see areas of the forge
that need extra insulation or repair. The vivid oxidation colors  don't lie.

When I used to visit the gigantic Blacksmith shop at the Yokosuka Naval Base
in Japan, they had about 40 diesel fired forges that ranged in size from a
small dog house  to one that would hold a 1 ton truck.
Most of the forges had the same basic shape- a rectangular box with a arched
roof.
The front wall, with the burner located in the center, was higher than the
opposite wall.
This gave the arched roof a lopsided tilt. ( I'm sure it was designed that
way to improve flame efficiency.)
The sides hade large arched openings that could be made smaller by stacking
fire brick in the openings.

If I can find a photo I'll send it to you.
Chuck
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ralph Sproul" <brhlbsmt at mcttelecom.com>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 6:53 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: reducing fuel costs by improving forge
efficiency.


> Thanks Chuck, this is another good approach.  I remember reading a
workshop
> you fellows had that you did this option of the screws..........so it
holds
> up well ehh?
>
> Just curious if you've tried a domed lid?  What radius did you use......or
> was a just part of an arc?
>
> Ralph
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chuck Robinson" <robi5515 at bellsouth.net>
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Monday, August 02, 2004 12:55 PM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: reducing fuel costs by improving forge
> efficiency.
>
>
> > Hey Ralph,
> > Doming the forge top works better than a flat top in both castable and
> > inswool refractory.
> > I use the casting needles in the castable/ ramable refractory, and S/S
> wall
> > board screws in the Inswool. I space the screws about 4 to 6 inches
apart
> > over the whole surface of the metal skin.
> > Make sure the screws are about 1/2" shorter than the inswool thickness
and
> > coat the screws with satanite before pushing them into the inswool.
> > Chuck
> >
> >
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