[TheForge] Gas Forge Recommendation

[Keporter at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/11/2005 6:55:15 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
robi5515 at bellsouth.net writes:

Hey  Mike,
Do you have a picture or  better yet a diagram of a ceramic chip  forge.
I'm having a hard time visualizing  it.
Chuck


Chuck
There isn't very much to  visualize. Just think about the  construction of a 
regular coal fired forge, replacing the coal  with broken refractory brick 
(home made ceramic balls of castable  refractory are better), change out the 
tuyer for a refractory portal  and gas burner, and then make a few other changes, 
like making the forge body  out of heavy kiln shelving (or castable 
refractory) in order to take  the heat, and your in business. You can find photos of 
ceramic chip forges  on the Flamefast UK site, but they won't tell you all that 
much. You can also  find diagrams of ceramic ball furnaces on English and 
German sites.  The central principle in both uses is the same; hot gases rise, but  
when they rise through ceramic refractory chunks, a lot more of their heat  
remains behind. It is sort of the best of both worlds--coal fired, and gas  
fired. When turned down low, the forge can act as a brazing hearth, providing  
secondary heat for gas welding.
Is this design the be-all and end-all of forges? There ain't no such  animal. 
Wishing for the ultimate forge, or torch, or furnace is a classic  trap, 
confining imagination in a closed loop. It is better to spend a  little time 
studying the underlying principles, and build two or three different  forges for 
different tasks. This will become a necessity as fuel prices continue  to climb.
 
I will be building such a forge as part of the hot-work station for  book two 
this winter
Mike P.
 
My email  address is changing to keporter. at comcast.net effective  7/15/05