[TheForge] Ceramic Chip Forge Workshop?

[David E. Smucker]

This maybe of no help, since I can't direct you to a source but ceramic 
balls / chips made of pure alumina  (aluminum oxide) are very common for use 
in some process industries.  In the metals, molten metals is "filter" 
through such material with the addition of fluxing gas.  In chemicals, they 
are use in many distillation columns.  Search on alumina balls -- then find 
an industrial distributor in your area.

Dave Smucker
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bruce Freeman" <FREEMAB at pt.fdah.com>
To: <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 9:50 AM
Subject: [TheForge] Ceramic Chip Forge Workshop?


Mike,
That sounds like an interesting idea.  I like working with coal except for 
the mess and the smoke, and a ceramic chip forge sounds good.  If a castable 
refractory could be used for the "chips", then it might be feasible.  (I 
don't know where we'd come up with ceramic chips, otherwise.)

As to the workshops we've held in the past:  We used a simple cylindrical 
design, 12" dia x 12" long, with ceramic wool insulation  (8#/cu.ft.), 2" 
thick.  On the bottom we used castable refractory to make a "table" to 
suport the work.  There was about 1" of ceramic wool beneath this.  A ~1" ID 
tube welded to the side of the forge, and equipped with a thumbscrew, holds 
the burner in place.  The burner is the Beinstock Burner, designed by 
Marshall Bienstock as an improvement to the "Aussie Burner". 
http://www.frontiernet.net/~gnreil/close.jpg

Marshall built jigs for the manufacture of the burner.  For both workshops 
he and others have prepared ahead by doing much of the cutting work before 
the day of the workshop.  The greatest delay in the workshop is letting 
castable refractory set up.  Participants have to be given instructions on 
how to use the forge and how to condition the refractory by slow heating on 
the first use.

Bruce
NJ

>>> Keporter at aol.com 7/12/2005 2:57:48 PM >>>

In a message dated 7/12/2005 11:43:43 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
FREEMAB at pt.fdah.com writes:

Mike,
The first event was a number of years ago.
I'm not  sure what you would want described - the forge or the  workshop?
Bruce


The workshop of course, you're going to build my forge, right? :-)
Actually, I think your next building party should do something new--a
ceramic chip forge perhaps (if you can get people to agree on a size, I 
would be
willing to throw in a little help. The east coast isn't all that far 
away--by
mail. We could work up a prototype, and then you could have a  build-fest 
for
anyone who wants to copy it. Probably, the forge should be fairly  small, as 
I
think it best suited for billet work and brazing. I'm  trying to design one
that can be spun like a turn table for brazing work (tool  greed is such a
complicated thing :)
Mike P.

My email  address is changing to keporter. at comcast.net effective  7/15/05
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