[TheForge] Gas Forge Recommendation

[Jeffrey Polaski]

To increase the mass, you could also throw in a couple of fire bricks...
I was given a pile of 20 or so heavy-duty 6" x 4" x 1" fire bricks. They
are quite a bit smaller than the regular full size bricks. I'm not sure
where you could get them, but, if you look around, I'm sure you'll find
some. (If you're in Southern California, I know a place to try).

There's different types of bricks. There are softer, light-weight ones
that are more insulating (and more expensive). The heavy-duty ones are a
lot heavier and take *much* longer to get up to heat. When they do, they
stay hot for quite a while. I just mention this because of the thermal
mass--the heavy-duty bricks have quite a bit more thermal mass. 

My first forge was just  brick pile with a Reil burner stuffed in one
end. The forge would take an hour or two to get all-the-way hot. After I
turned it off, I could still feel a little heat coming off it the next
morning, eight or ten hours later.

Back on the ceramic chip idea, I was thinking of cutting up some
heavy-duty brick. I think that would work pretty well for chips. I'll
either bust it up with a hammer and chisel, or maybe one of those
ceramic mini table saws would work? The chips won't be round, but I
don't think it'll matter too much.


Jeff Polaski
RGS Webmaster
(949) 824-6363

"The cow is of the bovine ilk;
One end is moo, the other, milk" 
			-Ogden Nash

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dann
Sent: Friday, July 22, 2005 7:39 AM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Gas Forge Recommendation


The ceramic thermal mass in  a gas forge sounds  interesting.

The Melon Ball  fruit tool to make up small clay / ceramic balls 
for  "heat soaking"  ceramics  forge welding in a gas forge 
...  brought up a couple thoughts for me.  One reason my little 
whisper momma forge heats up so quickly, is that essentially it  has 
no thermal mass.  The kao-wood lining  is very light stuff, but a 
good insulator.

I bought some "anti borax" for gas forge welding, but continue to 
have problems getting a gas  forge welds.

Confessions, but even with my coal forge and clean coked 
coal,  Getting consistent forge welds is a pain.

So on my "to do" list is to get some  cone 8 or so  ceramic clay, and 
make up a bunch of little melon balls.  I know that they will have to 
be super dry, and probably have to "pre bisk" them in a convention 
oven, as I don't have access to a ceramic kiln.     Figure that it 
might be worth the effort to see how the little whisper momma does 
on  some sample forge welds, with the firebox semi filled 
with  ceramic.  If not, well  I thought it sounds like a pregnant  idea.

Dann

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