[TheForge] OT biodiesel

[Keporter at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/30/2005 8:17:57 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
robi5515 at bellsouth.net writes:

I'd like to  hear from anyone who uses an atmospheric propane burner of any 
design that  actually has accurately measured a forge temperature hotter than 
2500  F-
with out usig auxilliary O2,  compresser air or a blower  boost.
Chuck



Chuck
Accurately measured with what? If you're looking for scientific proof,  I 
don't think you're going to find a blacksmith investing in that kind of  
equipment out of simple curiosity. Even my own curiosity doesn't cover that  kind of 
money. An IR thermometer costs about $100 for a thousand degree range;  by 
sixteen hundred degrees the unit is $500. Whatever you plan to  measure 
twenty-five hundred degrees with is going to be quite expensive. I  believe at that heat 
you will be dealing with UV sensors attached to  computers running special 
software. You could order a Tempilstiks® marker crayon, but they only go up  to  
2500--not beyond it. Then, there would be  the problem of shielding it from 
the flame...
    However, you can find a fellow casting chrome steel  (that takes more 
like 2800 degrees to reach pouring temperature) in a furnace  run with nothing 
more than an old fashion Reil type burner. You can look it up  on his web site). 
Most blacksmiths use ceramic fiber in their forges, which  is only rated to 
2300; if you're looking to find out anything about higher  temperatures, you 
need to involve your self with foundry work; try Hobbicast,  (aYahoo newsgroup).
Michael Porter