[TheForge] Re: Kaowool

[Jerry Frost]

For small chambered furnaces like we (generally) use, say 4 cu/ft and under 
you're exactly right.

Large furnaces on the other hand suffer terribly from cooling and refiring; 
shrinking and expanding cause ruinous deterioration. This more than the 
economics of the extra fuel necessary to heat the refractory is why they 
don't shut big furnaces down except to rebuild them.

Frosty
-------------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.

http://www.artmetalradio.com/

From: "Bruce Freeman" <FREEMAB at pt.fdah.com>



> The only reason I know of for keeping any hot chamber running
> continuously is that the refractory lining takes so long to reach
> temperature that it accounts for a major use of fuel.  This is even true
> for a blast furnace.
>
> If we had a perfect insulator with very low thermal mass, then we could
> turn on and off a forge in minutes.
>
> Needless to say, I vote for Kaowool.
>
> BTW, I consider the hazards folks attribute to Kaowool to be
> overstated.  But that's another issue.
>
> Bruce
> NJ
>