[TheForge] Chip forge

[Larry Brown]

I was thinking small ice cube trays maybe
L Brown

At 05:04 PM 3/3/2006 -0900, you wrote:
>There's been some discussion about "chip" size and material. The pictures 
>I've seen of commercial chip forges have just that, chips. They look like 
>gravel.
>
>Packing is just what you don't want; you want a fairly unrestricted flame 
>flow through the chips. Comments from people who have used chip forges say 
>it can be hard to push small or delicate work into the chips. I think this 
>is what lead to the discussion of making or buying spheres. I figured I'd 
>use a shovel to cover delicate work but there might be damage pulling it 
>out. I don't know.
>
>I've given a couple shapes some thought:
>
>Spheres will make for the least restriction in flame flow but provides the 
>least surface area/volume ratio of any shape so heat transfer in and out 
>will be minimum. Making spheres will I think be the most hassle as well.
>
>Gravel like chips will be pretty easy to produce and having a high surface 
>area/volume ratio will provide good heat transfer. Like I say making chips 
>should be pretty straight foreward. Choose the refractory of your choice, 
>ram, roll or cast it to the desired thickness, say 1/2". Let it dry, set, 
>etc. and break it up till it passes a 1/2" seive. Lastly fire them like 
>ceramic, using your chip forge of course. <grin>
>
>Two minor (maybe) drawbacks being:
>
>        1) Uniform gradation. The chips need to be pretty close to the 
> same size to avoid packing so you'll end up with waste making them by the 
> above method. Depending on the refractory you may or may not be able to 
> reconstitute it with water and repeat the process.
>
>        2) Keying. Keying means they'll lock together because of their 
> irregular broken shapes and may cause damage pushing work in and pulling 
> it out. Smoothing them a little after you break up the refractory will 
> help but not eliminate the (maybe) problem. You also wouldn't want to 
> smooth them too much or you lose surface/volume ratio.
>
>As usual there's a compromise, or at least I think so. Here's the idea I'm 
>going to try baring somebody else coming up with a good workable method, 
>source, etc. I'll use a high temp rammable refractory and hammer it to a 
>sheet 1/2" thick and then cut it into 1/2" cubes. While it's still plastic 
>I'll gently roll the corners so they're not sharp. Hopefully this'll make 
>"chips" with a good compromise between free flame flow and good surface/volume.
>
>Here's an idea for making spheres. If you use the above method to make 
>3/8" cubes and roll them between boards 1/2" apart you will end up with 
>spheres close to 1/2" dia. How well a refractory will stand up to being 
>rolled from cubes to spheres will depend on how plastic the refractory is. 
>If it works you'll be able to roll a lot of spheres at the same time.
>
>Another variation on the above process is to roll "ropes" of the desired 
>dia. and cut them to length. (I' ve been saying 1/2" but I just picked it 
>arbitrarilly and another size may be better. I don't know)
>
>Frosty
>-------------------------------
>If it ain't forged
>it ain't real.
>Wrought iron is.
>The FrostWorks
>
>Meadow Lakes, AK.
>
>http://www.artmetalradio.com/
>
>From: "Dan Brewer" <danqualman at gmail.com>
>
>
>>
>>
>>__I seen discussion about the forge but no one has mentioned the size of the
>>balls.  Do they need to be balls or irregular pieces that pack similar to
>>coal/coke.
>>Dan in Auburn
>
>__