[TheForge] Kaowool vs Soft Fire Brick

[Daniel Kretchmar]

I apologize for the misunderstanding. I was not clear about the problem.

 I have built several gas forges over the years, both self aspirating and
forced air.  The one I want to rebuild is inside a 40 lb propane tank with
a 2 inch shell of Mizzou,  a 1 inch layer of Kaowool coated with Satanite.
The bottom of the forge is 1 inch hardbrick.  The forge is about 18 inches
long.  It has two burners, each with it's own squirrel cage blower, gate
valve to control the air, and a pin valve to control the gas.  Each burner
uses is own propane tank.

The problem I am having is two fold. The hot borax has forced me to rebuild
the Kaowool layer several times.  The borax flows down along the hardbrick
floor and melts the kaowool along the edges.  I was wondering if Soft brick
would prevent this. The second problem is heat. The forge ISN'T getting hot
enough to weld larger pieces. I can weld smaller billets (12 inches long x
1 inch wide x 2 inches thick) but I am having trouble welding longer and
wider pieces.  I want to make a replica of the Sutton Hoo sword, which is
made from as many as 6 (or 12) billets, (4 billets of 7 layers each with
twists every 4 cm and 160 layers for the outer 2 edges)  The 6 billets are
approximately: 85 cm x 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm each.  I need to weld all six of
them together into a single billet.  I need to weld about 6 inches at a
time, with an overlap weld of about 2 inches each weld.  This means that I
weld 6 inches, move down the billet 4 inches and weld the next 6 inches
until I have welded all 85 cm.  My forge is not getting the billet hot
enough to weld such a big billet.  I have welded it together in charcoal,
but I want to weld it in propane

Here is pic I found online:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/f9/e2/34/f9e234b6f6e077265f6eee045ce55e8d.jpg
)

Suggestions are appreciated

Danr