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Making a forge/foundry

NIbbles

NIbbles

 Do not play around with the forge. Take caution when building and using. sweep all burnable debris 5 feet away and use on concrete. molten metal will cause 3rd degree burns and even when aluminum has harden it will set paper on fire instantly. put the ingots in cold water and wait until the water stops boiling to pick it up( the ingots will bring water to an instant boil). Use steel tongs, eye protection, and welding gloves while using the forge. Also have a bucket of water close by, if fire goes were it shouldn't  I have made 3 forges so far and this is the one I am staying with. I have used multiple techniques and found the flaws in them to make this monster.The forge I am making can be run by propane or wood, and is made out of a 20 gal steel trash can. you can use any size, but I like a 20 gal because it is big enough for any graphite crucible but is not too big. The first thing you want to buy is some crack resistant cement and it should say on the back (reinforcing fibers). Next you need lots of Perlite. This is the white Styrofoam found in potting soil(perlite is made of puffed mica). you should find this inside a hardware store next to the gardening section. Perlite is used as an insulator for the forge and space for the cement to expand into so it does not crack. Perlite is used in a lot of pizza ovens as an insulator and can stand high temps. Today I just finished making the bottom and will make the rest Thursday. (by the way the mix is 60% Perlite to 40% cement. it does not have to be exact)
 
list of materials: 
 
 
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if you are using wood as a fule (warning more dangerous in my opinion because it will through hot ember and ash into the air)
1 inch steel pipe
1 inch pvc pipe
1 inch slip adapter with thread on one side
hair dryer
 
 
 
 
 
if you have any questions just ask. I am making this if any of you are interested in building a forge or if you just want to know how to build one. this forge can melt brass, copper, aluminum, and anything under the melting point of steel. it get to around 2000 degrees F just below steel. BE CAREFUL IF YOU BUILD ONE! they are heavy(mine will be 80+ lbs) and fire is not to be messed with
 

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first step for making the bottom is put some bricks in the bottom. these are for filler and you don't need them but they will help you save materials.
 
then fill the bottom with a mix of 60% perlite and 40% cement. this does not need to be perfect. yo will probably be fine using 50 50 mixture. for the 20 gal I used about 19 cups of perlite and 13 cups of cement.  add water a little at a time. it should be able to clump together but you can break it apart(sort of like cookie dough)
 let this set for 24 hours in a war environment (helps speed up process )
 
I would use a stick to mix it because I have got some nasty cutts in the past.
 

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 I added way too much water here but it should be fine. the bottom does not need to be perfect, but the walls and lid do. the mix should be 1 inch above the bricks if you are using them.
 
Edmick said:
Please don't burn your parents house down..
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I won't i just edited a warning at the first post. I take it very seriously. Also I do it under adult supervision. I always have a water bucket near by, put it on our brick "patio" that is 4 meters by 3 meters and sweep away all burnable items. also I wet the bricks and make sure everything is flame resistant. I wear a leather jacket an 2 pairs of jeans next to the forge. that was mainly when I used  a wood forge which blows hot embers and ash all over the place. that is why i have switched to propane so it is "safer" Also DO NOT PUT THE PROPANE TANK NEXT TO THE FORGE!!! I put mine more than 5 feet away. If tank ruptures it will take off like a rocket or explode and when the propane is mixed with oxygen it will catch fire.
 
here is a pic of a small ingot i made from aluminum before my steel crucible i made oxidized and melted. GET A GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE!
 

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I have done this 3 times this is my 4th. Itake this very seriously and don't play around. I know the risks and you can see some of the things I do to stay safe. I do a lot more than that and will probably tell you guys all the safety things I do when I finish. Also I am a boy and don't stair at my phone(I don't have one). My dad is a chemistry professor and I love doing projects with him. my dream is to go to MIT and major in mechanical engineering and work at NASA.(I know that this is a big dream and will take a lot of hard work) In my free time I work on plants and projects. My big project I do when I am out of school, like now. last year I cut a hole in the glass of my tortoises cage added a bridge and connected a second cadge, so he has more space to walk in. He love watching the cars out my window, but sadly he is hibernating right now and I have not seen him awake in 2 weeks :cry:
 
I have a kiln:
7Sf6Dwo.jpg

 
...but I'm 4.42 x 14.
 
cone9 said:
I have a kiln:
7Sf6Dwo.jpg

 
...but I'm 4.42 x 14.
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I would love to have one that big! I don't have the space and money. Also I am living at my parents. What do you do with yours? How big is your crucible and how hot does yours get? I have always wanted to be able to melt steel, but you need to use a liquid fule to reach those temps or have a massive insulating wall.

 
 
Also if any of you want to melt brass(No clue why) pore some boric acid (roach killer) in to stop the oxidation and keep the zinc in. and watch the metal. zinc has a very low melting point and will turn into a yellow gas and if you breath it you can get metal fever and be hospitalized. so wear a respirator and be CAREFUL. (I DO NOT want to melt brass because of this) I don't want to die yet! I though I should tell you guys this.
 
That's a pottery kiln, Nibbles.   It is approximately 28 cubic feet (base is 3.5' x 3' with a catenary arch about 4' high).
Lovingly built entirely by hand, by me with a hard firebrick base and two courses K26 firebrick for the arch and back wall.
 
I fire glazed ware to pyrometric cone9, which is a little over 2300 degrees F.  I have five ng burners which, when full open, are generating about 450,000 btu (and roaring like a lion with a touch of asthma).
 
2300 is hot enough to melt some types of steel, but 450,000 btu! that is crazy!. my torch is only 15000 i think. but I am going to get another one so 3000 btu
 
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