hello to all I am looking for information on fire clay or it's equelivent for lining a cole forge. I have used fire brick in the past. But I had to build the forge around the brick. This time I won't to build the forge the way I wont it. any ideas on what to use and where to get it would be a help. I am in northern arizona. Thanks
Howdy! A good source for fire-clay is pottery-supply stores.They are on line too.Barring that you might be able to just use clay dug localy.I dont reckon it would hold up as well as fire clay,but would save you a bit of money.If your wanting to build an open top forge you have a lot more options.Ive just finished today moulding blocks of castable refractory,rated at 3000*,to line my charcoal forge,..but to build one competly from the stuff would cost a bit .
People do not know,because people do not do.
thanks I will Look in that direction. I am building the fire box and frame and like you i just need to line the thing with high temp material to save the steel fire box from going away to fast.
Home depot sells fire clay. 50 lb. bag for a few dollars. Not much of an insulator, but should hold up to the heat of a coal forge? I saw a receipe on one of the bags for using cement in the clay to make bricks. Been meaning to try that to see how solid they were. Insulation is easy - standing up to abuse under temp and flux is not so easy ;-)
GA
Maybe this is just a small point, but I think you want "castable refractory". As previously mentioned, it isn't a real good insulator, but will help protect the forge. I know a potter who mixes his castable refractory about 1/2 and 1/2 with sawdust. The sawdust burns out and leaves lots of spaces that add to the insulating properties.
I would not use locally dug clay. It could work, but needs to be fired to be effective and you don't really have that option. I tried it once in a little rivet forge. When you wet your coal, the stuff soaks up water and becomes soft so you are getting it mixed in with the coal. As others have said, go th a place the sells firebrick or pottery supplies and tell them what you want to do.
Where are you? I have 5 bags of castable refractory that never gott poured into walls of the maple syrup evaporator.
In west central Wisconsin, Pete Stanaitis
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james pelzer wrote:
For myself it was just a discussion of easily obtainable materials for the express purpose of making the forge stand up to the abuses of high tempertures and flux. As I said, it's easy and cheap to insulate with wool blanket but you need an interior that is tougher and if you can do that with fire clay (not just locally dug clay) then it might be fun to try.
GA
You can get the refractory from Budget Casting
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