... have been carving stone on and off for many years and had always wanted to combine some metal shaping to the process, so recently looked into constructing a gas forge...
... and as usual, wanted to keep it simple - came across an instructional 'You Tube' video wherein a guy builds a small gas forge from a coffee can - didn't appear that you could get much simpler than that - we modified a bit of the hardware by ditching the coffee can and substituted a more durable body constructed from an old and worn thin-walled concrete core barrel of tool grade steel - we used a final 1:1:3/4 (Plaster Paris:Sand:Water) mix for the refractory chamber after two failed attempts - we made a first trial batch (1/2 part water) which set great but we failed to factor in the workability of the mix - the working batch was way too stiff and hardened to a too stiff consistency before we could complete hand mixing and placement - the second batch we underestimated the quantity needed, so screwed that up as well - the third 1:1:3/4 mix we didn't mess around - was a great pourable grout-like consistency that we mixed quickly with an electric power drill and mixing attachment...
... heres the final assembly ready for test firing - that's a 'Bernzomatic TS 8000' gas burner and 'MAPP Gas' fuel cylinder supplying the heat...
... first test heat using some 3/8" threaded rod we had lying around (we got the chamber slightly off-center when the form shifted slightly while placing the refractory - who cares)...
... was able to get the rod to orange heat in a little over two minutes (we timed it) and near yellow heat in a little over three minutes - re-heating to orange on an already hot bar takes about 30 seconds...
... not bad...
... this quickly turned to fun - we decided to further test the process by hammering and "drawing down" (yea - we talk like that for those apparently losing sleep over it) the rod to form this (albeit rough) fourteen inch "snake"...
... sort of a hybrid "cobra-garter snake" we'd guess...
... pretty cool how the threads wound up resembling scales... all-in-all we gotta' give the operating Forge five stars (out of five) - the 'MAPP Gas' costs a bit more than propane but up to this point we've done quite a bit of heating and have yet to finish the first cylinder - it also is said to burn at a bit higher temperature than propane (but not as high as the original 'MAPP Gas' which ceased production a few years back) so we'll stick with it - that 'TS 8000' burner is quick on-off firing (although it occasionally takes a few tries while in use and "sweating")... the refractory mix is holding up very well - we gave it a day to cure before the first heat to avoid any cracking considering some of the mixed comments (none with backup - as usual with on-line negativity) we read - lots of people claimed to prefer a 'Perlite' mix... we'll see...
... stone...
... not brilliant but simple... we were playin' around with some new cutting wheels a few weeks back on a pretty crappy, rainy and stormy day - whipped this out in around an hour or two... 'Downpour' - Mauch Chunk Sandstone, around 6 inches (widest) x 15 inches x 3 inches, maybe 20lbs...
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