My forge build.....WIP......it's going to take a while!

Just so you can see what I'm working with...

propane-reg.jpg


And a new layout proposal...

propane tank
regulator
pressure gauge (with 3 way block, under the shelf)
hose (1st hose, not stainless but totally under the shelf)
gas solenoid
needle valve
hose (2nd hose, stainless braided)
blower tube


This arrangement will place the pressure gauge under the shelf and away from the heat.
 
It will work just fine with pressure gauge at either end of hose, but I personally prefer at the regulator end of hose. With pressure gauge at regulator you'll still be able to see it ok? Sounds good.
 
KenH said:
It will work just fine with pressure gauge at either end of hose, but I personally prefer at the regulator end of hose. With pressure gauge at regulator you'll still be able to see it ok? Sounds good.
Click to expand...


OK, I'm going to do it that way then. I ordered the other pressure gauge just because it's easier for these old eyes to read!

Thank you Ken!
 
Wait a minute, I just noticed what I didn't read close enough. Now I see you've written "needle valve to SS braided hose, hose to blower tube" At Ed's recommendation (I think it was Ed) the needle valve "should" be located right at the blower tube. Remember, the needle valve is acting as an orifice causing the propane to act somewhat like a "mist" for injecting into the blower air stream. I would suggest using a very close nipple into blower tube and screwing the needle valve onto the nipple. If you've got a 1/4" male/female needle valve I'd screw needle valve direct into blower tube.
 
KenH said:
Wait a minute, I just noticed what I didn't read close enough. Now I see you've written "needle valve to SS braided hose, hose to blower tube" At Ed's recommendation (I think it was Ed) the needle valve "should" be located right at the blower tube. Remember, the needle valve is acting as an orifice causing the propane to act somewhat like a "mist" for injecting into the blower air stream. I would suggest using a very close nipple into blower tube and screwing the needle valve onto the nipple. If you've got a 1/4" male/female needle valve I'd screw needle valve direct into blower tube.
Click to expand...


Man I'm glad you are double checking me! Thanks. I can do this quite easily!
 
Sometimes I think I might be too picky and sure don't wish to come across as "pushy". Since Ed has chimed in a couple of times I'm hoping he's keeping close enough watch to keep my info in the right lane.
 
KenH said:
Sometimes I think I might be too picky and sure don't wish to come across as "pushy". Since Ed has chimed in a couple of times I'm hoping he's keeping close enough watch to keep my info in the right lane.
Click to expand...

Not picky or pushy and I need the help!

I have been accused of being too picky or anal a few times in my life and I started to believe it myself. But then I worked 28 years with a bunch incredibly anal engineers and now realize I'm just normal! o_O
 
Didn't get a lot accomplished today, though we (Ken H) did figure out my gas issues! (It wasn't beans!) I think I have that straightened out and I'm waiting till Friday for a new easy to read pressure gauge and a 1/4" NPT swivel connection to arrive. I did get everything prepped for the new parts arrival on Friday though.

solenoid.jpg

just to see where the swivel connector will go between the solenoid and the SS hose.....

psi.jpg

This is the old hard to read gauge and will be replaced by the newer easy to read gauge....

needle.jpg

This is the new placement of the needle valve....

You can see the new setup ready to go. Just replace the gauge (in the pic) and add the swivel connection to the SS 1/4" hose which for some reason doesn't have a swivel connection. Major pain!

Obi-wan Ken have you gave any thought to my steel melt down and subsequent coating of the ITC?

Also that nipple on the needle valve was the shortest one I had on hand. Gotta be better than the 4 ft hose previously!

I did get my 2 new 40 lb propane tanks today and got them filled as well, risking the corona-virus to do so. If I have a brand new honking forge I want to have enough propane to run it. Does that make me a propane hoarder?
 
Looking good - That pressure gauge placement is going to give you exactly what's going on, and the needle valve is going to adjust nicely.

Steel melt down? Sure, it got too hot {g} It gives you an idea just how hot it was getting with the propane gas pressure cranked up as you had in beginning. Well, come to think of it you were turning gas pressure down as the forge heated up.

On the ITC-100 I'd think the castable coating should be plenty dry by now, so just paint a thin coat of ITC-100 all over mixed and applied as Ed suggests in post #173. Let it dry a couple of days and you should be good to go.

The way you've got the gas setup should be good to go. Looking forward to your first test with it. I guess the way everything is mounted it's hard to screw that last SS braid connection in without a swivel connector. You'd think they'd put a swivel on one end at least.
 
KenH said:
Looking good - That pressure gauge placement is going to give you exactly what's going on, and the needle valve is going to adjust nicely.

Steel melt down? Sure, it got too hot {g} It gives you an idea just how hot it was getting with the propane gas pressure cranked up as you had in beginning. Well, come to think of it you were turning gas pressure down as the forge heated up.

On the ITC-100 I'd think the castable coating should be plenty dry by now, so just paint a thin coat of ITC-100 all over mixed and applied as Ed suggests in post #173. Let it dry a couple of days and you should be good to go.

The way you've got the gas setup should be good to go. Looking forward to your first test with it. I guess the way everything is mounted it's hard to screw that last SS braid connection in without a swivel connector. You'd think they'd put a swivel on one end at least.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ken!

I too think we are on the right page for the gas system. In retrospect it seems obvious I had no idea how much gas was going in, but definitely too much!

Yes, my steel melt down, post #175, so I'm planing on doing the ITC today, no problem just to paint right over it?

That SS hose was way too expensive not to have swivel a connection. The cheaper barbecue hose has one! Installing it the first time was ugly, you have to continually flip one ed of the apparatus around while making the connection. Awkward to say the least.
 
Since you painted the ITC-100 today, it will be Sat before you can fire forge up again? Be patient, and we're looking forward to the test.
 
I did the ITC coating today. Pretty sure there are areas that have more than they should have but the top and sides of my forge refractory are so craggy it tends to collect in the crevices. It is what it is. The floor is about the only thing with a nice even coating. At this point I'm thinking I'll wait till Sunday to fire it up again just to give all the excess time to dry properly.

itcs.jpg


Then I discovered the back blast from the forge was melting things that weren't even that close to it. For instance the plastic shield on my bench grinder!

grinders.jpg


I had noticed that there was a lot of heat escaping the back so I had stuck a bit of scrap 1/8" plate behind the fire bricks.....It took a bit of heat...the 1/8" plate is definitely scrap now!....

heat-shields.jpg


So though I was going to build my tong's holder next but I decided the build the removable plug for the rear of the forge to control the back blast....

Kao wool rigidized...
plug1s.jpg


cover....
plug-2s.jpg


in position...(though not mounted, not totally sure how I'm going to mount it yet)
plug3s.jpg


And then some piddly stuff

I finished up the extra layer of cement board insulation on the under side of the top shelf. Note the hi-temp RTV isn't there to seal anything (though it really looks messy!) but rather to hold up the cement board..... The RTV is supposedly good for intermittent temps of 650 F and the highest I have measured at that point was about 300-330 F.....

cement-boards.jpg


And while I had the RTV tube open I put a dab on the ceramic insulator for the T/C to hold it in place..... The ceramic tube keeps trying to slide into the forge....

ceramics.jpg



That was my day! Tomorrow I should get my gas system parts and I'll try to get my tong holder rack built.
 
Amazing how much heat can come from a forge. I've got some vinyl siding that's got ends lifting due to heat I had no idea would be close to enough heat to cause a problem. Good move to wait until Sunday - everything should be nice 'n dry by then.
 
So a little detail I left out, this is a quick little jig I built to cut the radius on the fire brick door holders using a plasma cutter. I've found with my old little forge that the full exposure of the angle iron gets exposed to too much heat blast and can get in the way of the tongs. I've yet to cut the radius's on the front of the forge...

jig...
jigs.jpg


to cut these radius's with the plasma....

itcs.jpg
 
By some strange chance of fate my order of the new gauge and swivel connector arrived tonight. The gauge was perfect, however the swivel connector was not 1/4" NPT. I am returning that and have ordered a replacement hose with a swivel connector on the end!
 
First off today I cut the radius's on the front of the forge for the firebrick door...

firebricks.jpg



And as I found out this morning the other propane hose I had ordered wouldn't be delivered until Apr 1 or maybe Apr 8, I canceled that order and went ahead and hooked up the SS gas line the hard way. Could have been worse, hopefully I won't be taking it off for a long time....

gass.jpg



Then I built the rack for my tongs....

tongss.jpg



Tomorrow I hope to build a similar looking rack for my hardy tools (with no wood) though I'm not really sure yet where it's going to be mounted.

Also my rear forge plug kao wool is pretty dry from rigidizing so I will do the refractory on it. Still noodling on how to mount it.

I found a 20% off coupon online good through this weekend for Harbor Freight and I need to buy their 2 ton shop crane/hoist/cherry picker. I'm going to need it to lift my treadle hammer so I can bolt it down. Time to brave the corona virus again!

I think I figured out what I'm going to do with my TC stick out issue. I ordered one like Kenh's, I'll have to shorten the TC tube but that shouldn't be a big deal.
 
Looking good - and what a bunch of tongs you've got! I'm jealous.

The 2 ton crane is the way to go - I went with the 1 ton and have regretted it ever since.

You gonna have all the heat you can use.
 
Thanks Ken!

I was messing about tonight and I think I have a propane tank(s?) valve leaking. With both tank's valves totally off I crank the regulator on and I get gas pressure!? I can't imagine any other way this could happen but I'll leave it to the KnifeDogs' brain trust.

drive.google.com

propane leak.mp4

drive.google.com drive.google.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top