Forge building guidelines

Forge Shell We suggest a forge shell between 1/16-inch and 1/8-inch thick; thinner is better. Shells made
from thicker pipe just add weight acting like a heat sink robbing the forge of heat.

Insulation Spun Ceramic Insulation (Kaowool) is the most efficient material for lining a forge.
It is lightweight and heats up rapidly. Use a minimum of two inches of insulation.1

ITC-100 This ceramic refractory coating is one of key ingredients to achieving forge - welding temperatures.
An application of ITC-100 is equivalent to an additional inch of insulation.

Forge Floor Ceramic tile provides the floor with strength and reflects heat back into the forge chamber.

Burner Angle While placing the burner at a 90 degree to the floor may seem like a logical choice for placement,
it can cause problems. Rising spent gasses can interfere with the burner's performance in this position. We suggest
placing the burner a few inches off of top of the forge, aimed at the center of the forge floor for peak performance.

Burner Collar Use a two inch schedule 40 pipe for the burner collars and our Chile Forge SuperBurner will fit securely,
sealing out secondary air from the forge chamber.

Forge Openings In an atmospheric forge, the exhaust gasses must have a way to escape or back pressure in the forge
chamber will limit the burner's performance.

Vents Ridges Adding a one and one half inch ridge at the forge openings gives the escaping gas more time to release its
heat into the forge.

Interior Forge Volume The most common mistake made is to make a forge interior too large for the burners.
We recommend using the same interior dimensions that we use in our own one and two burner forges.

Recommended Reading Really want to understand how to build a better forge? We suggest Michael Porter's book
Gas Burners for Forges, Furnaces & Kilns. http://www.atlasbooks.com/skipjack/001.htm

1 Always wear long sleeves, disposable gloves and a protective mask when handling ceramic blanket.