Thanks for having me.

Discussion in 'New member introductions' started by Douglas Braun, Oct 8, 2019.

  1. Tobho Mott

    Tobho Mott Gold Banner Member

    Here is the opposite end of the spectrum of impressisvely fabricated diy crucible tools: the cheap, premade option...

    http://www.alloyavenue.com/vb/showt...rnace-build!!!&p=180623&viewfull=1#post180623

    It found a set of those on sale not long after 4cf posted that, and snapped them up knowing they would come in handy some day. It took me almost another 4 years before I had a crucible small enough to try 4cf's suggestion.

    He was right on the money. Those fire log grabber tongs really are the perfect tool for my #6 crucibles.

    Not sure how they would fit the #8 you linked above, maybe just fine or maybe not quite big enough to get a good grip. They're too small for my #12. They'd fit the little one you linked, I'm sure, but you'd have to see how they fit on the bigger one.

    Works great grabbing crucibles from above for lifting in/out, then I just set it down on a firebrick plinth and grab it again from the side for pouring. One tool that works just as good as having dedicated separate lifting tongs and pouring shank. And cheap! :D

    Jeff
     
  2. Douglas Braun

    Douglas Braun Copper

    Capture.PNG
    propane :D.
    this one and this smaller one. Been holding off on the burner until i hear from some of you. my instincts tell me this or maybe even this one but IDK... :) Really appreciate your contribution/information. Thank you, Sincerely. s-l160012.jpg s-l1600.jpg
     
  3. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Did you guys notice where his furnace splits in half? Bonz touched on this back in post #19. That lid needs to stay pretty light weight, it's a lot of mass. Without a tape measure up the side, it's hard to tell but he might be able to remove the crucible from the just the side... Similar to this without the door. I've always liked this design for some reason. One tool, no swapping mid stream and the chicken shit operator is nice and far away from getting injured.
    s-l1600.jpg
     
  4. Tobho Mott

    Tobho Mott Gold Banner Member

    If you want to use a venturi based propane burner, have you considered the diy options? See Ron Reil's burner design. If you do an internet search, you'll see many different takes on Reil burners.

    I use a forced air burner, but if I ever use a venturi I'll probably build one of the Reil type burners that use a MIG tip for the orifice, so that it would be easy to swap out tips quickly if it ever clogged up, or if maybe I wanted to try out a different size gas orifice or something.

    They work just like the ones you linked for the most part, but you can just about build one entirely out of your local hardware store's plumbing aisle, for pretty cheap, and it's fairly easy to do.

    Just an option to keep in mind if, like many of us, you have more free time than you've got unspent hobby budget. :D

    Jeff
     
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  5. Douglas Braun

    Douglas Braun Copper

    dang...

    800px_COLOURBOX5467658.jpg
     
  6. Jason

    Jason Gold

    I'm with Jeff. I'd build it myself. Everyone should spend an hr at HD telling the employees to get lost while you stand scratching your balls assembling together what looks like a pipe bomb.
    I assembled 3/4 of my kwiky right in the aisle! Keeps from making multiple trips.

    All ya need Doug is a high pressure regulator. Order that online. HD and blowes propane regulators won't go high enough.
     
  7. Tobho Mott

    Tobho Mott Gold Banner Member

    That said, I was in my local mom N pop hardware store just the other day and saw a bunch of 0-30psi adjustable propane regulators with BBQ tank connections that I swear they never had there before. The 0-10psi I can get from my Canadian Tire fish fryer stand regulator is plenty for my forced air setup, but I am tempted to upgrade if only to open up other options to play around with down the road... maybe I'll pick one up. I really ought to swap out the red handled ball valves on the propane side of my burners for gas rated valves one of these days too...

    Jeff
     
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  8. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

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  9. Douglas Braun

    Douglas Braun Copper

    no those are not my toes... Does the crucible need to sit in the very center of the furnace? starting at 16 inches, i'll use up 4 with wool and probably 3 more with satanite… leaving me with somewhere around 9 inches... 72073298_699390167139105_2581700374859612160_n.jpg 72449109_638582526668087_3820806415509880832_n.jpg

    never gonna work...
     
  10. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    Yes, the crucible needs to sit in the middle...yes, those won't work.
    The Satanite will only be 1/4" thick at the most. You'll have to cut your tuyere and build your burner before applying the Satanite.
    Paint a watery layer on and bring furnace to cherry red, paint another layer on and fire it.
    Again, two layers on the lid, at least three on the body.
     
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  11. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Most I see with that style lean the rod over and scoop it up
     
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  12. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    We don't judge bro. Lol. Just make sure they're covered up when your pouring!
    Too bad about the lifter. All is not lost though.
    I use the same shank to lift my #10 and my #8.

    20191012_093403.jpg

    If you decide to cut the end of the shaft off you might as well put a tee on it. Itll help when you're pouring.

    Pete
     
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  13. Douglas Braun

    Douglas Braun Copper

    Thank you again Sir for taking the time. :) 1/4" total thickness after all three layers? Is thicker bad? looks like I will have about 6 inches of wool in the lid, should I satanite between each 2 inch layer?

    on another note, I swung by our old ma and pa ceramic store here in Junction City, Oregon yesterday. You know, the place where your kids make you coffee cups in preschool? anyway not what it used to be. Looks like i'll be ordering everything online.

    Thanks Jeff. I'll be studying this at the shop this week instead of working.. :oops: I'll dig into the scrap bins and see what I can cobble together. any recommendations on size for the mig tips? :) I really appreciate all the help here. Sincerely.
     
  14. Douglas Braun

    Douglas Braun Copper

    Capturevalue.PNG This is awesome, my overall scrap value just went up significantly! :D
     
  15. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    Yes, The first layer is thin for absorption into the wool. Second layer can be mixed to sour cream consistency and painted on but fire cure each layer. If you don't cure each layer it will get shrink cracks. You'll get a couple small cracks anyway but they don't matter, the wool is sealed. You can apply as many layers as you want except on the lid. I put four layers on my first lid and over 6 months time and use, gravity pulled it loose. I peeled it all off and just go with two layers now.

    Not needed, if you press the wool over the all-thread and weave with Mig wire it won't go anywhere. If it makes you nervous, cut some pieces of Mig wire and use them as bobby pins at an angle. I've done that when adding small pieces to make a flame ramp on the up wind side of the tuyere. That just holds the wool in place until it's coated.
     
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  16. Jason

    Jason Gold

    We've got an ashtray and coffee making mug shop in Austin called Armadillo clay. That place stocks mizzou and kaowool. I never looked for satinite. That stuff has changed the speed in which furnaces can be built and making them portable. While I'm never going on the road with mine, I'm still not sure I'm ready to abandon traditional refractory. I don't have a single visible crack and it sure helps warm the garage for 6hrs in the winter after a pour. Anyone think about a hybrid? Tank with refractory and lid with satinite? :cool:
     
  17. Douglas Braun

    Douglas Braun Copper

    hahaha wasn't going to say anything, but when I asked about satanite, the lady behind the counter said WHAT-N-ITE? I thought she was going to pull that ceramic cross off the wall and chase me out of the place. They have been there since 1950. 1743533_717215898301403_599054075_n.jpg
     
  18. Douglas Braun

    Douglas Braun Copper

    I would love to hear more.
     
  19. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Look at that place! It looks like 1950 with that cutesy C R A P in the window. The only thing missing is a ceramic pink poodle!

    cda94cb508e96fd81e4730659ee0ab43--french-poodles-pink-poodle.jpg

    My thoughts on a hybrid are this. (someone here will not agree and that's okay)
    You WILL bang the walls on your furnace with tools etc. You WILL NOT however bang the underside of the lid. Proper refractory cement is some seriously tough stuff!
    I've dragged all kind of tools on the walls of mine and not a mark! It is ZERO maintenance and by the time you wear it out, you'll be ready to upgrade your
    furnace anyways. While I have zero experience with coated wool, there is no way it is tough as hard refractory. If it was, I'm sure MIFCO would be shipping coated
    wool $5000 furnaces. :eek: So I propose the floor and walls be made of kaowool with an inch of rammed mizzou and the lid stuffed with kaowool and painted with this satinite stuff.
    I noticed you have the biggest lid found here on the site. Not width, but in shear height. So to keep the weight down, you can stuff it with cheap kaowool and spread on the coating.
    When it wears out whenever that may be, your lid is easily rebuilt and coated. This is just a theory of mine so take it at face value. I'm sure the peanut gallery that has more experience
    with this stuff will chime in. Maybe we can get some feedback on toughness and life expectancy of this coating?? ;)
     
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  20. Douglas Braun

    Douglas Braun Copper

    Great idea Jeff. I've watched quite a few videos this week and am really liking the idea. The choke system I pictured below
    Captureburnerchoke.PNG
    seems to appeal to me a bit more than the "T" drilled thru the reducer method. I am convinced I can get a better alignment for my mig tip this way on the lathe. I also like the idea of the gas inlet being the threaded choke rod. The tips I found laying around are .044 so I think i'll need to get something smaller...
    72981620_2316813925202097_7814905613133021184_n.jpg
    72593129_785841631835842_2599971058362613760_n.jpg
    why do these burners all appear so much bigger on youtube than when I start to mock them up? Can I use a 1" pipe with a 1 ' to 1.5 ' reducer instead of a 3/4" pipe? Also, can the main pipe of the burner be a stainless steel nipple instead of the black iron? Would be a lot easier for me when welding on the flair... :cool: ok ok the bling factor plays a little roll too. Was thinking one of these welded right onto the 1" pipe, or maybe sleeve the one inch up to 1.25, then flair from there? trying to avoid the exposed internal threads messing with my gas flow. Any suggestions sure would be appreciated> Sincerely.
    71WB2KdmpXL._SL1252_.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2019

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