Another keg furnace

Discussion in 'Furnaces and their construction' started by joe yard, Feb 16, 2018.

  1. crazybillybob

    crazybillybob Silver Banner Member

    Jason, What's normally burning off the kaowool is the binders and things from manufacturing. Once they burn off you shouldn't see them flare up again.... unless like me you store that stuf in a place that you generate wood dust on a regular basis.....then it burns all the time :)

    CBB
     
  2. Jason

    Jason Gold

    that might explain me sett8ng it on fire. I've hit it with a torch and it doesn't flame. Might be crap on it.
     
  3. joe yard

    joe yard Silver

    keg furnace build 9g.jpg I made it back out to the shop a couple of times and although progress is very slow. It is happening. For now I am just fitting and tacking with a lot of work yet to do be done.
    I plan on placing the burner on a flange attached to a heat shield. The guard will attached to the top of the channel iron on each end of the slide with stand offs to allow the slide to properly work. The guard will also be used for a boat hoist with mount that will lift the barrel and top from behind the guard to block the heat on the side where the operator would stand to lift the furnace. I plan on using an eccentric and lever to lift the lid separate from the barrel. It will also be attached to the heat shield and only allow the barrel to be lifted when the lid is in the closed position.

    keg furnace build 8g.jpg keg furnace build 6g.jpg keg furnace build 1g.jpg
     
  4. joe yard

    joe yard Silver

    I made it out to the shop again today and made a bit of progress on the cart. The welds are little
    more than tacks at this time and there is still quite a bit left to do on the cart. It is moving forward. This is a tribute to all the fiscally conservative second hand metal collectors such as myself. “ translation, cheap bastard that will fight an 80 year old over 3 foot of 2 inch angel at the scrap yard and wont throw away rusty corigated tin”.
    As of now $40 in materials. That was for the keg keg furnace build 10.jpg the rest of the materials came from scrap,
    Sorry for the poor photography of the last post along with this. I forgot to put the SD card in the camera so I used a cell phone that I knew nothing about.

    Joe
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2018
    Jason likes this.
  5. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Priceless! Now fuel it with used motor oil or sump jet-A like I do!
     
    Petee716 likes this.
  6. joe yard

    joe yard Silver

    I still have quite a ways to go on the cart. I will be adding a 1/8 inch plate the high and with of the column spaced 3/4 behind the column. This will be the heat shield and mounting plate for the boat hoist to lift the furnace, a lever cam assembly to lift the lid, a burner mount.
    Plus all the welding, cleaning, scaling, prep and paint. So I have a long way to go.
    It is working out nicely though. With the column above the cart wheels it moves just as you would think, a hand cart would. You can role it across quite rough terrain. The cart although built from the pile is built very strong.

    As of now there is no set time to have this project up and running. That said there is a small just for fun bronze casting consisting of encasing a steel canon in bronze. I would like to pour before the fourth of July. The only thing I will not do to make this happen is spend any more money than I must minus 10% to build something that meats my needs. I do plan on using used motor oil as the primary heat source with natural gas as a pre heater.

    Joe
     
  7. Jason

    Jason Gold

    You going to counter weight that thing?
     
  8. joe yard

    joe yard Silver

    No, I had planed to in the beginning when I was trying to stay away from a boat hoist design. As life and the scrap materials pile often take us. The materials I had greatly influenced the design.

    The combined weight of the carage and the furnace wont be over 100 Lb. I was against the boat hoist at first because of the thoughts of cranking on the hoist in close proximity of the crucible.
    With this design the hoist is behind a shield. The crucible can be approached from over 180 degrees. The burner will also attach to this shield that will have a hole cut slip fit bracket to hold the burner assembly in place.
    I looks like everyone know knows. My shop is a mess!

    Joe
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2018
  9. Jason

    Jason Gold

  10. Jason

    Jason Gold

    DAMMIT JOE! Now ya got me scratching an itch the more I think about this. I'm thinking a bottom section of the furnace with the tuyere mounted on it. Then an upper section that lifts off with an electric winch. I could then pluck the crucible out with ONE TOOL that will also allow me to pour without the interim stop at the wobbly plinth to switch from the lifting tongs to the pouring shank. The only thing that bothers me, is the upper section would also have to have a fully open up lid for me. I will not light with a lid closed. If I have a flame out and then spontaneous relight, I would send the entire thing into low earth orbit. You've seen the way I light off, so this should make sense. With propane, I wouldn't event think about flameouts, but with diesel/oil the danger is there. I suppose lifting the top section a few inches could suffice.

    Just something to think about as you are going to burn oil. Keep up the good work. I'll correct your mistakes on my build down the road! :p;)
     
  11. joe yard

    joe yard Silver

    I had not given the power wench a thought but it is a good one. I gave one just like that only used and abused away not 6 months ago. It would have worked but it was slow and when put in a bind puled very hard. I would think something like a gear box and motor form a car window turning a drum. I do plan on mounting an extension real on the heat shield later but had not mentioned it yet because that will be the next part. Building the burner wiring and blower speed control.

    The lid will open fully when in the down position by way of a shaft and cam follower. It will just be a bent rod fashioned into a lever on one end and a bent cam lobe that lifts the top on the other through 2 brackets. If the body is lifted beyond 2 inches the lid is down and stays in that position until the body is returned to the at or near rest position.

    This is the easy part. I use the formula. Copy what works from those who are getting results. Adapt there work to fit your needs while using the available materials on hand.

    The hard part will be when it is time to cast and get it right. You along with others are artist! I do not ever aspire to do that level of intricacy in my castings. At this point I am just getting old.
    I have been laid up quite a bit and this is sort of my rehab. I plan on this being the only number 10 size furnace I ever build. It might be last one I ever build of any size. In a hobby shop foundry. There is a lot to be said for a No. 10 capacity furnace.

    Joe
     
  12. Al2O3

    Al2O3 Administrator Staff Member Banner Member

    Garage door openers are also a candidate.

    Best,
    Kelly
     
  13. joe yard

    joe yard Silver

    A garage door opener would be a top notch choice for something like this with its programable stops and over torque shut down capabilities.

    Joe
     
  14. Al2O3

    Al2O3 Administrator Staff Member Banner Member

    .....and just clip the remote to your chest for operation :)

    K
     
  15. joe yard

    joe yard Silver

    I made some progress today but also lost some ground in the process. I decided I did not like the way I had built the bracing that holds the strap clamps, marked in red on one pic. They are only on one side of the channel, very thin and I would like to set the keg forward in the carriage 1.5 inches. I have decided to go with 1/8 inch plate on both sides of the channel.

    Here is 10 pictures of what is going on now. Today’s effort was just the heat shield and some clean up. It is just on with 3 bolts so it looks a bit funny until I can get to the hard wear store.
    I did cut an oversized rectangular hole for the tiyner. It has a 4 bolt pattern that will hold the bracket the burner will set in.

    Unfortunately upon further inspection the plastic on the wheels is showing signs of decay. If I don’t have a suitable replacement set. This will most likely be one of the first things cast.
    I looked in my eternal pile of scrap and salvaged items shed and found 2 identical garage door openers. Unfortunately upon inspection. I do not think it would be wise to use them for this application. They are built cheep, complex and use plastic gears. The lifting method is still undetermined but Kelly’s suggestion of the opener with a remote is a very good one. I will just have to come up with a better built all metal gear box and small motor. If I go that way.
    It may not be pretty but it is looking solider every day. I will keep it short tonight. It was a long day.

    Joe

    keg 1.JPG keg2.JPG keg3.JPG keg4.JPG keg5.JPG keg6.JPG keg7.JPG keg8.JPG keg9.JPG keg10.JPG keg11.JPG keg12.JPG keg13.JPG
     
  16. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    The sliding pipe arrangement looks like it'll make for a helluva lot of friction and potential binding once there's some weight hung on it. Perhaps a roller mounted to the top and bottom of each of the outer pipes just to maintain some clearance would prevent the binding. Enough lifting power might elevate it, but it could very well lock in the upper position.
    I'm glad to see you moving the mounts forward. The further from the tipping point the better!
    I don't mean to sound like "that guy". Just some thoughts I had while looking at your pictures.
    Pete
     
  17. joe yard

    joe yard Silver

    Thanks Pete I am with you on the moving the center of gravity and PLEASE don’t worry about being one of those guys. I started this project ignorant with a pile of scrap metal and a can do attitude.

    I consider this to be more a forum internet project with me only assembling while making judgment calls determined by others advice and the scrap pile. I have no illusion of reinventing the wheel. I might add a bell or whistle but overall this project is a copy of the success of you and others time tested works.

    The cart stands only 52 inches tall but the base is not very wide. The keg lifts 18 - 20 inches. The cart has a lot of weight at the platform. This will help with stability but if need be I will add lead weight down low. It is already getting up there in weight with north of 100 Lb. to go.

    I am reasonably confident that binding will not be a problem with minimal grease. I have used this type of setup on many occasions. If it does become a problem. I will add 4 idlers to the carriage frame. If the original cart had not been available I would have made the base out of 1/4 to ½ inch plate, 30% to 50% larger with the wheel riding on the outside to dropped the platform 4-5 inches. I now wish I had.

    I am not sure where this all will go. It was started out of desire to make simple parts for a bucket list project. The parts on hand being mainly the liner, keg, cart and 1 or 2 number 10 crucibles “I hope I can find unharmed” made the decisions thus far as to the size of the furnace.

    If it sounds like I am working through the fog now. Just wait until it is time to move past the furnace build. The only thing decided there is it will be under roof and permanent.

    Joe
     
  18. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Grease the living snot outta those pipes. She'll slide and be slippery like owl $hit on a door knob.
     
  19. joe yard

    joe yard Silver

    I am back with minimal progress. Spring has sprung, sort of and the list of things that need attention never ends. I cant believe it has been almost a month since my last post.
    My shop had hit critical mass so over the last month I managed around 20 hours of cleaning and some tool repair, put in some new lighting and so on.
    I did manage to make the burner bracket that bolts to the heat shield. It will clamp a 2 inch water pipe with a wing nut. It is adjustable 2 inches up and down to match the furnace.
    I still have not reworked the furnace rack brackets and am now having second thoughts as this will put the center of gravity further forward of the slide. I am instead considering replacing the wheel brackets and moving the wheels back and outside the footprint of the base to make it more stable.
    I have been slowed a bit in that my van blew a head gasket. It is to old to justify a repair so I am in the market for another driver. Then a 10year old water heater with a rusty foot decided to fall over in the basement taking a lot of plumbing and some duct work with it. Thank god the van blew up and the water heater fell over on Wednesday or I might have not gotten anything accomplished today. Now I get to borrow a vehicle repair plumbing, replace a hot water heater and duct work.
    What would we do without chores?

    Joe
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Apr 19, 2018
    Jason likes this.
  20. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Sounds like a page from my book! Drink a beer and say F - it!
    20180404_114546.jpg
     

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