Eager to build my first furnace and need a good direction to go

https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/volume-cylinder-hollow

I like this site for all kinds of Calculations. I came up with a hollow cylinder 11.25 Outside Radius X 9.25 IR and I guessed 12inches tall. 1545.7 cu in or .89 cu ft. That doesn't count the lid or bottom, or how much insulating blanket you use. I definitely recommend insulating the side and lid. Makes a lot of difference. That site has all kinds of calculations, you kind of have to hunt for what you want. It even has a calc for how much of a metal you need to fill a 4.66 cu in part. Add 50% or more for sprues and runners. For example 4.66 cu in Copper is 24.08 ounces plus 50% is 36.12 ounces.

 

Welcome to the forum Ray!

I have a bit of advice.

1. Your first furnace won't be your last, don't stress too much, get to melting.
2. Almost anything works, don't stress too much, get to melting.
3. Don't worry about future plans, build something simple and get to melting.

I'll attach a link to my furnace. It's not better than others, it was simple for me and has 500 heats on it currently.

While 2,300 degree brick it not suitable for iron I have done several melts in my furnace with 2,300 brick. It is suffering and I have 2,600 liner to replace it with but it is still working.

http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/simple-brick-furnace.288/

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/UUz8lrxLMuI?si=e6hrhvL5sEYArVHk

Check this guy's "furnace". This would be the low end furnace. Or, you can go all the way up to something that looks like a nuclear reactor.