A bit more heat- tinfoil and firebricks

[ddoyle]

I do not have a proper shop or much space so everything around here is under powered/cobbled/bareley good enough. Mostly that is fine but when it comes to heating things I really struggled. Basically a box of fire bricks and a few disposable MAPP/Propane torches and hence frustration.  Bought a cheap high temp probe/pyrometer and that confirmed my magnet's diagnosis and explained my repeated failures.

Last night I accidentally learned a trick that had a couple hundred degrees of happiness in it. Because I am always moving the bricks in and out of storage and because my lungs have had enough abuse for two lifetimes I decided to wrap the bricks in foil to keep the dust contained and to keep broke ones together.  Used up a roll of foil wrapping 6 bricks. Figured I'd get some melted spots obviously but just rewrap em. 

On to the point. I wanted to anneal a stupid big piece of tool steel with two little propane torches and a wind blowing. Set up the bricks and applied the heat. Based on previous attempts at big pieces and wind I  really did not expect it would work.  Turns out the tinfoil acts as a gasket between the bricks and makes the cavity inside ALOT hotter. Brought the  piece up to temp (not quickly) and held it at 1650f with no trouble at all.  The piece was a 3 inch diameter- 1 inch thick puck of steel.  Cavity was tight on three sides.  I did not try but my guess is that a mainspring laid on that puck would evenly heat in no time and that it could be kept at what ever temp you needed for as long as the gas lasted.

If you do not have a real source of heat and want to play with springs etc add a roll of foil  to your firebricks it helps (just be aware of where the foil is dripping

[rich pierce]

Good tip.  I’m suffeing the “no forge frustration” today.

[Dennis Glazener]

You will be surprised how much hotter using a steel coffee can, with a hole in its side for a Mapp torch, will get.
Dennis

[David R. Pennington]

I have been there. Feel your frustration. I finally picked up a little ,well worn, rivet forge and was able to do some pretty basic small projects, butt plates, trigger guards, springs, etc.,. in the back yard, weather permitting. Still I struggled trying to get enough heat for forge welds in that little shallow pot. Finally I built a small addition to my old shop with a brick forge and feel so blessed to be able to get any kind of heat I want now whenever I need it.
Keep at it!

[sydney]

Good ideas I will try it
 Thanks    Sydney

[Elnathan]

Another easy-ish heat option is charcoal - you can get it from Walmart (lump, not briquets) and because it turns to ash when it burns can work in some very simple forge types. My own forge right now is barely more than a hole in the ground and heats fine - the problem is that forging while sitting down, Asian style, doesn't really suit me.

[hortonstn]

Dennis
Can you draw a pik of your can and torch
Thanks

[RAT]

Google "brake drum forge".

Also... if you need a torch with just a bit more heat try a cheap Mapp/oxygen torch. It's inexpensive, but makes a big difference.

I bought a small 2-burner propane forge several years ago. One of the best $400 I ever spent. I've been running it every few days for the last 3 weeks making butt plates and trigger guards.

[SingleMalt]

I gave up on propane years ago.  Now, I only use MAPP.  I'll throw this in, to borrow from "Dirty Harry," "A man's gotta know his torch's limitations."

[msellers]

For all who are looking for some decent plans to build a small forge here is a link I had been meaning to share for some time; covers coffee can forges and a few other gas forge options from small to pretty big.

http://www.zoellerforge.com/firebrickforge2.html

Mike