Propane forge refractory question | The Forge Fire | Forum

If you have 1.5" blanket use it. I use 1" then cast with an insolating castable (Kast-0-Lite) then paint on a layer of IR reflective(Plistix). See my post on Knife Dogs Build A Gas Forge showing the way that I build a gas forge.

My forge has 1" of kaowool on the ends and seems to work okay. My guess is there wouldn't be a huge difference between 1-1/2" and 2". But there's no question that 2" would give better insulation -- I'd use it unless there's a good reason not to.

If you use 2 layers of 1" wool, you will likely need to replace only the inner layer when you reline. That in itself is a probable cost savings over 1-1/2" wool over the life of the forge.

I'm sorry but I don't agree with Ryan and have never heard anyone else make this recommendation, though I have known of others who did it this way. Ryan, I am not trying to be insulting. We just have differing openions.

Inswool is cheaper than the Kast-0-Lite, is lighter, and is a better insolator.

Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut and sell more Kast-0-Lite but I don't do business that way. Actually I am in this to help other blacksmiths and knifemakers, not to make the money. Though, it is nice to have a little "walking around money" and help pay for all these conferences I go to.

A bag of kastolite over here is 40 bucks. I built 2 forges with one bag. pretty cheap to me.

I'm not saying wool is bad, but in my experience castable is better. More durable, no wool particles in the air, and last a lot longer. Over here in the Northwest, most of us full time smiths and a lot of hobbyist have switched over to castable. Either the kastolite 30 which is what I use or the MIZZOU.

save your pennies and buy a jar of ITC-100 and coat the inside. You will be amazed with the difference.

ITC-100 $40.00 per pint
Plistix $10.00 per pint
Metrikote $15.00 per pint

And yes, you will be amazed with the difference. My testing with Plistix over Kast-0-Lite is that the metal got hotter in about half the time, so, this means you will get twice as much work done in half as much time using half as much gas but you will be working twice as hard,,,,if you keep up.

thanks Steve.
Ive been observing all the different forges for the last 14 years and this design really is hard to beat.

also, as a note. I do a "port and polish" on my burners. I grind out the threads and run a big counter sink down to the bottom of the bell reducer and in the end of the tube to make a nice transition. It seems to run a bit better than ones we have built in the past that had the threads in them still.

Hey Steve,
what regulator do you run? and what pressure?

when you buy your bell reducer be sure to get a tapered one.