Gas Burners for Forges, Furnaces, and Kilns

208 Pages·2004·70.5 MB·English

by  Michael Porter

for Forges. Furnaces
Michael -porter
Copyright O 2004 by Michael Porter
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro-
duced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any informa-
tion storage and retrieval system without the written permis-
sion of the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number
2003115257
ISBN 1-879535203
Printed in the United States of America
Disclaimer
The instructions in this book are not intended to conflict with
federal, state, or local ordinances and regulations of any agency
having jurisdiction.You should learn and observe them at all
times.You should also learn and observe the guidelines estab-
lished under the Occupational Standards and Health Act. No
liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information
herein.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Dedication
I. Safety
Propane safety
Tool safety
2. The Burner System and Its Fuel 9
Fuels 9
Propane fuel 9
The propane flame 10
Storage cylinders 10
Vaporization rate 12
Fuel gauges 13
Regulators 13
Shut off valves 14
Excess Flow Valve (EFV) 15
Pressure gauges 16
Hoses 16
Hose failure 17
Copper tubing fittings 18
Threaded fittings 19
Gas burners 20
Gas accelerator assembly 2 1
MIG Contact Tip Sizes For Burner Tube Diameters (chart) 22
Torch Welding Tips For Use as Gas Accelerators (chart) 23
Tube burner bodies 24
Air openings 24
Chokes 25
Nozzles 25
End enclosures 27
3. Building the 112-inch Burner
Materials and tools lists
Shopping for parts
I. The burner nozzle
2. Preparing the burner body
3. Making the basicchoke sleeve
4. Preparing the 112-inch to 118-inch bell reducer
5. Installing the thumbscrew in the burner body
6. Laying out the air openings
7. Making the air openings
8. Placing the aiming screws
9. Making the temporary accelerator
I0.Assembling the valve and hose fittings
I I. Building the permanent accelerator
I2.Tuning
13.Advanced burner options
14. Forging a flare on the choke sleeve
1 5. Advanced accelerator assembly
Materials and tools lists
16. Fabrication
Maintenance
4. Building the 314-inch Burner
Materials and tools lists
I. Assembling the burner nozzle
2. Preparing the burner body
3.The flared choke sleeve
4. Preparing the 314-inch to IM -inch bell reducer
5. Installing the thumbscrew
6. Laying out the air openings
7. Cutting the air openings
8. Placing the aiming screws
9. Making the gas accelerator assembly
I0.Assembling the valve and hose fittings
I I .Testing and tuning
12. Maintenance
Tips for group projects
5. A Propane Bottle Gas Fired Forge
Forge design
Interior materials
Kiln shelving
The multiple burner forge
The Propane Bottle Forge
Materials and tools lists
I. Acquiring the forge shell
2. Removing the protective carry-collar
3 Removing the cylinder valve
4. Laying out and cutting the first opening
5. Laying out and cutting the second opening
6. Cooking a used tank 72
7. Finishing the forge shell openings 72
8. Mounting the legs 73
9. Layout and installation of the burner collar 73
10. Insulating the forge 74
I I. Installing the second lining 75
12. Installing the kiln shelf 75
13. Making an opening for the burner 76
14. Cutting and placing the first end board 76
15. Coating the forge interior with ITC # I00 77
16. Cutting and placing the front ceramic fiberboard 78
1 7. Curing the forge 79
18. Using the forge to build exterior parts 80
Fastener Assembled Version 80
Supplementary materials and tools lists 8 1
19. Making and attaching the burner collar 8 1
2O.Attaching the legs 82
2 I. Attaching the door parts 82
22.Advanced design options 82
23. Single ball valve idler assembly 84
Proper procedure for safely starting and running the forge 86
Tuning the forge 87
Maintenance 88
6. Building a Forge Cart
Materials and tools lists
I .Assembling the shelves
2. Constructing the legs
3. Mounting the legs, braces, and shelves
4. Installing the sheet metal side walls
5. Making and installing the top angles
6. Mounting the screens
7. Final wheel adjustments
8. Constructing the burner collar
9. Insulating the tabletop
Accessories
Work rack for tube forge
Bottle rack
Hose rack
The clamshell forge
Materials list
Purchased carts
I -inch Furnace Burner
Materials and tools lists
I. Assembling the burner nozzle
2. Preparing the burner tube
3. Making the choke sleeve
4. Preparing the end cap and pressure nut
5. Installing the thumbscrew
6. Placing the aiming screws
7. Making the air openings
Optional sealing slots
Recommended ignition port
9. Making the gas accelerator assembly
I0.Assembling the valve and hose fittings
Burner lgnition
Tuning
Maintenance
8. 1 114-inch Furnace and Kiln Burner
Materials and Tools Lists
I. Assembling the burner nozzle
2. Preparing the burner tube
3. Making the choke
4. Preparing the end cap
5. Installing the thumbscrew
6. Placing the aiming screws
7. Making the openings
8. Optional closing slots
9. Recommended ignition port
10. Making the gas accelerator assembly
I I. Assembling the valve and hose fittings
Burner lgnition
Tuning
9. Foundry Furnaces
Building the jeweler's furnace
Materials and Tools Lists
I. Laying out the tank ends
2. Cutting the exhaust opening
3. Drilling out the opening for the burner collar
4. Preparing the tank
5. Cutting the the tank in two
6. Constructing and mounting the burner collar
7.Attaching the legs
8. Mounting the handle and attaching the lid
9. lnstalling the self drilling screws
10. Building a plinth
I I. Lining the furnace
12. Heat curing
13. Finishing the shape of the exhaust port
14.Applying finish coatings
Fastener Assembled Version
Constructing the burner collar
Mounting the handle and attaching the lid
Running the furnace
10. Farrier's Forge
Materials and tools lists
I. Making the forge shell
2. Constructing the burner collar
3. Mounting the legs
4. Mounting the lid and installing a handle
5. lnstalling the insulation and the bottom shelf
6. lnstalling the insulation and heat shield
7. Curing and coating the forge
Maintenance
I I. Multi-hole Glass Furnace
Materials and tools lists
Fabrication
I.M aking the furnace plug
2. Laying out the tank
3. Making and attaching the two furnace sections
4. Constructing the locks
5.Attaching the axles
6. Building the carriage frame
7 .Installing the axle slots
8. Building the carriage back
9. Installing the top panels and bellyband
10. Constructing and mounting the burner collar and plate
I I. Mounting front panels
12. Mounting side panels
13. Mounting the back panel and cover plate 15 1
14. Making the furnace plug and installing the refractory 15 1
I5.Additional cart with sliding bottom door 15 1
12. Brazing
Brazing and soldering
Silver brazing basics
Avoiding fumes
Brazing
Preparation
When and where to apply the flux
Uniform heating
Cooling time
What filler rod to choose
Make a practice run first
Chapter Notes
Glossary
Resources
Index
Dedication
This book is about the future of the arts and crafts. So, it is dedicated to the
innovative tool makers and multimedia artists still to come.
Introduction
With the information contained in this book you can now construct a
portable forge with its own burner, for about one hundred dollars, capable
of bringing heavy bar stock to welding heat in less than ten minutes from a
cold start. You can also build another burner no larger than your hand that
can braze, and a third burner the size of your hammer powerful enough to
run iron-smelting furnaces. These burners do not use added oxygen or fan
motors. Only hand tools are necessary for the fabrication of the burners
and the forges, furnaces, and kilns.
Construction plans for the forges, furnaces, and burners in this book
are laid out in step by step detail with drawings explaining the steps of con-
struction. There are also alternate choices to make your work as convenient
as possible. Drawings, photographs, and a list of sources are also provided.
The burners are designed for construction from readily available
plumbing parts with the most exotic component being a contact tip that
can be purchased at any welding supply store. The forge bodies are made
from containers, and they're insulated with materials available from pottery
suppliers or by mail order.
Publisher's Note
This book is loaded with information and can be overwhelming if it is
taken in one reading. So focus on what is your major interest and begin
there. Since I am a blacksmith, I was interested in making a forge. I started
with the 112-inch burner and found out that it really works well. It also got
me over the hangup of using and working with propane. Then I built the
314-inch burner and had a blast when I installed in the propane bottle
forge. This is now in my garage on a purchased cart. What a relief to find
that I can fire up and shut down quickly and not make a smelly mess, much
to the delight of my wife and neighbors.
I also found out that it was easier to find information when I put Post-
it strips at the chapter heads and at special places to return to for critical
instruction or parts lists.
The Furnace Town Blacksmithing Guild, that I am a member of, is
located at the site of an early American, 1827 to 1850, iron furnace. Our
next major project will be developing a foundry at this site for demonstra-
tions. We will be using the foundry furnace that Mike has designed and
described in this book.
Safety
There is no need to feel uneasy about using gas forges if proper safety precautions are
taken. You already possess the most important piece of safety equipment-your
mind. Safety begins by informing yourself about every pertinent aspect of an endeav-
or and then using the information acquired by others to avoid learning your own les-
sons the hard way. Safety is established when you build a complete and accurate men-
tal picture of what procedures are prudent, and it grows as you deliberately follow
those procedures at all times until they become habit. Safety, however, ends when you
decide to depart from approved practice, usually for convenience sake.
To start, learn about propane, the tools, and materials used to build a burner for
a forge, furnace, or kiln and follow the manufacturer's recommendations. If you are
not sure how to properly use propane or a tool, stop-ask someone who knows.
Propane safety
All of the burners described in this book are designed to run on propane gas and only
propane gas, so carefully read Chapter 2, "How the Burner Works."
Always use proper ventilation when running burners. Until you learn how to
properly tune a burner, there is a danger from carbon monoxide. Even a properly
tuned burner will be consuming oxygen and expending carbon dioxide. There are
excellent and inexpensive gas detectors available; to ensure the safety of your work-
space see Gas Detectors the Resources.
If you live in an area with hard winters and must work the forge inside during
bad weather, set up an exhaust hood and open the shop door or window slightly. The
forge puts out plenty of heat to overcome any draft this might cause. When running
a forge indoors, your local safety codes may even require that you use a specific kind
of venting system-you will need to familiarize yourself with those codes.
After assembling gas equipment, check it for leaks beginning with the valve on
the fuel tank, then the fittings, regulator, hoses, and burner valves using soapy water
while the system is pressurized. Anytime you smell gas, check everything again and
fur any leaks immediately.'
When starting one of these burners, it is usually necessary to partially close the
choke until the burner nozzle warms up. Also, it is most important to make sure the
choke is not completely closed or the burner will create a large yellow flame with a
very large heat zone, endangering you and your work area.
These are naturally aspirated burners designed to generate the most heat possi-
ble. In doing so, they use more air than previous designs. If these burners are posi-