Hello chaps,
I’d be ever so grateful if someone could give me some advice.
I’ve made a coffee can forge powered by map gas using a Burnzomatic torch, the problem is, it don’t work.
The only variation is I added a layer of fire cement on the inside to protect the plaster of Paris/sand layer.
I put the forge in the kitchen oven for at least 4 hours to dry it but it just doesn’t get anywhere near hot enough to forge, any ideas where i’ve gone wrong?
Any advice greatly received.
Jake
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Hello @jake,
I don’t have a lot of knowledge about gas forges, I use coal myself. So my reply is more of a speculative response 
That said, it seems to me as though you should try and rotate your forge or relocate the burnzomatic torch so that the flame is directly on the metal. I don’t believe that there is enough heat generated from your burner to get the inside of your forge hot enough to get the metal near forging temp. It is simply not hot enough
Maybe if you close it up and allow it to build heat for a few hours it would get hot enough for a short time, but the cold steel might rob that heat after the first time in and out. But it may maintain the heat if you keep it closed up, I do not know for sure.
Or, perhaps, you could introduce a second burnzomatic torch to the current setup for more heat, I’d still allow for pre-heat time.
I hope this helps.
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@ClowChee is right, if you can have the torch parallel to the top, so the flame spirals around the cavity, that will help.
If that whole thing is a cast forge, it will take quite a bit of heat before getting to temperature. My guess here is that it just needs a hotter burner. My first forge was also a coffee can one that I put a few layers of kaowool in then coated the kaowool with itc100, I used regular propane and a burnzomatic and it would heat up. So what I think is going on is that the forge is just acting like a heat sink.
It’s actually fairly simple and cheap to build your own burner that can get to heat. Here is a link to a video I followed from Dave Hammer, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxzdqcPzXj8 - lots of people build and sell this type of burner online. This burner would have no problem heating that chamber. If anything though, it might be a little much for the cast.
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Hi Jake,
I have to concur with Grant and Clow Chee. Though I have never tried it with a soldering torch setup, I think you may need more heat. A BBQ tank with a high pressure regulator isn’t horribly expensive ( $ 41.00 USD). I bought my reg from a vendor 's store on eBay, “propane-kits”. MARSHALL MEGR-6120-100 PROPANE REGULATOR ADJUSTABLE PRESSURE FILTER TANK POL | eBay.
I’m waiting it for it to show up, as I had him customize it. His regular off the shelf regs. are quality, US made, Marshall brand, either 30-60 psi or 0-100 psi. You will be able to put a lot more heat in w/ that set-up. I built my burners using the MIG tip method. If you need it, I’ll try to find you the link. Basically, just a carburetor with a MIG welding tip for a nozzle. I also added a blower to my carburetor/mixing set-up with a Dayton brand 120v squirrel cage blower fan. Also about $50 USD as I recall.
Happy Cooking
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Hi chaps, sorry for the late reply, been mega busy.
Thanks for all the advice, seems I need a bigger burner, I think I’ll make one👍🏻
@jake Sweet! I’d love to see posts of when you get the new one up and going in that chamber. Keep us updated!