# Building my own:



## DONNZ (Jan 27, 2012)

Building my own refractory / furnace: Let you know how that goes. But in the meantime:

Out looking for some clay today and came across PMC Connections. A small hole in the wall store, no sign, just a suit number about a quarter mile from my house.

We talked, I look around and spotted three of these sitting on the their work table. 
Questions followed and they let me take pics.

Deluxe Ceramic Fiber Hot Pot
Stats
The Warm-up: In two minutes the kiln heats from room temperature to 1200degrees F. 
Firing: 10-12 minutes at 1200+ degrees F. 
Average Firing Temperature: 1375 degrees F over the 12-minute firing phase. 
Max Temp: 1550 degrees F.

Brown pot pic is his experimental hot pot melting silver. It melted but he wants to experiment on this a little more.

Hooked to butane and has a handmade hole in the bottom.

Interesting product that Ceramic Fiber. I also know they make a liquid hardener for the fiber.

Home:

http://pmcconnection.com/webshop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5&zenid=88b80699cb7f90cbca753da3d0b74ff6

The Pot:

Deluxe Ceramic Fiber Hot Pot
Zero to 1200 in Two Minutes
Perfect for small spaces and new metal clay artisans!

http://pmcconnection.com/webshop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=1776

Use your view image on brown pot to see gas hookup:


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## eeTHr (Jan 27, 2012)

It says it uses gel fuel. Are the flames supposed to shoot out the top, and heat whatever is put on that little grill thing?


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## DONNZ (Jan 27, 2012)

That little grill thing on top is used to heat clay.
That red clay pot, pic on box holds the fuel and sits inside the pot.

There is a bigger grill that fits inside under the lid, that thingy sitting on top of the pot. The lid has a cavity. The pot I guesstimate could hold a crucible volume of 5 oz. easy. That there big hole in the side of the pot will accommodate a propane torch tip with room to spare. 

See the box with parts here:

http://pmcconnection.com/webshop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=1776


I'll go back and take pics with the lid off. Pics on the box don't do it justice.


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## eeTHr (Jan 28, 2012)

Are we talking Sterno kiln here? After seeing the tiny flame in a pellet stove work, who knows?


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## qst42know (Jan 28, 2012)

What do you hope to accomplish with this?


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## DONNZ (Jan 29, 2012)

The first pic, the one that has turned brown is the experiment with a butane Bunsen burner. 

The air holes are stuffed with ceramic fiber and a hole was punched in the bottom to use the Bunsen burner. One piece of ceramic fiber laid over the top hole to hold in more heat. 

His goal: Would the pot hold up to higher temperatures and melt silver.

It will withstand higher temperatures and yes the silver melted.

I'm just estimating here but the inside cavity will hold a beer can. A fat beer can. 

Based on this and the fact that I'm not going to be melting 3 to 6 oz. of silver a any given time, I don't need a refractory / furnace larger than my work table. 

Just showing it as a possible alternative for people who don't the time or resources to build their own.

Don't need one this size:


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## MysticColby (Jan 30, 2012)

I'm going to direct you to this posting:
http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=7387&p=67215&hilit=+mini+furnace#p67215
I really liked the idea of making a mini furnace out of a single insulating fire brick, powered by a BernzOmatic torch.

After reading that post, I planned out my own and made it:
9x4.5x3 K23 fire brick
cut in half to give 4.5x4.5x3
use circle saw to make a 2-1/2" hole 1-3/4" through both bricks
drill 1/2" hole in center of top brick
drill 1/2" hole in side of bottom brick, off center, so it it flush with outside of inner hole
I later discovered ITC-100 and painted it on the inside

What I ended with was a 2-part furnace with a 2-1/2" diameter and 3-1/2" height chamber that could easily melt about 7 oz of silver (B0000 crucible from BCS).
From cold, it takes about 15 minutes to reach melting temp. But once there, it can do a new batch of silver every 5 minutes or so.


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## DONNZ (Feb 1, 2012)

MysticColby said:


> I'm going to direct you to this posting:
> Looks like we have the same problem, which I left out in my post: Space, very limited.
> 
> Looked up that ITC-100:
> ...


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## MysticColby (Feb 1, 2012)

ITC-100 seems a bit pricey, yes. And it's not the same as brick repair (There are other ITC products for repairing, though).
I bought 1 pint from BCS, used it on the 2 propane funaces I have (the mini one described, and a medium sized one with 4-1/2" D x 9" H chamber), and still have 2/3 of it left. It's supposed to last decades, too. For the mini furnace, it took about 2 tbsp to coat. Effectively, it's a paint that bounces the IR heat off the walls and onto the crucible. Supposed to reduce heating times.


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## DONNZ (Feb 1, 2012)

I'll keep ITC-100 in mind. First I need to build my furnace.

On the clay update. She promised two half full 5 gallons buckets of clay. She loaded me up with about 150 lb. of clap.

I'm pooped. Will update this in the morning. With pics. And the deal.


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## DONNZ (Feb 2, 2012)

Clay:

I recovered quite a bit of this from a local art school and from the Instructors studio. At no cost to me. That's the deal you get.

This can be a mix of Low and High Fire Clay. I use it in my Green Sand molds. Going to try a crucible, and use it as part of the ingredients in my furnace.

I'll brake it down (course ground, you do the rest) and pack in a freezer bag and ship it the a small "If it fits" Postal Box.
There is a discount on the web site if I use the Click-N- Ship I'll need to check out.

$5.35 Basic Price

Aprox. Weight: 4 lbs. of dry clay

Throw in a nickel or two for labor and the freezer bag.

The clay is free. 

There's nothing for sale, just reimburse me for the postage plus a nickel or two.

Send me a check, don't want to use PayPal for this. 

PM me your address I'll fix you one.

Donnz

And yes there is a code of honor at work here. First person to brake it kills the deal for everyone else.


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## DONNZ (Feb 3, 2012)

First bag of unused clay, have four such bags (Pic). 
Also have a box and a tub of dry mixed clay, Low and High Fire. 
Classification: A reasonable balance.

Ordering small quantities to fill our needs, well it hard. 

Cutting it up and letting it dry. May put it in the oven to speed the drying using low temp.

If your wondering I'm spending so much time on a furnace it's space and budget.
I have some silver and sterling silver to melt. Collecting scrap gold where and when I can. And equipment a piece here and there.

If I open my front door the police dept, city hall, water dept, tax office, all in plane view. I can hear it now, neighbors reporting a meth lab. Can't have that.

Here's a site that may be useful if your building your own:

http://www.nmclay.com/

Good starting point:

Kilns & Firing: Kiln Building Supplies

Shipping & Handling?

Can order as a Member or Non-Member.

Interesting, very interesting.

Enjoy


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## DONNZ (Feb 21, 2012)

Out cutting the back yard yesterday and keep looking at one of my plant stands. 
Went in an grabbed a tape measure.

Interior measures 7" X 7"/ walls are ½" thick / and it's 31½ long.

This might become a furnace and a refractory / furnace.

One vertical one horizontal. 

Or one refractory / furnace and one short plant stand. 

Now if I can lay my hands on some ceramic fiber board about ½" up to 1" thick. 

And the Cilantro / Coriander, looking good. Never did plant that garlic. Maybe today.


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## DONNZ (Feb 23, 2012)

UN-bumped my bump. forgot the date doesn't change. 

Go up one.


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## DONNZ (Feb 24, 2012)

Just some thoughts kicking around in my head about that former plant stand. Not committed to the design and I have a 600 lb. table saw in the garage and plenty of scrap wood. Well, I don't know about that 600 lbs. What I do know is 4 average size people can barely pick it straight up. Of course we were drinking beer at the time, and I was in charge of moving the wheels under it.


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## Claudie (Feb 26, 2012)

I ran across this stuff at Lowes. http://www.lowes.com/pd_10367-13040-10367_4294962369__?productId=3110273&Ntt=Basalite&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__4294962369__s%3FNtt%3DBasalite&facetInfo=Basalite


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## qst42know (Feb 27, 2012)

Some information on fire clays.

http://www.mineralszone.com/minerals/fire-clay.html


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## DONNZ (Mar 19, 2012)

Claudie and qst42know: 

Both armed with good info.

Got sidetracked on my project with a new development. A used kiln. Updates to come.

When budget permits, Temp. Control: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aag/main?ie=UTF8&isAmazonFulfilled=&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&isCBA=&asin=&seller=AGJOB9QIKR6CC


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## Smack (Mar 19, 2012)

That looks great Donnz


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## butcher (Mar 20, 2012)

DONNZ, I would be interested in seeing the heater coil mounting and wireing when you get there, possible some details like ohms or size and lengths would really be nice, looks like your going to have a new furnace soon. cannot wait to see how the clay fires.


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## DONNZ (Mar 20, 2012)

Had a decision to make, build one or rebuild one. 
Ran across this on cList for $85.00, we settled on $80.00.

Did more research when I got home and came across this one. Check out the pic's and price. Bet they still have it.

http://www.gotmachinery.com/details/?TEMCO-Electric-Furnace-Model-F1315T-36083


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## Smack (Apr 20, 2012)

I was watching this one and it went pretty cheap.
http://auction.repocast.com/details.cfm?ID=788008


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