Installment #5, Building a Vertical Welding Forge (WIP)

With the forge curing nicely, I figured I’d better get busy and build the lid. I cut off a 3″ tall section of the same diameter pipe that I used for the forge body… split it, then filled in the sides/gaps with 1/4″ plywood to make it match the outside diameter of the forge. Laid the form on a piece of plywood, and used nails to ensure everything stayed put. I decided to build the lid just the reverse of the forge… putting Kawool on the inside, and making the rest out of castable.

The pieces of bent rebar will be handles for the lid… inset into the castable.

Next, I mixed up some castable to a very soupy consistency, and basically soaked the Kawool in it. Then I laid the Kawool in the form, and mixed up a thicker batch of castable.

Then it was just a matter of filling the form with castable, and putting the rebar in place.

I got the castable way more wet then I wanted… but I guess “it is what it is”. Now it’s just a matter of curing time before I can do anything else. Once I get it in place and fired, I’ll update the thread with how it works out.