Air Crete Forge..... Will It MELT?

we are testing the forge, lots of heat and burn time. Darwin had lots of fun getting the perfect set up. Building an Air Crete forge, this is a refractory mix I designed and how to build the burner for it.
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[@sonofagun3193]

Thats a little furnace not a forge! Yes soaking a portland cement - perlite concrete mix with sodium silicate (waterglass) defenitely works. When the waterglass is still wet. It should not be exposed to severe heat yet, since the water within the sodium silicate will become pressurized steam and will crack the concrete. Let dry first, thereafter fire up with a small fire ( I use an old perforated foodcan with a few pieces of glowing charcoal for that) Be aware that it ist the CO2 from the little charcoal fire that reacts with the sodium silicate, not the heat itself!! After a few hours of CO2 exposure slightly elevated temps, you can make a bigger fire by putting more charcoal in the perforated tin until the refractory airated concrete is bone dry. Ich advise not seal the surface with waterglass to maintain a porous structure to allow the concrete to "breathe" so that no moisture will get entrained within. Sorry for my English Greattimez, Españistan

[@adamkremer1131]

The only way to tell if it stacks up to fire brick and other materials is to record the amount of time it's been fired and at what temperatures. 2 firings doesn't say much. Hopefully it holds up.

[@Patriot3]

Can we get an update on how it worked over time or have you used it much. I’m wanting to cast an entire rocket stove for my place with it.

[@madmortigan666]

Have you tried making an aircrete kiln? I bet they'd be a hit. Lots of people would like to do pottery at home but can't because so expensive to fire pottery.

[@juliehenderson1672]

Awesome! Congrats to another success! 😁

[@TreDogOfficial]

The question becomes: can the aircrete withstand 3000°f temperatures for any long period of time

[@magicdaveable]

Very cool furnace.

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

Thank you

[@rductility2]

Great Job.

[@claytonholton905]

Great job! Now to plan my own Forge! Keep up the great video! And get your wife to make some brownies asa well would love to see her interrupting you again! Very funny!!!

[@yvonnepaulovicqueen1677]

I like your work. You have a mind for what you do and how you do it that doesn't stop. Ever think of concrete boat construction? The stuff floats right? Your wife and your self do good work together. A team. I love the way you teach your children the way's thank you for what you do. Josephine

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

Thank you so much, what a great compliment! I have not thought about boat construction, yet! But yes it does float. Again thank you for the compliments.

[@slaplapdog]

Have you made aircrete with Rapid Set Cement All? It's a Calcium aluminate cement, commonly available at Home Depot. Although it isn't marketed as a refractory cement , it has the same properties at a fraction of the cost.

[@waynoswaynos]

that would be awesome if it set before the bubbles popped. Did you try it?

[@slaplapdog]

@@waynoswaynos No, but Man About Tools has used it to make concrete garden boxes. I think they were not as strong as the Portland mix he used, but no word on how they would work for as an insulating refractory.

[@50shadesofgreen]

great job in making a Forge out of air crete !!

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

Thank you so much, its great to hear from you.

[@mikehammer6230]

Could you make a mold to pour molton aluminum in, or a credible using your air crete?

[@1100wing]

What if you mix the Portland cement slurry a little on the thick side and then added the water glass to the slurry before expanding it with foam?

[@5090ss]

Have you considered using refactory cement (dry) mixed with waterglass instead of water to make firebrick or to pour into a mold? I'm thinking it might make a higher temp and stronger product. Your thoughts?

[@DarrellHughes82]

adjustable secondary air intake from the bottom of the burn chamber will increase the temperature

[@MattP5000]

Hi Darwin! i ordered your refractory mix recipe on etsy a few days ago. How long do you recomend for cure time before treating with water glass?

[@josephdewuhan]

Great video and great try. Very impressive. How high a temperature do you think is inside the core area of the stove ? My question is how many times can you use it before it totally cracked up and become useless?

[@Downeastwaves]

Nice glow!

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

thanks

[@MarkThomas123]

How well did it work over time? How many burns and how did it work?

[@unionse7en]

Insulative value of aircrete = R 2 /inch Fiberglass batt R 3.2 /inch , not bad for a semi structural material. Repeated thermal cycling will reveal if it holds up to kiln temps,

[@josephsherwood8624]

Very cool dude

[@brizzell2101]

so i want to make a rocket stove for inside a rv and live in florida.. so this can keep just my stovetop radiant?

[@FYahooo]

I can’t find the video of you testing the final configuration of your propane torch, can you send me a link

[@waynoswaynos]

Awesome. Thanks friend. How heat many cycles have you done? Did the insides start to get powdery after a while and crumble? Or melt because of the water glass? I can't imagine this being very durable for temperatures hot enough to melt copper and higher. Unless you had a refractory lining.

[@gerrys6265]

The first question for me is - "what was the aircrete mix? Second Q - it was unclear to me what the sealer coat was and what the waterglass/sealcoat sequence/procedure was. It seemed to contradict itself.

[@patscopat]

Brilliant

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

Thank you!

[@HergerTheJoyous]

Instead of dusting it with Portland cement you should try plaster of Paris or maybe a mix of the two.

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

I just might give that a try.

[@1100wing]

I don't recall seeing the video with the refractory aircrete mix in it. I've been wondering, if you mix the Portland cement with water glass instead of water and then add the foam would the refractory properties be any better? Would it be easier harder and or last any longer?

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

The water glass sets up the cement way to fast.

[@1100wing]

Honey Do Carpenter How about diluted?

[@CaptBill69]

Wow, ... I see you switched from wood over to propane; ... and dialing in that red glow, plus looks like better durability that you want for trusting the safety is there. What I wonder about is: I wonder if using a rock mass heater burning propane or natural gas for heating a home would be a more efficient way, as compared to the standard wall heaters? ... I'd love to know more about tests and data or thoughts on that idea.

[@davidbetts1851]

Agreed have you found anything on this

[@tubularguynine]

Excellent forge, Darwin! You gonna finish that file-knife? It would make a good one.

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

Thank you, and yes I do plan on making a knife for my wife! Just got to find the time.

[@jjlforge3468]

Very interested in data on this forge and your burner.... ho hot did it really get and what psi were you running at? I’m a pro blacksmith and I’m always looking for more efficient tech.

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

We did not get the stats, but I guess that would be a good idea.

[@paulisaacs2556]

now that is hot stuff.

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

Thanks, and it was very hot!

[@truecrony]

If the town of Paradise, CA was smart they'd rebuild using only air-crete. I've also wondered why houses don't have fire activated sprinklers on top of them.

[@tm-ym2ye]

Lol i am done hit stop... priceless

[@gregorysalter6226]

Instead u drill holes? Like what?

[@rubinsansom9269]

When you go back to your shop the sound is to loud I have to adjust the sound back and forth when I watch one of your videos.

[@coolobuttface]

how long did it take to get it to that orange red?

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

10 - 15 min...

[@hinaholt44]

that was awesome. how hot did you get that forge? estimated temp will do

[@Joshua-rc3zk]

Joshua Holt

[@Joshua-rc3zk]

Do you think that the air crete can hold back magma or lava? Steel melts at 2200 +degrees Fahrenheit and the lava in Hawaii big island is burning at around 2175 degrees Fahrenheit.

[@dutchlizardgaming7269]

@@Joshua-rc3zk interesting thought!! But with lava and magma streams you have the wheight of the mass. Maybe temp wise it would hold but the constructions fail under the great pressure. Im late at the party I know right! haha cheers anyway

[@pamcolechadwell1302]

Well, I need a kiln to fire precious metal clay! I make jewelry with the clay so the design I put on the clay can't melt, When the firing is complete its either fine silver or gold witch ever clay I'm using, I need like a little box like a real kiln that can stay the same temperature through the whole firing. Unless we can put a programmable switch on it it just won't work. Thank you anyway! U know a long time ago I thought about making a larger type pizza oven style kiln for firing glass art! you know what I mean layer the different shapes and colors of glass then set inside the kiln so the glass art can melt together?

[@lazyh-online4839]

Just build a furnace like this and use a stove element in the bottom hooked up to a pid controller.

[@trmwyldshade1482]

So how is it holding up?

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

great

[@doitmanrv1084]

😁

[@docthebiker]

Will it melt? No. Not steel anyway, but it's good for getting it malleable. So why not mount it horizontally? Then you don't have to stand over it in the full blast of the escaping heat.

[@t.h.o.r.]

Haha- your hammer head flew off!- hammers used with hot work need dunking in epsom salts solution for a week. Itll swell the wood and keep it there.

[@jameshorrocks2939]

What is the recipe?

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

I have the full aircrete refractory recipe listed on my Etsy tore Honry Do Carpenter Shop.

[@mfredricknew]

looks a bit like "forged in fire".... lol

[@HoneyDoCarpenter]

Right! Thank you!

[@masterdebater8757]

Cant go changing the world by charging people for the formula for such things. We all understand it took you allot of trial and error but the fact is the next person that gets the formula for free may make improvements to it and then share them that's the way you change the world. We all live and die no need taxing each other for knowledge it only hinders progression on all fronts.

[@DarrellHughes82]

i wonder what happens when u drop a bunch of weed in there?

[@dutchlizardgaming7269]

You get a relaxed happy village ;)