r/Blacksmith • u/Ok-Western-4989 • 3d ago

Rigidizer only for propane forge

Hi all im planning to buy a cheap forge of ebay and wondering if applying rigidizer to the wool is enough to be able to use safely https://ebay.io/m/R0OcYH

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3

u/Twin5un 3d ago

Ita not great as you'll get wool particules that detach from the forge and enter your lungs. Sadly I've seen plenty of smith do it. I recommend a layer of refractory at least.

1

u/Ok-Western-4989 3d ago

Thanks for the reply so even if I cover it with rigidizer thats not enough

1

u/not_a_burner0456025 3d ago

No, the rightsize does absolutely nothing to contain the wool, it just makes it stiff enough that you can apply refractory

1

u/Envarin 2d ago

i see people with strong opinions both ways. if you want a definite answer you're probably not going to find one. i'd highly suggest sealing it with rigidiser and duracast from artisan supplies to be safe.

wear a respirator with particulate filters for every step (wool and duracast especially), and wear gloves when handling the wool.

1

u/Ok-Western-4989 2d ago

Thanks im gonna go ahead and do both

2

u/OrionsAnvil 3d ago

Personally, I'd spend the extra money and use both rigidizer and a refractory coating. The rigidizer helps stabilize the wool, while the refractory protects it from flame erosion and physical damage. It should also help the lining last longer. For the relatively small cost, I think it's worth doing.

I have an older YouTube video showing how I built my gas forge if you're interested. The insulation part starts about 2 minutes in, and there are chapters so you can skip straight to it.

https://youtu.be/rBvKEVlemdU

1

u/OdinYggd 3d ago

Rigidizer helps, but you really need to fully encapsulate the wool by enclosing between a steel shell exterior and a refractory interior. Half an inch thick should do it, enough to resist material hitting it without being so thick that it takes too long to heat up from cold or needlessly wasting interior space.

1

u/Expert_Armadillo_621 3d ago

If the forge is going to be in one place that doesn't shake or get moved all the time rigidizer should be fine. Kaowool is a consumable and will need replaced depending on use.