Found a weird trick to keep my forge fire hotter longer using a piece of old stovepipe.

I was working on a big Damascus billet last Tuesday and my fire kept dropping temp, so I bent a 12-inch section of scrap stovepipe into a half-circle and propped it behind the firepot, which reflected a ton of heat back in and saved me a bunch of coal over a 4-hour session.

3 comments

3 Comments

kaih365d ago

Ever try lining the inside with something like firebrick mortar to keep that stovepipe from warping over time?

derek_perez5d ago

Yeah, that stuff works great for me too.

carter.casey5d ago

Actually used to think that was overkill for a simple stovepipe. Then I saw my neighbor's setup after five hard winters. His lined pipe looked almost new, while mine was starting to buckle and sag. The mortar really does soak up the heat and spread it out, so the metal isn't taking the full brunt. Changed my mind completely, and I line them every time now. It's a bit more work up front, but it saves a lot of trouble later.