A welder at the flea market made me question my whole setup

Last Saturday I was selling some hooks at the swap meet and an older welder stopped to chat, said my forge temps were probably running hotter than I thought because my firebrick was too thin. He pointed at my 2 inch lining and told me to check the back wall for shiny spots, which I had been ignoring for 8 years. Anyone else ever had a random stranger spot a flaw in your gear that you'd been living with forever?

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1 Comment

bell.felix20d ago

Years back I ran a 1 inch kaowool liner in my forge and thought I was fine. Took a guy at the scrap yard pointing out the heat glow on the shell to make me realize I was wasting fuel and burning up my steel. Now I use 2 inches of rigid board and check the back wall every couple months. That kind of stranger callout stings but it saves you money in the long run.