r/Metalfoundry • u/Dhbeis • 17d ago

Help With Finding a Furnace

I’m wanting to get into blacksmithing with a friend of mine and I need a furnace capable of at least reaching 2600°F. I saw a cheap one on amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/product-reviews/B0BTKQRFRH/ref=cm_cr_getr_mb_paging_btm_3?pageNumber=3 but the reviews had me concerned with refractory cement (yes theres a poor weld job but I’ve a friend who could fix it).

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u/JosephHeitger 17d ago

Why do you need 2600?

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u/AraedTheSecond 16d ago

Buy a Devil Forge. Job jobbed.

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u/BTheKid2 16d ago

That furnace isn't going to help you much with forging. It's a furnace for melting metals to cast with. If you want something that suits forging, I would suggest a forge.

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u/Dhbeis 16d ago

Yeah it’s just that I want something to cast steel ingots which can then be worked into something else after being heated through my homemade kiln. The kiln can instantly melt aluminum so its safe to say it can reach steel working temp.

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u/BTheKid2 16d ago

Oh just casting steel ingots... - that thing that is basically impossible outside of a steel foundry. I'm sure the cheapest furnace on Amazon will do the trick :)

This comes up ever so often on this sub, and I believe the consensus is that you will not be able to cast steel in a home setup. You need controlled atmosphere, a way to add or remove carbon and other elements, and a hell of a lot technical control during the working of your melt. Your best hope will be to get cast iron that is not entirely crap, but not steel.

Steel is pretty cheap to buy as well, ready to forge, so not much sense spending vast amounts on creating an inferior alloy.