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Tin Shack Studio - Construction

Photos from the construction of the Tin Shack Studio (May - November 2003)
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November 25, 2003
Here are pictures of a new marver I built on the weekend to replace the wooden one. The new annealer features a 3/8" steel top (the wooden annealer had only a 1/4" steel top).
building a new marver building a new marver new marver complete new marver complete
 
November 18, 2003
The furnace is complete! The alumina board was painted with protective cement around the crucible port, and the crucible was installed. The furnace was taken to 100F, and is sitting at 100F overnight to "smoke test" everything.
The annealer stand has also been completed. The stand I made yesterday had a bad mount for the controller, so I cut it off today and built a new controller mount. It was also tested to 100F tonight.
furnace crucible heating annealer showing bad controller mount annealer showing bad controller mount annealer showing bad controller mount annealer showing bad controller mount annealer showing good controller mount annealer and furnace annealer and furnace completed annealer completed furnace
 
November 16, 2003
From November 14-16, I completed work on the furnace and did an initial "fire up" to 200F. Everything worked perfectly. Burning out the organic binders does smoke and stink - I was very glad for the shack exhaust fan!
I also started work on a movable base for the annealer and it's controller, but the pictures will come next time. I still have some "unwelding" and "rewelding" do to before it is complete.
furnace viewed from the back furnace viewed from the back furnace viewed from the back furnace electrical connections furnace electrical connections furnace controller furnace controller furnace controller mounted finished furnace from the front finished furnace from the front furnace heating to 200F furnace heating to 200F
 
November 12, 2003
The foot is healing nicely (the cast came off two weeks ago). I've been working on the furnace lids. The bricks were cut, and then held into the lids with tin strips. After cementing the bricks for the gathering port, I coated the "active surfaces" with cement (to protect from the fluxes). Tonight I installed the hinges for the lids, and then built a protection assembly for the thermocouple.
cutting tin for the lids fabricating the gathering port fabricating the gathering port the finished lids furnace lid hinges installed furnace gathering port lifter furnace gathering port lifted cutting the alumina board cutting the alumina board beveled gathering port beveled gathering port thermocouple protector thermocouple protector finished thermocouple assembly
 
October 30, 2003
I hand-grooved the vertical channel between element brick courses, installed the bricks and ran the elements. Then I cut the mesh behind the furnace where the elements emerge (to prevent short circuits). Next, I cut the alumina board, trimmed the side refractory material and fitted the alumina board on the top of the furnace. Finally, I cut and fitted the bricks for the furnace maintenance lid and gathering port.

The pictures here show the fitting of the element, the alumina board, the back of the furnace where the elements emerge, and the two lids. Also shown - the studio in winter and my small heater (until the shop is 'hot').
building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace
 
October 25, 2003
I decided to use a router and a dovetail bit to cut the channel for the element into my firebricks. I designed a plywood "jig" to hold the router and bit, with a fence to guide the bricks. To minimize brick dust damage to the router, I designed the jig such that the hole for the router bit was the size of the bit shank. This worked like a charm.
One big word of caution. I took off my dust mask for these photos. However, ALWAYS WEAR A DUST MASK WHEN WORKING WITH REFRACTORY MATERIALS. Even this short "photo op" exposure left me coughing. I would not do that again.
Also, notice that after almost 3 weeks, I decided to cut the bricks without my cast. The foot is healing nicely, and I decided a little exercise for the leg was overdue. I still wear the cast most of the day.
grooving the bricks with a special router jig grooving the bricks with a special router jig grooving the bricks with a special router jig grooving the bricks with a special router jig grooving the bricks with a special router jig grooving the bricks with a special router jig grooving the bricks with a special router jig bricks with finished element grooves
 
October 21 & 22, 2003
In spite of the cast and sore foot, I started working on the furnace refractory materials. A layer of K-FAC 19 on the bottom, and a layer of 2" Roxul RHT80 on the sides. Then line the sides with one layer of tinfoil, followed by a 1" layer of Frax. Line the bottom with K23 firebrick, followed by a 2" layer of firebrick. A chunk of Alumina board in the depression made by the 2" firebrick, and then the bricks that hold the elements. This can be seen in the "furnace build" picture series.
The bricks that hold the elements were then cut and assembled on a workmate, prepared for the element groove. The furnace elements and lid (with bricks test-fitted) are also shown. Finally, a picture taken after a hard evening's work - mostly testing a camera whose flash had died.
building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace building the furnace furnace K23 bricks furnace K23 bricks - cut and layed out furnace elements furnace lid with bricks working hard...
 
October 7, 2003 - Work Suspended due to Injury!
On October 7, 2003 at 10:30 am, I was the victim of "heavy metal". While putting some refractory materials away in my garage, a disk of steel 18" by 2" (just over 100 lbs) fell over and crushed my right foot. As it turned out, a bone in the top of the foot was cracked, in addition to the overall damage caused by "squishing". Since Oct 9, I've had my foot in an "air cast", which has slowed work on the studio tremendously.
the air cast me in my cast heavy metal
 
October 2, 2003
Metal for the furnace was purchased in the last week of September. On September 28, I cut the metal to length for the furnace according to templates I had made from the "build it" video. Cuts were made using a cheap mitre saw with a metal composite disk.
On Sept 30, I tried some test welds with my MIG welder (Lincoln MIG-PAK 15, 220VAC). I made some lap joints and added triangles (scrap from some bevel cuts) to the angle iron. The welds didn't look great, but they held despite all my attempts to break them.
On Oct 2, I tried making more test welds after buying a welding book. This time I made several "butt" joints, as these are what is used on the furnace frame. These were also OK for strength, so I began making the main furnace frame. I started at 11am, and finished completely by 3pm. The frame is 25" by 25" by 22" (not counting the wheels), and made of 1-1/4" angle iron except for the vertical supports which are 1-1/2" angle iron. After completion, I tested the frame by standing and jumping on it for a few minutes. It is sturdy.

Here are some pictures of the finished furnace frame, plus my welding setup. I weld outside for ventilation.
welding set-up welding set-up furnace frame welded together furnace frame welded together furnace frame welded together - with refractory template furnace frame welded together - with refractory template furnace frame welded together
 
September 15, 2003
On September 13, the current equipment was 'fired up' for a full field trial. Items missing were the kiln and a glory hole yoke (both still to be built). The 'blowing day' was a complete success, making 6 small marbles from cane over a 3 hour period. Both annealer and glory hole worked fantastic!
The shed didn't get too hot, though the fluorescent light in the roof peak overheated and turned itself off (thermal overload protection). Additional venting will be required over the door.
The annealer came up to temp. (890 deg. F.) in about 20-25 minutes, and the glory hole came up to temp. in about 30 minutes. I started with 8 lbs. propane, but reduced it to 6 lbs. (using the regulator) after the glory hole was at temp.
In all, a very successful first day's 'blowing'!
first marbles - just annealer and glory hole first marbles - just annealer and glory hole
 
July 2003 - Tin Shack construction
building the shed tin shack studio is ready for equipment
 
July 2003 - Pad must be re-levelled
re-levelling the pad a job well done!
 
May 2003 - Initial pad construction
removing a nasty tree first you dig a hole... then you need some gravel blocks are being placed finished pad


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