Garvee 18 lbs / 6 KG Propane Melting Furnace Kit - 2372°F Metal Foundry Furnace with Crucible and Tong, Large-Capacity Melter for Copper, Silver, Aluminum, and Gold, Ideal for Beginners

The forge is good but the parts that come with it will not fit crucible

The GARVEE 6kg (also available in 12kg) Stainless Steel Propane Melting Furnace Kit is a decent entry-level forge for the money and works well for anyone wanting to get started with metal melting or small casting projects at home. I used it mostly for aluminum and copper work, and the functionality is simple enough that beginners should not have much trouble using it. The fact that it includes nearly everything needed to get started adds a lot of value at this price point.One downside I noticed right away was the included gloves. They technically work, but mine were covered with insulation fibers(from the furnace) that became very itchy if they got on skin. I would recommend wearing long sleeves or replacing the gloves entirely with a better option. Heat adjustment is also fairly basic since everything is controlled through the regulator and valve on the unit, so dialing in temperatures takes some practice. Most of the included accessories also feel fairly inexpensive. I wouldn’t say cheap, because it is fairly decent gauge materials, but it also isn’t great. For occasional use a few times a year this is probably fine, but I would spend more if this was going to be used regularly.The furnace body itself seems reasonably well-made for a budget setup. The stainless steel exterior feels decent, and the crucible is thicker than I expected. The overall design is simple but practical, uncomplicated, and I did not have any major setup or usability issues. Just remember that the only real safety function here is the regulator valve. You do need a kitchen lighter or similar to ignite the gas, so make sure to start with a crack, low-flow flame before igniting, but don’t wait too long to ignite. Other than the regulator, there isn’t any backflow safeguard once in the feed line. It’s no more dangerous than a grill, but you’ll want to be familiar with propane tanks and their use if you’ve never used one.Performance was good enough for small home use. I found it heated aluminum fairly quickly, and melting times were reasonable once everything was adjusted correctly. The insulation helps retain heat fairly well, although some heat escapes around the lid, which is expected.Overall, I think this is a good option for beginners or casual hobby use. The build quality and accessories reflect the lower price, but the furnace itself performs well enough for light duty projects. For around $130, I think the GARVEE furnace offers decent value as long as expectations stay realistic.

This was kind of an impulsive order. It just sounded cool. And, it is.I suppose it is the opposite of cool. It is super hot. It is a fairly simple device. You have the chamber. It is stamped metal material. The inside is lined with a fluffy ceramic wool. This is what insulates the forge to not cook the walls and also to retain heat.There's a gas pipe that attaches to the side of the forge. Then there is a propane hose with an adjustable regulator. The propane provides both a fuel and a rushing flow into the pipe. There's a fire brick that goes on the bottom to give the crucible a flat place to sit. That's basically the whole forge.Then you have the crucible and accesories. The crucible is considered a 6Kg crucible. That's a good size. The actual weight capacity depends on the metal density. You can get 10KG of dense gold into it if you happen to have that sitting around. You've got tongs included to make it easy to use. You even have some leather welding style gloves to handle some heat.The crucible is durable material but it can shatter. It says you need to cookout any moisture the first use or it could shatter. After that, you don't have to do that unless it gets wet.It functions well for aluminum, tin, and lead. It will not process steel. Overall, it is a good value to try a new hobby. If you drink a 6 pack of cans a day, then you need this! Haha.

I was mainly worried about getting enough heat for copper, but this furnace brought it to a nice pourable state without struggling.