Usually, the hearth plate is a sacrificial item, used to protect the underlying furnace brick (and elements). Typically a furnace bedding powder (like bone ash or magnesia) would be placed on top to absorb spills:
www.lmine.com/category/furnace_bedding.html
Adding another plate to protect the inexpensive hearth plate seems redundant. Depending on the size, hearth plates are quite low cost. For instance, this plate which is 18x11 inches is under $30:
www.lmine.com/product/26460.html
www.lmine.com/category/furnace_bedding.html
Adding another plate to protect the inexpensive hearth plate seems redundant. Depending on the size, hearth plates are quite low cost. For instance, this plate which is 18x11 inches is under $30:
www.lmine.com/product/26460.html
There are less expensive hearth plates for that furnace available, like these:
www.lmine.com/product/266374.html
If you want an extra, less expensive layer of protection on top of that, you could add a thin clay plate, like one of these 18"x18" plates:
www.lmine.com/product/269501.html
The Maborite furnace bedding cures with a harder surface, and tends to stick less to the bottom of the crucibles and cupels and may be worth considering:
www.lmine.com/product/17108M.html
And finally, a good shovel/scraper combo makes cleaning up spills and maintaining the furnace bedding easier:
www.lmine.com/product/19231.html
www.lmine.com/product/266374.html
If you want an extra, less expensive layer of protection on top of that, you could add a thin clay plate, like one of these 18"x18" plates:
www.lmine.com/product/269501.html
The Maborite furnace bedding cures with a harder surface, and tends to stick less to the bottom of the crucibles and cupels and may be worth considering:
www.lmine.com/product/17108M.html
And finally, a good shovel/scraper combo makes cleaning up spills and maintaining the furnace bedding easier:
www.lmine.com/product/19231.html