Just curious.
1. Who on this list has a foundry and if so to what temperature level?
a) Aluminum?
b) Bronze
c) Cast Iron
1. Who on this list has a foundry and if so to what temperature level?
a) Aluminum?
b) Bronze
c) Cast Iron
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Quick survey on Foundries
- Thread starter jcdammeyer
- Start date
You do know that there is a forum survey function.....
With one exception, I have no foundry capabilities. The exception occurs whenever I weld anything. In particular I am good at casting plate. It seems welding always leaves flat slabs of previously molten metal all over my shop floor. Especially when I try welding aluminium.
DPittman
Ultra Member
Ya if you're not a good welder I'd say aluminum will only deteriorate your confidence and frustrate you. But I see guys TIG weld aluminum beautifully but I don't think they are beginners either. I don't have a TIG and only oxy/acetylene welded aluminum before and only in small lengths was it passable. Aluminum is PERFECT for foundry, you've begun in aluminum foundry and you may not have even knew about it.
I wanted more of a discussion than just a survey. Curious how many people are making things out of cast metal.
cjmac
Well-Known Member
I have run into very few people who have gas welded aluminum. I thought for a long time that it couldn't be done. Then I took a metal working course with Gene Winfield (custom car guy). Part of the course showed us how to gas weld aluminum. If you weld aluminum with a Mig or Tig and then try to bend it or hammer it into a different shape, it will likely crack at the weld. If it has been gas welded it won't crack.
Getting back to John's question, I have a gas foundry and an electric kiln. Neither is currently set up to use (pending completion of my shop).
Chris
Former Member
Guest
I have meet a CN Rail Welder that welds aluminium with stick, including thin sheet. Thought he was pulling my leg but there are special rods for it.
OK. No problem. Just wanted to make sure.
On a serious note, I'd personally love to do aluminum and maybe a few other lower melting point metals. I especially think about it when I fill a garbage can with swarf. It would be nice to make rough shaped ingots.
If there was a machining safe molding material (sand is a no-no), and hobby sized equipment (cost is a barrier), I might get interested enough to give it a go.
Rauce
Ultra Member
I’m interested but I don’t have the space or time to get into casting right now.
There are a few projects I have in mind that casting would be ideal for but in Iron rather than aluminum. I’m lucky enough to have a friend who is a pattern maker and knows all the local foundries. When the time comes to get started on those projects I’ll see if the cost is feasible.
There are a few projects I have in mind that casting would be ideal for but in Iron rather than aluminum. I’m lucky enough to have a friend who is a pattern maker and knows all the local foundries. When the time comes to get started on those projects I’ll see if the cost is feasible.
trlvn
Ultra Member
Whazzat?
I have a foundry, one electric furnace (gingery style) that has lasted 25 years and a propane one. I do mostly aluminum but have done brass too
I have plans to do a cast iron furnace (artful bodger style) .
My furnaces share a top (lid) and base, you just swap out the middle
I use oil bonded sand only and have both brand name petrobomd and a custom blend
I have plans to do a cast iron furnace (artful bodger style) .
My furnaces share a top (lid) and base, you just swap out the middle
I use oil bonded sand only and have both brand name petrobomd and a custom blend
I have had my eye on this for awhile now:
Limited-time deal: 6 KG Propane Melting Furnace, Metal Casting Machine Made of Stainless Steel with Graphite Crucible Goggles Tongs for Metal Scrap Smelting Made by Heat-Resistant SUS 304 Case https://a.co/d/6k7b33K
Limited-time deal: 6 KG Propane Melting Furnace, Metal Casting Machine Made of Stainless Steel with Graphite Crucible Goggles Tongs for Metal Scrap Smelting Made by Heat-Resistant SUS 304 Case https://a.co/d/6k7b33K
Matt-Aburg
Ultra Member
I want to get into melting aluminum this summer. I need a furnace big enough to make my pure scrap back into billets. I have over 50 pounds of pure shavings and it grows everyday. I would like to make them into a solid again. I would need to be able to melt about 15 pounds / pour.
One question I have is how much bubbles will be in the loaf?
One question I have is how much bubbles will be in the loaf?
The guys with the electric foundries, what is the experiance with those ? It seems like a less noisy/intrusive way to melt aluminum,
what kind of quantity are you able to smelt down ?
Do they get hot enough for other materials? (Regarding home job, 30-40a 220)
Do you think it's more or less expensive than propane/oil per kg of melted material ?
what kind of quantity are you able to smelt down ?
Do they get hot enough for other materials? (Regarding home job, 30-40a 220)
Do you think it's more or less expensive than propane/oil per kg of melted material ?
Al
And yes that crucible is way smaller (as is the furnace) than they lead you to believe.
though the price looks attractive best read the reviews. The claim they are using asbestos for the insulating material while the comments refer to kaowool. Didn't think something with that much asbestos could be sold anymore.
And yes that crucible is way smaller (as is the furnace) than they lead you to believe.
I used to use propane with a fan for air. I found it expensive and a pain to get the 100 lb tanks refilled. A 20lb tank would only last for a few sessions.
Once I had natural gas run to the house I had them extend a pipe to where the foundry sits. Changed jet sizes on BBQ and on the foundry. Now it's walk up to it, press the start button and run. The size of the gas meter installed was double the size of the normal household gas meter so I can run a 250K BTU home heating furnace and a 250K BTU foundry at the same time.
Mine is the Gingery Furnace and the refractory is the type rated for cast iron but as yet haven't done that. The highest temp has been for bronze.
I have a kiln now too. Working on an electric control for it (Project #42). The testing I've done suggests it will be fine for aluminum.
I have a 6# silicon carbide crucible which gets the most use. An 8# never used and a 12# pipe crucible for one large casting I need to do and mostly just to reduce large chunks of scrap metal.
I only use green sand. Don't like the smell of oil based sand, don't have a muller to reconstitute it. Don't do lost foam for the same smelly reasons. I do have a sand fluffer I made which breaks down the lumps in drier sand. I find if I add water and mix a few days before I cast that the moisture in the sand evens out over the entire container.