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Steam engine patterns for casting

I have all the castings, and machining plans for a 30hp V-twin engine. I started to machine the crank and then life took everything in another direction. I'd like to sell it to someone who appreciates it. The castings were bought from England through Light Steam Power magazine in 1982.
 
Mcgyver said:
I'm a secret basement caster in an urban setting who wants to keep things very low key Running a larger furnace and sand casting in back yard or drive way isn't happening. If I get back to the country one day, maybe, but even then it will be based on 3D printed patterns..... the time savings is incredible over having to make a pattern.
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This exactly, at least in Toronto. You need to do casting type that you go engage in indoors without attracting attention. or risk the wrath of multiple Karen's before they even had a name for them.

Years ago I made moulds, a lot of moulds, for my mom's ceramic doll making and for D&D figurines. I had an old vulcanizing press to make moulds for casting a tin based alloy. I'd melt and cast the metal in the basement in small volumes. I got to the point that I wanted to increase casting volume and use bronze to do more sculptural pieces so I experimented with a few burner designs with the anticipation of making a foundry. The first time I tested my burner in the driveway several neighbours called 911 and both the fire department and the police arrived followed quickly by the Karens who said I was going to burn down the neighbourhood.

I'm planning a cast iron foundry, and have a long term home for it in the country, in a quonset hut not being used for much else. It will be wheeled and move outside for firing and pouring. Still not sure about the sand pouring base... maybe a mobile sandbox that can be picked up with forks by tractor..

I'm determined to be casting iron before I die, even if I dont get to move to the country before then.
 
TorontoBuilder said:
I'm determined to be casting iron before I die, even if I dont get to move to the country before then.
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All you need is a microwave. Seriously. I posted a video link here somewhere of a guy doing CI on his balcony, and if watch and listen to him, he comes across as quite credible. Enough so that I'd give it a whirl if I needed to cast something in iron. Whether they are good enough for machining (e.g. no chill spots) I couldn't say
 
Mcgyver said:
All you need is a microwave. Seriously. I posted a video link here somewhere of a guy doing CI on his balcony, and if watch and listen to him, he comes across as quite credible. Enough so that I'd give it a whirl if I needed to cast something in iron. Whether they are good enough for machining (e.g. no chill spots) I couldn't say
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I've seen that guys videos. They sure piqued my curiosity. Sadly there isn't a consumer microwave large enough for me to cast a 1/2 HP steam engine using that method but model steam engines may be within reach.

His safety protocols scare the bejeebus out of me.

Having said that, like you I'll likely give it a go so small CI items. I have a heat treatment oven too so I'd preheat my moulds to improve the flow characteristics, because I think his work suffered lack of sufficiently high enough temps.
 
Mcgyver said:
catastrophic tactical error imo .... always go with "It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission". Be the caveman you were meant to be. :)

agreed 3D print is a game changer for casting, almost a necessity in my mind given the time savings. Lost resin for small super detailed parts. Lost filament for things a bit bigger and not as demanding detail/finish wise. For things that would fit in up to say a large soup can, investment and vacuum casting is amazing. For larger than that, it's mostly outside of my experience (some AL in sand, open top, but that was 35 years ago). I'm a secret basement caster in an urban setting who wants to keep things very low key Running a larger furnace and sand casting in back yard or drive way isn't happening. If I get back to the country one day, maybe, but even then it will be based on 3D printed patterns..... the time savings is incredible over having to make a pattern.

I've posted this before, but here is a sample of lost resin detail. A bronze elbow for a live steam model engine with fake flange, bolts and nuts .... copper tube gets silver soldered into it. Incredible detail - those bolts are 1/16" dia!. It's also far more difficult than lost filament, with lots of fails and experiments each taking a weekend, between actual work, print and burnout time.

View attachment 58790
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I have a Elegoo Saturn SLA printer and I can’t count the hours I have spent trying to get reliable prints from it.
 
In my experience, temperature has a LOT to do with resin print reliability. In my case, my basement is simply too cold, year round to really get the best from it. There are times when the ambient temp fell within acceptable range (~20-25*c ish if I remember right......) for the resin I was printing, but Not really paying attention to those details too much at the time, it was always a guessing game.

I really haven't used mine all that much the last couple years, but when I finally end up moving my basement workbench into the utility room, I will build a heated and vented enclosure so I can actually use it more reliably. Until then....I really haven't had any current projects that called for it, but there are some engine builds I'd like to do in the future, that I want to print patterns for casting so it'll get some use again for those. Someday.....
 
I have a reel of Mouldlay which is a filament for lost wax casting. Not tested yet but promising....
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Ironman said:
I have all the castings, and machining plans for a 30hp V-twin engine. I started to machine the crank and then life took everything in another direction. I'd like to sell it to someone who appreciates it. The castings were bought from England through Light Steam Power magazine in 1982.
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Sounds interesting.

Is the magazine Light Steam Power, or Live Steam Power?

Would like to take a look. Not sure on sizes at 30 hp.
 
PeterT said:
a video, maybe there is more

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I would like to give this a try this summer. Molten metal in the rain is too exciting for me.

I'm also wondering about printing in pla with very little infill (3-5%), and then pack the pattern into sand and just pour on top.

Can't be much more deadly than lost foam...famous last words.

I have a Gingery furnace on propane and it works pretty good.
 
Tomc938 said:
Sounds interesting.

Is the magazine Light Steam Power, or Live Steam Power?

Would like to take a look. Not sure on sizes at 30 hp.
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Light Steam Power
This is a V-twin, 30hp is about 18" tall top to bottom. Horsepower is very dependent on the boiler in the steam world, the engine just changes it into rotary motion. If I recall this is a compound engine with the HP cylinder on top of the LP. Ball bearing throughout. I purchased all the bearings but they are rusty now. Plans for the boiler are included.
If you are interested, we can talk.
 
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