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CA-BC Where to buy green sand in Victoria?
- Thread starter PaulL
- Start date
British Columbia
Used to but I think they are long gone. I got mine way back when a bunch of us were doing it. Bags of premix from some place in greater Vancouver. I think they are long gone too. Doesn't everyone just get everything made in China now? <GRIN>
If you decide to mix your own don't use playground sand. Sharp sand like used for sand blasting. Not too fine or it won't let the steam escape.
If you decide to mix your own don't use playground sand. Sharp sand like used for sand blasting. Not too fine or it won't let the steam escape.
Is it worth calling these folks?
wellingtonfoundry.com
Professional Foundry Services in British Columbia - Wellington Foundry
Our company has been serving Vancouver Island, British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest for over 50 years. Let us put our experience to work for you.
wellingtonfoundry.com
PA claims to carry it - $20/Kg. Madness.
So that's my next step.
I just got off the phone with them. They source from OCL Industrial Materials: https://www.oclim.com/foundry-refractory/
So that's my next step.
If you are going to buy from a supplier check into parting dust too. It's what you sprinkle between the cope and the drag so the sand doesn't stick to itself. I will be doing some casting in the next week or so and you are welcome to come and watch.
That's cheaper than a steak! and will last a lot longer.
140mower
Don
.....gunna take a lot of beer to wash it down though, so your going to have to factor that in too....
cjmac
Well-Known Member
We still have Achinback Foundry in Langford. I have used them a few times. That being said I don't know if they would sell sand.
Chris
The three different books I have:
1. #1 The Charcoal Foundry by David Gingery
2. Foundry work for the amateur
3, The Metal Caster's bible
All essentially say the same thing.
Sharp silica sand (it means sand that hasn't been rounded by wind and waves) 75 to 125 mesh
5% to 10% Bentonite Clay (I'm told kitty litter is the same thing)
1% to 1.5% wood flour, wheet flour or dry wall paper paste etc.
Not too much water and let it sit 24 hours after adding water and mixing. This lets the moisture get into all the clay.
I've haven't tried the above recipe.
1. #1 The Charcoal Foundry by David Gingery
2. Foundry work for the amateur
3, The Metal Caster's bible
All essentially say the same thing.
Sharp silica sand (it means sand that hasn't been rounded by wind and waves) 75 to 125 mesh
5% to 10% Bentonite Clay (I'm told kitty litter is the same thing)
1% to 1.5% wood flour, wheet flour or dry wall paper paste etc.
Not too much water and let it sit 24 hours after adding water and mixing. This lets the moisture get into all the clay.
I've haven't tried the above recipe.
cjmac
Well-Known Member
I got a couple of bags of Bentonite from Buckerfields on Keating Cross Rd. about 10 years ago. Might be worth a phone call if you are looking for it.
Gypsum can be used as a parting powder. not saying there aren't better products out there but people have been casting stuff for a long time and made do with local materials.
Chris
I found all the material needed years ago at “Calgary ceramics”. Perhaps check local ceramic shops. Bettonite is also used to line dugouts, so ag stores may carry it.
I switched to oil bonded years ago myself.
I switched to oil bonded years ago myself.
Tom O
Ultra Member
Have you tried these? I’ve been to this one probably 10 years ago just to look it’s a few blocks from Capital Iron. I’m not sure it may have been where dad had his casting done.
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Sand blasting sand from PA.
Southern Bentonite and Porcelain Clay from a Ceramic/Pottery supplier. Southern Bentonite is different from Western Bentonite, aka Drillers mud, or cat litter. Caan't tell you entirely how, other than I was told that Southern is sticky when wet, and Western is used as a lubricant, and is slimy.
Was told that Southern is the stuff to use.
Said Ceramics supplier may be the closest you have access to, for such as Castable refractories and other supplies for Foundry work, so worth finding out if such is in the area.
The recipe is a tried a true, from a couple good friends of mine that used to be heavily in to both casting, and leading many of the unsuspecting, down that particular garden path!
cjmac
Well-Known Member
Smith Bros. used to have a foundry and a warehouse full of patterns. I got many casting done there a long time ago. Then there was a fire and some of the buildings and all of the patterns were destroyed. In the past 10 or so years I have bought metal from them but to my knowledge the foundry work is not done there anymore. They did give me a jug of sodium silicate that was just lying around. I haven't been there at all in at least 5 years.
Chris
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Here's a good info source on the difference between western and southern Bentonite.
http://smelko.com/?page_id=325
Also a Supplier, albeit far away from Victoria.
http://smelko.com/?page_id=325
Also a Supplier, albeit far away from Victoria.
I called them first. They do their casting off-island now, since the foundry burned in the 90's and the city didn't allow them to rebuilt.
Have seen that page, and to read through it, they could be describing either product with either description. Kinda baffling!
I have used and cast with sand made to the recipe in the link I posted above, and it is what was recommended whenever the question came up. <shrug> That's what I know about that!
They don't "Make" you buy 20KG of steak at a time, though!
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
The recipe seems like a good one, and no doubt it works great. I think there is a wide variety of ingredients that will "work", and a narrower range that are really optimal. Like cooking. Depends on your local, and what raw ingredients you have easily available.Have seen that page, and to read through it, they could be describing either product with either description. Kinda baffling!
I have used and cast with sand made to the recipe in the link I posted above, and it is what was recommended whenever the question came up. <shrug> That's what I know about that!
I've had decent success with play sand and ground kitty litter. It's not great, It falls in the range of "will work", but is far from optimal. I would really like to make a large batch of proper green sand once I get my big foundry completed. I'll ride the playsand batch until then.