DIY casting respect

[Julian]

I think you'd just be making more work for yourself.  Once fired, the grog lining is quite solid.  After many years sitting under cover in the garden, my tin rusted away and left the lining intact.

The fire cement idea sounds very expensive.  Have a read here ... http://www.artfulbodgermetalcasting.com/9.html  second half of the page.  Looks like you can get away with clay dug up from the garden (or someone elses if you're not on clay) and some of your fire bricks crushed up.  As I said before my grog contained what looked like pea shingle.

Infact have a look at the whole site, there are quite a few furnace designs and snippets of information on there ... obviously things have moved on since I was doing it.

[Julian]

Just had a quick scoot through that site it's really quite good!

If you want a quick and easy way to start ... dig a hole! ... http://www.artfulbodgermetalcasting.com/8.html

Near the bottom of that page he suggests using bricks and there are photos elsewhere of a waste oil (WMO) burner.

In fact the more I read, the more I think I like this chap ... he's built a powder coating set up at home ...

http://www.artfulbodgermetalcasting.com/resources/Powder+coating+oven.doc

[julianf]

Next time i have a spare* score, i think ill buy his book.

Im sure i read something on the site about making cast crucibles, but i cant find it now.

I have a fair bit of cast scrap about here also.  Indeed, i seem to have a selection of metals, inc a minuscule amount (ie not worth doing anything with yet) of gold.






*spare as in without somthing more pressing to spend it on!

[Julian]

Yes, I saw the mention of making crucibles, but didn't notice any details.

Where's KH?   He must have dozens of VW bits that would benefit from powder coating.  Been reading up on that, looks like a piece of cake!

If you get the book, I hope you'll share some of the info.

[julianf]

Of course.

I did put a post on freecycle, and have just received a mail from someone in a nearby settlement.  They say they have loads of 'big' ones, but one smaller one.  I did mention that i was after a 10-15kg unit...

The thing i really want to be able to make is aluminium blocks, but of a reasonable size - about 4 litres.  I know i have not done anything yet, but if im going to put any effort in at all, i may as well make it large enough to do what i primarily want out of it. 

I might do well to mention - my cnc machine took me about 18 months to build, which, compared to the <18days it took you to sort the reprep... well, all im saying is dont hold your breath!

[julianf]

ps.

I would like to be able to use my boiler burner on the unit. 

I know the book linked to gives plans of a waste oil burner, but i figure i have a burner with a fan, electronic ignition, etc. currently, so, if i can use that, it would make life simpler.

[Stumpy]

This is another good site for info

http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com

Ive been following this thread with great interest, please keep us up dated..

[julianf]

Ive been clearing up further today, and realise that i have far more night storage heater bricks than i thought.

Im now wondering about laying them out and pointing my biodiesel fired burner in...


Ive been reading more though, and think that what i probably need to acquire first off is a crucible.  That was what went wrong with the rayburn attempt - rupture in the container, and spilt metal.

Im also aware than the furnace has to match the crucible. 

[julianf]

Have spotted this on ebay -



#281278661513

Im pretty sure thats cast, right? 

If so, if it were structurally sound, it would make a fine crucible for me.  What do you think?

[julianf]

seller sent me another photo - unfortunately, it has a crack : (

[julianf]

Found this site -

http://www.plansandprojects.com/My%20Machines/Unaltered%20Becket.html



Chap using a boiler unit on a furnace (as i mentioned intending previously).

Im convinced that's got to be my simplest path way in.

And, yes, i know im doing more talking than action - i still need to find a crucible.  Since Rachel has passed her driving test, im getting out far less (single [working] car - which she takes to work, not working from home and all that...)

I have to pick up oil tomorrow, so im going to look for some cookware in charity shops.

[Julian]

Cunctatious perhaps!

Just get a flower pot, pack some clay or fire cement in the bottom and fire it.  The world will have invented a replacement for metal, by the time you get round recycling yours!

[julianf]

So you mean use the clay pot as a crucible, rather than the furnace lining?

You think the bottom would be water (molten metal) tight?

I know i can melt stuff - i managed that with the MAPP cylinder in the rayburn, but id like things not to go wrong (again), so i was looking for a more suitable container.

I found the meaning of "Cunctatious" at a site entitled "Obsolete Word of the Day" - we cant all go building fancy 3d printers overnight, you know?

[Julian]

They fire Thermite in clay flower pots, and you're only looking for about 600-700°C.

However, I've just googled it and the concensus seems to be that a flower pot is not a good idea and most suggest a steel pipe.  You could try lining the that with fire cement.  Most fire cements seem to be good to 1200°C and from experience they stick like the proverbial to a blanket.

 

[julianf]

If i use steel, im thinking it will just flake like the MAPP cylinder.

Someone recommended stainless, which, i assume, is less reactive, so does not flake.  Or cast.  So both are on my charity shop list.