The burner is finished, I got the plans from http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/index.html
It's a pretty simple propane burner, built from steel pipe for gas lines....cost a few bucks to make (the regulator with gauge cost about $40)
I hope to be melting some aluminum and brass sometime this week....not as loud as I thougt it would be, but it does make some noise <!-- emo&:D --><!-- endemo -->
So far my "donor" aluminum scrap will come from some old used 2.0 pistons, a 914 steering rack, possibly an old 15x7 Phonedial that had a run in with a curb...of course I still don't know what the heck I am going to attept to make...
The neighbors are nervous
Looks like a bigass crack pipe. You better be careful.
Make some outside door handle flappers.
I can't wait to have a house some day so I can make my neighbors nervous with my smelting, welding, cooking bio diesel, etc.
Lead the way, Mike
fog light grills!
QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Mar 20 2006, 09:58 AM) |
fog light grills! |
QUOTE (Mueller @ Mar 20 2006, 10:11 AM) | ||
I think I'll start off with parts that are a "little" less detailed those would be a PITA to sandcast, and building a mold for a diecast would be out of my abilities |
so mike,.....
aren't you supposed to be working on the 914 or turbo volvo projects???
the offer of a helping hand still stands.
QUOTE (Dr. Roger @ Mar 20 2006, 10:15 AM) |
so mike,..... aren't you supposed to be working on the 914 or turbo volvo projects??? the offer of a helping hand still stands. |
I have three sets. Taking up room in my garage.
I hear Jake needs a foundry to cast some badass heads. JK
I'd be a little concerned about the aluminum you are using. There are so many alloys designed for so many properties. I don't know if what you are planning to use is the best for your casting process. Anyway, you can make some parts but I'd guess that at the start they should be mostly decorative parts.
Maybe start by pouring some ingots for later use. Try machining / cutting a few and checking the quality of the casting.
And hey, go for it. We are rooting for you! We need a Mueller Fan Club smilie.
QUOTE (davep @ Mar 20 2006, 10:30 AM) |
I hear Jake needs a foundry to cast some badass heads. JK I'd be a little concerned about the aluminum you are using. There are so many alloys designed for so many properties. I don't know if what you are planning to use is the best for your casting process. Anyway, you can make some parts but I'd guess that at the start they should be mostly decorative parts. Maybe start by pouring some ingots for later use. Try machining / cutting a few and checking the quality of the casting. And hey, go for it. We are rooting for you! We need a Mueller Fan Club smilie. |
QUOTE (Mueller @ Mar 20 2006, 09:39 AM) |
356 ingots are available for when I get serious and need good clean aluminum..... |
Mueller, I did alot of casting in HS, aluminum, silver, bronze etc.
For the fog lite grills make a mold and then make a wax foglite grill and then make a pouring mold around than. Lost wax casting is really easy! Using the proper sand or other medium will take alittle work.
Are you sure thats going to be hot enough? We used a blower off a kirby vacuum along with the propane to blast the crucible toget it hot enough.
Get some gloves, tongs, masks etc. The metal will spit sometimes and hit you and that shit is HOT!!! burns right thru anything and HURTS.
I have a perfect first project for you.
A box
basically 2.25 inch by 2.25 inch
it would have a 2 inch hole in the box, leaving an 1/8 ich bottom...
And then a cool looking airfinned top...
I can explain and send the pictures I promised log ago...
It would be a good simple, yet precise enough project that you may have some fun with it.
The type of aluminum is not that critical...
Rich
I need silver bullets. don't ask.
MikeP,
In middle school we had a forge. For our projects, we just used to bring in aluminum cans and melt them down. Not a high strength alloy, but for learning, its an cheap and easy way to get your hands on a bunch of aluminum. Just think - after you finish pouring a mold, you will now be obligated to sit back and knock back a few cool ones to replenish your supply of aluminum.
Demick
QUOTE (Demick @ Mar 20 2006, 12:21 PM) |
In middle school we had a forge. For our projects, we just used to bring in aluminum cans and melt them down. Not a high strength alloy, but for learning, its an cheap and easy way to get your hands on a bunch of aluminum. Just think - after you finish pouring a mold, you will now be obligated to sit back and knock back a few cool ones to replenish your supply of aluminum. Demick |
cool. how many #s will your crucible hold? i wonder what will happen when you mix a few different alloys? are you going to try making your molds with Green Sand? you have to wear boots mike! don't burn yourself and have fun!
k
How about a set of brass balls? Always nice to have spares.
QUOTE (jonwatts @ Mar 20 2006, 08:46 PM) |
How about a set of brass balls? Always nice to have spares. |
QUOTE (fiid @ Mar 20 2006, 09:08 PM) | ||
Are you thinking of going into Real Estate Sales? |
QUOTE (rhodyguy @ Mar 20 2006, 05:02 PM) |
cool. how many #s will your crucible hold? i wonder what will happen when you mix a few different alloys? are you going to try making your molds with Green Sand? you have to wear boots mike! don't burn yourself and have fun! k |
QUOTE |
jonwatts Posted on Mar 20 2006, 09:46 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How about a set of brass balls? Always nice to have spares. |
I vote for a set of jack stands, made out out of beer cans.
oil based? i bet that will be smokey. i wonder if after one use the oil base is pretty much burned out? check out "foundries" in the phone book mike. i bet you can buy some 5 gal buckets of green sand for next to nothing. where are the furnace pictures? another thread? did you spring for the pyrometer yet?
k
QUOTE (rhodyguy @ Mar 21 2006, 10:03 AM) |
oil based? i bet that will be smokey. i wonder if after one use the oil base is pretty much burned out? check out "foundries" in the phone book mike. i bet you can buy some 5 gal buckets of green sand for next to nothing. where are the furnace pictures? another thread? did you spring for the pyrometer yet? k |
QUOTE (Mueller @ Mar 21 2006, 08:45 AM) |
have you been talking to Sherryl? She just mentioned having me get "snipped", nothing about removing them completly :wacko: |
QUOTE (Mueller @ Mar 20 2006, 07:56 AM) |
The burner is finished, I got the plans from http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/index.html It's a pretty simple propane burner, built from steel pipe for gas lines....cost a few bucks to make (the regulator with gauge cost about $40) I hope to be melting some aluminum and brass sometime this week....not as loud as I thougt it would be, but it does make some noise So far my "donor" aluminum scrap will come from some old used 2.0 pistons, a 914 steering rack, possibly an old 15x7 Phonedial that had a run in with a curb...of course I still don't know what the heck I am going to attept to make... The neighbors are nervous |
QUOTE |
Can't tell from photo, but is your burner inlet offset (more like tangential) to the cylinder? The furnace sites I've been looking at put the burner tangentially rather than radially to the cylindrical interior, then they "blast" the flame with a blower. This gives the swirling affect and superheats the interior. |
QUOTE (Brian Mifsud @ Mar 21 2006, 12:32 PM) |
I believe a leather/Nomex apron and/or leggings are your best bet to keep from getting burned. |
Mike,
What size crucible would fit best in your furnace? I have these two collecting dust here. The bigger one is 4 3/4"ODx10"H.
I also have an old pair of leather chaps at the shop that I only use to drape over sensetive car parts when I'm welding nearby.
Attached image(s)
QUOTE (maf914 @ Mar 21 2006, 01:48 PM) | ||
No way that's going to happen. I've seen photos of those California boys at their sawzall parties and all they ever wear are shorts, teeshirts and flip-flops! |
We have used a lot of SLA cores to make complex stainless parts. Coat them in plaster and cast away.
Same process as lost foam- SLA burns out.
Muller, ya might want a copy of the 1930's books "Amature Telescope Making" vols 1, 2 and 3.
They go into detail on casting aluminum parts in yer back yard using easy to obtain materials. They use a barrel lined with firebrick, charcoal, and a fan blowing into the barrel for the furnace. They cast a bigg ass aluminum fork for a telescope.
Ken
...I took an adult ed metal class at the local high school and the instructor had a foundry set-up for casting aluminum...he used to cut up otherwise unreparable wheels...his favorites were from BMW's...made really great castings, mostly small parts for projects he was working on, machined very well...looked great. I never got around to doing any cast projects, but he had a great set-up. Something like this might be a good alternative to building ones own smeltry! Having that much heat around the back yard is scary...
Hey Mike,,
You should make some badges for our grills with some of that awsome molten form 914!
-Rob
QUOTE (Rotary'14 @ Mar 21 2006, 08:45 PM) |
You should make some badges for our grills with some of that awsome molten form 914! |
You shouldn'tve mentioned this online. Now your going to be loaded with so many projects.... Good luck, Mueller.
Mueller is already loaded with projects, I have a couple for him myself, which he has kindly refused because of time...
But he's always into good idea's!
lol, Mueller is Project master... Never to finish one.
Depending on how long you've got to fire the burner, you may get into problems with your tank freezing. I had this problem doing ceramics, a long time ago.
QUOTE (9146986 @ Mar 22 2006, 11:17 AM) |
Depending on how long you've got to fire the burner, you may get into problems with your tank freezing. I had this problem doing ceramics, a long time ago. |
QUOTE (rhodyguy @ Mar 21 2006, 10:03 AM) |
oil based? i bet that will be smokey. i wonder if after one use the oil base is pretty much burned out? check out "foundries" in the phone book mike. i bet you can buy some 5 gal buckets of green sand for next to nothing. where are the furnace pictures? another thread? did you spring for the pyrometer yet? k |
QUOTE (Mueller @ Mar 21 2006, 10:33 AM) |
Check out this thing, with a 3D model (and some cash ), the machine will make your mold for you http://www.zcorp.com/products/zcast.asp |
Powered by Invision Power Board (http://www.invisionboard.com)
© Invision Power Services (http://www.invisionpower.com)