I did this at TechShop Menlo Park! http://www.techshop.com
Casting is a ton of fiery hot fun! Once you try this you will never stop. It is dangerous though so properly assembling your equipment is essential in an effort to keep your face and other body parts. This is what you'll need to do:
Casting is a ton of fiery hot fun! Once you try this you will never stop. It is dangerous though so properly assembling your equipment is essential in an effort to keep your face and other body parts. This is what you'll need to do:
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Signing UpStep 1: Furnace
Check out your furnace, make sure to clear out any debris and set a refractory brick in the middle of the inside. The brick will serve as a shelf you will place your crucible onto.
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Pouring molten metal, whether lead, aluminum, or iron are procedures that require much preparation and attention to the details of keeping yourself safe from the various mishaps that can occur. Every year people are injured when their crucible cracks, their mold lifts during a pour, or the rivet come out of their home-made tongs just as a full pot of molten metal is being moved from furnace to pour. Proper clothing and gear is a must.
A nice instructable with some good pictures - my points above are things I hope you will consider adding in the future.
Further instructables relating to the use of the furnace are being written by me. I thought safety gear and pouring tools deserve instructables of their own. Thank you for suggestions. This is NOT and instructable about how to make one at home and I highly discourage using improper tools. I teach casting at TechShop Menlo Park and I suggest taking a class, using our proper eqipment and calling on me to assist you in every project you're making, to keep things safe.
:) Miss Cabbit
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I'm very glad to learn that you are preparing further instructables on safety clothing and gear, and pouring tools.
Unfortunately, I live several thousand miles north of Menlo Park, and alas, will not have the pleasure of meeting your good self anytime soon.
I have cast aluminum in green sand moulds ever since the 1970's, after reading Dave Gingery's books on building a metal lathe and accessories. I also cast lead for bullet making, as I am a long-range competition rifle shooter.
My first furnace was charcoal fired; I later switched to a gas burner patterned after Ron Riel's designs. I later discovered and joined a local "meltalcaster's guild", who operate a cupola for casting iron as well as crucible-melting other metals. The Guild is fortunate to have as members several retired master foundrymen, who can guide newcomers along the safe and correct paths. "Newbies" are not allowed to do anything but watch for at least two seasons of iron melting - and rightly so!
I would agree with you that an excellent first step for anyone contemplating home casting is to take a course at a local technical college, or else join an organization like the "metalcaster's guild" if no course is available nearby.
Having made my own mistakes during my initial learning phase, I am perhaps overly emphatic that Safety, Safety, and Safety are the most important concerns at any level. I did not mean to take away from your excellent presentation in any way. I look forward to your next Instructables.
MC