matt.e.jenkins

I'm sorry to hear about your grandfather, but I glad this tutorial helped you figure out his airplane. :-) Thanks for sharing

Hello, thanks for the question. It has been a while since I have melted anything since I have burnt out my furnaces. I need to build a new one. As for the order, it probably doesn't matter too much. I have heard a few contrary views on it. Melting them together would make the aluminum melt first which may lower the copper's melting point (I do not know if that really works that way). I would either heat them together or the copper first, then add the aluminum. What matters is that they are well mixed. I got some buffing wheels for my angle grinder from Harbor Freight. I think Menards sells them too. (in the midwest USA). I have also ordered a small sanding disk with high-grade grit that attaches to an electric drill. That seems to work too. Then gave it a polish with a buffing wheel with …

Hello, thanks for the question. It has been a while since I have melted anything since I have burnt out my furnaces. I need to build a new one. As for the order, it probably doesn't matter too much. I have heard a few contrary views on it. Melting them together would make the aluminum melt first which may lower the copper's melting point (I do not know if that really works that way). I would either heat them together or the copper first, then add the aluminum. What matters is that they are well mixed. I got some buffing wheels for my angle grinder from Harbor Freight. I think Menards sells them too. (in the midwest USA). I have also ordered a small sanding disk with high-grade grit that attaches to an electric drill. That seems to work too. Then gave it a polish with a buffing wheel with the appropriate compound. I hope this helps.

Hello, I try to make sure it is well mixed. I haven't dealt with that problem, but I know others who have. I use a stainless steel spoon to stir it up before I pour it. I believe that is the only trick. What recipe are you using for red brass?

Hello and thanks for watching.I don't know about the nutrient effects, but the whole idea of the oligodynamic effect is very interesting. I can't say for sure about MG burning, but that I the reason I don't want to burn MG in my hobby foundry.

Thanks for asking, but I don't currently have an example I'd like to destroy. I gave some away but kept my custom stamped ingots. But, to your question. I didn't see any bubbles in these alloys as they cooled or while I was polishing them. My first copper ingot was so bubbly it looked like a sponge, but I've never seen anything like that since.

Thanks Edgar! There is something satisfying about melting and pouring metal. Last night I made an almost 8lb brass ingot from plumbing parts. The video will be on my youtube channel soon. Thanks for watching.

I don't know what jewelery is. Good catch. I'll blame dyslexia on that one. Good call about the difference between AL, MG, and ZN. You don't want to be melting (or at least I don't) magnesium because of the chance it could start a MG fire. That would be scary. So far, everything I thought was AL has been AL. I found many PC heatsinks and I believe they are all AL. And a builder friend of mine gave me all his AL railing cutoffs. That was a nice score. I have a bucket of ZN from faucets. Under the chrome or nickel finish it still looks silver, but is heavier that AL. Some others are brass coated with chrome. Melting ZN also gives off a toxic vapor as it boils away. Same with brass, due to the ZN in it.

That would be really cool. One day I’d love too work with a lathe. Please do send pictures when you get to it. Thanks

Very Interesting! Can you describe the taste? Great Instructable!

I haven't tried machining it, as I don't have the correct tools for the job. I have stamped it and it is very hard. The stamped letters barely show up. Quenching it in water is always fun to see. If you make some, I would be interested in seeing it. I might try casting the pulley and cleaning it up on a bench grinder. Lost Foam casting would be good for that. I may put out an instructable on that method soon.

Awesome! I have to say, it's surprisingly good. :-)

That is beautiful! Great work and great Instructable!

A knife would be cool, but I don't think it would keep an edge. I think I got the disks for $12 with a coupon. Here's the link https://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-4-inch-polishing-wheel-set-65287.html

Hello, it was casted into homemade greensand. A mixture of 90% filtered play sand (finer the better) and 10% ground natural kittie litter. With a bit of water to help it bind. But the polish was with an angle grinder. I got a polishing set of “grinding disks” from Harbor Freight. It goes up to 600 grit. Hope that helps.

That sounds very interesting. I would love to be able to do that but I’m not sure I can get my furnace hot enough to melt nickel. That melts around 2800deg F. You are right though, it is strangely satisfying melting and casting metal. Thank you.

That is really cool! And nerds are awesome! Thanks for the comment.

This looks great! Couple of questions. Did you glue the head onto the body? A couple of strong magnets may work for that. And how do you keep it from rolling over? Terrific job and thank you for sharing.

I don't think the paperclips or brads resist much electricity. They are more like wires.

That is fantastic!!! Tell him I said great job!

That is great. Thanks!

Mostly on-line but sometimes Radioshack.