Adventures in casting by Al Puddle

Discussion in 'Sand Casting' started by Al Puddle, Apr 13, 2018.

  1. Al Puddle

    Al Puddle Silver

    Hey, I just milled a little off the end of an ingot. I'm counting a couple dozen dots, at least, under a loop. So, my design is not adding problems.
     
  2. Al Puddle

    Al Puddle Silver

    I'm getting to the bottom of my kero jug where the water is; not good for the wick in the heater. I'll try that a little while to see if there's a difference twixt kero and WD-40.
     
  3. Al Puddle

    Al Puddle Silver

    I was wondering how thin I can get with casting and how long it takes for a thin passage to freeze.
    The pouring basin was slapped together with some angle iron, a bread pan, and a block of wood.
    Shown is the bottom side.
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    And the top view.
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    Pouring didn't go so well. The basin sprung a leak out the bottom where the sprue was located.

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    The riser was a 1.5" diameter and the thin plate is 1/16".
     
  4. Looked like a pretty good pour to me. How did you seal the pouring basin to the mold joint?
     
  5. Al Puddle

    Al Puddle Silver

    The pouring basin weighed 4lbs. so, I thought I could just set it on top. Nope, it floated. The next basin will be moulded in the sand.
     
  6. I wondered if it floated or just didn't have a good seal. The few set on basins I poured I sprinkled a little seal layer around the sprue then twisted and pressed down on the basin to seal it. My basin and mold are all green sand, though.
     
  7. Al Puddle

    Al Puddle Silver

    The pouring basin is too close to the flask edge otherwise I would have put it on top.
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    Last edited: Mar 17, 2019
  8. Al Puddle

    Al Puddle Silver

    Things didn't work so well. I goofed when placing the 1/16 cardboard and wound up creating a knife edge at the gate. The melt didn't make it far before it froze.
    Not worth taking a picture. I didn't like the sunken pouring basin, not enough head to push a melt out the riser if it made it that far.
    I tried to use a small flask with tapered insides to make the basin mold. That flask didn't work so well.
    IMG_1653.JPG


    Looks good from here.
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    Didn't quite make it. I think I poured less than 1300F (the one time I didn't measure...) Sprue is offset from the runner a bit and there looks like turbulence in the runner.
     
  9. Al Puddle

    Al Puddle Silver

    Just took this spare crucible to the weld shop. I told him to drill a 1" hole near the bottom and add an angled spout sticking out 3/4".
    It should look like an old coffee pot.
    I'm hoping I won't have to skim anymore and thus won't need to preheat the skimmer.

    BottomPourCrucible.jpg
     
  10. Al Puddle

    Al Puddle Silver

    I think I can dispense with heating the ingot mould. Good, because that caused a big increase in CO levels.

    IngotMold 002.jpg
    IngotMold 001.jpg
     

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