Mild steel test run with 36KW Induction Tilt Furnace

Style? Call me fashionably late to this party then! I think the real value of these induction machines for a one-man shop is the melt-n-go aspect of it, so higher wattage would be worthwhile. Excited to see your usage videos roll in.

I did a lot of castable refractory for my first keg furnace and I get paid occasionally to do metal fab so the tilting furnace might be a shop project?...or do you see something glaring that would be tough to overcome? Or is it more of a time than money thing, like are we casting or building tilt furnaces with our time here.

The way you said this just clicked for me. Thanks, had been searching quite a bit for coil length answers and was coming up short. Now I know why.

https://www.amazon.com/DYNWAVE-Graphite-Crucible-Casting-Time-Saving/dp/B08F9G8L6G
The 4kg dimensions 2.3 inches ID x 5 inches H of this crucible look like they will give an ample size for test casting some "not aluminum" materials.

 

Thanks!

That is to say that, it can be done with less power, but the less the power the greater the struggle (and time) to melt 40 lbs of steel. I've ran a 20kg crucible in my machine (in fact that is what is being used melting the steel tube in the video in my original post) - but I haven't tried filling it up yet. 70kw will probably melt 40 pounds of steel in the industry standard of 45 minutes. The same load would probably take a couple hours in my machine.

There isn't really any refractory used in the tilting furnaces I purchased (well besides the pour lip and a super thin layer around the coils). It is fiberglass, aluminum, steel and of course a copper work coil.

It would not be difficult to make your own (I made two myself), but they are really well built and use rectangular copper tube which is not exactly easy to find. My tilt furnace was $500 and if you value time it would be very hard to beat. I can get some pics of it if you are interested in seeing how its built.

Cheers!

Yeah, something like that. The ones I get that size are shorter and bigger diameter though. And like I said, steel will melt a hole right through it so it needs a liner. I've used high purity alumina with success.

 

I think we would all like to see build pictures! You bring up some great points. Seems to be either we go down the DIY route to use more time than cost or the buy route to save time. I really need to be at a production level where the latter options makes itself warranted. But will daydream all day, every day up until that very point.

 

It actually might cost you the same or even more building the same thing yourself - not even including time - to match the quality of their build at least. By the time you've got structural steel, pour handle & axle, aluminum, fiberglass, rectangular and round copper, hardware, fittings, bearings, refractory, mica, etc., it's not going to be cheap. They buy all that stuff in bulk. In China. Not to mention the whole thing is designed by people that understand their machine better than anyone. It's a quite impressive piece of hardware.

I'll dig up some pics of my builds but, they are more examples of what not to do.

They are quite sorry in comparison. Here's a look at one of their tilt furnaces (with the mica top and pour spout removed):

 

Yeah I cannot argue at all with this.

For shipping I was quoted a little over 5k for 2 tilts and 1 power unit so was just making a guy scratch his head. Also need to get some domestic quotes at that too. I am also thinking there are units already shipped over. I have been getting a couple reaponses now saying people will build to suit the 208 3 phase. Thanks again for sharing all of the info and pictures with us!

 

When is your next pour coming up? Excited to see your induction unit in action!

 

Yikes, that is pretty insane. I mean, my 35kw generator and one tilt furnace cost $4k including shipping. Always felt like I got a killer deal on the shipping though.

I would get quotes for the items individually so you can see what costs what to ship. You may consider just ordering the generator and making a furnace to get started, or get the generator and 1-tilt furnace to get started. Can always add more. Or another idea is order the generator and one tilt furnace smaller than you really want to get started, then you could always order a bigger one in the future (this seems like the best compromise to me).

Cheers, I'm glad they are helpful. Not sure when I'm going to get another pour up, I've got to finish developing an update to my app before I do (I've go over 800-days on it), and not sure when that will be. But I am very much looking forward to it!

Next video will probably be making cast-iron ingots, a video on induction crucibles and then a documentary of casting stainless steel. Also looking forward to doing a Lost SLA Shell video. I've got my work cut out for me!

 

One additional thought: how far do you live from a shipping port? Freight would probably be 1/4 the cost if you had it shipped to port and picked it up yourself. Might require a U-Haul rental or something, but that is cheap compared to $5k!

 

I hear this. Will get quotes individually. The 2500W and PSU are on their way, mini units but should be fun to experiment with. From what you said the tilt pour unit seems to be a screamin' deal bout not made.

Far, Iowa. I do have friends on the coast though.

 

Have fun with your tests! Curious how it will work for you.

A quick look shows that you could use the Great Lakes Waterway with a port in Chicago being reasonably close. It is apparently navigable from the sea.

I'm planning on purchasing an electric excavator from China, and the only way I can possibly afford it is to pick it up myself (or more likely my buddy with a trailer) from Portland which is about 350 miles from here.

 

Can your furnace also melt (stainless) steel ? And how much ?

 

Sure thing! I've melted ~8kg in the 15kw unit. I'm not sure what the maximum I can melt in the 36kw machine yet. The video shot above was using a 20kg crucible though.

 

FWIW: I just got a quote for shipping a 1.5 ton electric excavator from China to Port of Portland. $2,980. If I wanted it delivered to door it would probably be $10k.

 

I would never have thought of that! My 5th grade teacher would be upset with me.

Will have to get a requote...

 

Have you had some good melts with the 36KW machine? It has been a minute! I put an induction furnace on hold for now. Have all the supplies for a 3ph 10-12Kw resistance build that I am pretty stoked about.