So I've just dismantled an old multi-gym I had sat in the garage not being used and I have the weight stack that came off it. [ tried to reference an image on my google drive account here but it's not working ... not sure what I'm doing wrong] There are 15 weights in all and I guess they are ~2.5Kg each. They are flat and rectangular in shape. Now if I was going to be casting iron I think they would be a great source of raw material, but I'm not. So I was wondering whether they would serve any other purpose in my workshop before I take them to my local tip. Any ideas?! Would hate to get rid of them only to find they could have served some useful function later down the line.
If you get into sand casting, they could be useful to place on top of the molds to avoid cope float...
I'm with DavidF, about the only materials that leave my place are swarf and other tiny bits left over that aren't worth the hassle of melting or welding. The bucket of old bolts and bits sometimes gets raided for choice items as-is, so I can always find a place to store more materials for casting or machining.
Ah ha! I knew it would be worth asking you guys! Sanding casting is what I plan to do most of at this stage. I've not heard of cope float before but assume this is movement in the cope at the point of pouring?! I have the space so will hang on to them.
Those weights would work very well for cope weights to help with “float”. Float is when the heavy metal in the mold causes the lighter cope full of sand to lift and the metal escapes from the gap. The weights help hold the cope down. I found this very nice article that appears to be an excerpt from a naval manual. It gives an expiation of weight and clamp use on page 64 under Clamps and weights. maritime.org/doc/foundry/part2.htm It has some very good examples and I am sure some on the forum can lead us on where to find the rest of this manual. Joe
I've needed those, but didn't have 'em, to help glue wide flat things together. Hang on to them, or melt 'em.
We've just seen Joe Yard fabricate a lifting frame for his furnace that probably resembles your dismantled weight machine. Hmm... I buy very little new material for fabricating. A lot of the stuff I've made has been built of steel sourced from scrapped exercise equipment. I'd save all of that "junk", but that's just me.lol. Pete
I will definitely set aside the weights as I can see multiple uses for them thanks to all your suggestions chaps ... many thanks for those. The box section is going to the tip. I'm very unlikely to use it and I hate hoarding stuff on the off-chance (and don't really have the space anyway). If I get into fabrication in ten years time I'll just buy some then.
