I recently retired and ended up here in southern Illinois. I have been casting lead for a number of years, now I have the time I am shooting to cast copper, with my first step going to be aluminum revisited. After reading this forum now I can dream of Cast Iron. Been researching on the web a lot burner/furnace ideas and I am getting an idea where I want to go with it. Thanks for being there, you guys are volumes of information.
Welcome Clay! There are lots of retired ol farts here! You find the right place for info on casting. No one here will try to convince you to build a furnace out of plaster of paris mixed with cat poop. (inside KOR joke here) You'll catch on. So ya want to pour hot metal? Whatcha thinking? Car parts? Copper bullets? Machine tools for the shop? Artsy fartsy stuff?? After you figure out what you want to make? We can help nail down a procedure that works best for you. (Sand cast, ceramic shell, investment) Is iron the end goal? It is for some here and others like myself, that's for another day. Just be sure to post lots of photos! Ya hit the upload a file button in your post and follow the instructions. Photos are saved here on the site enshrined for all eternity.
Thank you Jason! there is definitely a great collection of good reading here, I have been thinking and researching this idea of mine for a long time and find this a excellent resource of Engineering level of knowledge, seems like I have come across the mention of plaster of paris did not read, but it seems I am skipping the stupid more often recently years. Yes I am going to pour some hot metal and be prepared to pour some really hot metal. I have recently purchased an old atlas/craftsman lathe which was new when I was in high school, so I wanted some aluminum to work with on that. I have a lot of scrap so it just makes sense to melt it. I have watched a lot of you tube on the subject and have seen what I consider to be in the extreme temp ranges one fella with propane burners producing 2400°F+ trying to melt sand and a gentleman melting and pouring crankshafts who has to be knocking on the door of 3000°F. so I feel comfortable working to a aluminum melt with my sights on a copper + goal. I am playing on the lathe working on a venturi type burner using black 1/2 pipe out of the scrap pile, kind of a proof concept project. Knowing that I am going to have to go to forced air at some point, not certain I will stay with propane as I have a lot oil changes during the year. so an oil burner may be the next prototype. Having an alternate burner seems like a good plan. So the furnace is in concept development stage at this point, I am thinking of using crucible’s (steel pots) that I have which are in the 9” diameter size which is a dream at this point. I am looking for the right barrel, keg, or water heater as a start. The refractory in the 3000°F range seems the obvious choice, thinking of using a combination of materials brick, wool and cement. Well I could go on for days, Thanks for asking and I will keep you all posted with pics, looking forward to the critiques.
Welcome Clay, There are lots of proven burners and furnaces being used by the folks here that will get you exactly where you want to be with no R&D required. However... Once in awhile somebody comes along and comes up with something really new and useful. If you're inclined that way then it might be you. We're all behind you. But if you're not and really just want to get going look at furnace builds by Fishbonz, Tobho Mott, Jason, and Rasper among others. All a little different, all highly functional. There's a similar list of burners too. Myself I burn waste oil with a Delavan siphon nozzle, my furnace preheated with either deisel or propane, in a keg furnace with a 10" bore. It has a 1" mizzou hotface backed with 1-1/2" of sand/fireclay. I melt bronze easily and certainly have the capacity for cast iron. There are some great casters on YouTube and some really scarey stuff too. Skip the guys in shorts and flip flops. Welcome aboard! Pete
