Intro :)

Discussion in 'New member introductions' started by Adrian Ahloy, Sep 25, 2022.

  1. Adrian Ahloy

    Adrian Ahloy Copper

    Hi hi, my name is Adrian, I'm not a scrap metal dealer but I thought that this would be a good forum to get some knowledge and info on some stuff I plan on getting into.
    I'm from the Caribbean, (Trinidad and Tobago to be precise).
    I had an eccentric uncle who gave me some huge piece of equipment for smelting metal. It's quite old and I've found no one in my country that knows anything about it. I'd love to be able to find out how I could go about getting it up and running and get to smelting some metal and playing around.
    I look forward to learning and meeting ya'll
     
  2. rocco

    rocco Silver

    Welcome Adrian.
    It's possible that someone here is familiar with the equipment you have so I think a good first step for you would be to post some pictures of your equipment including, if possible, close-ups of any manufacturers labels.
     
  3. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    Welcome Adrian. Can you post pictures of the equipment ?
    Pete
     
  4. Adrian Ahloy

    Adrian Ahloy Copper

    Oh wow I didn't expect replies to it so quickly. Absolutely will!
    I have an unlisted YouTube video of it from when I was trying to show it to companies in my own country.
    As you'll see in the video. The exterior has been through some stuff, so the manufacturers' labels etc are long gone.

    Link:


    If the video isn't good enough I'll happily take more footage/pics wherever instructed to.

    Thanks again :)
     
  5. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    Rocco and I live in the same region (although different countries) and its been a rainy sunday afternoon.
     
  6. Adrian Ahloy

    Adrian Ahloy Copper

    Oh really, never would have guessed. This sort of thing as a hobby never seemed very popular in my country. Maybe it's different up the islands.
    I don't know very much about it at all, but whether or not I got this hunk of junk working I think I'm going to try my hand at sand casting some small stuff at some point.
     
  7. rocco

    rocco Silver

    FWIW, it's not hugely popular here either, all of the people I know that are into it, I know from here.
     
  8. Adrian Ahloy

    Adrian Ahloy Copper

    Hope to join them and you someday.
    Any idea about what's in the vid? Is it detailed enough for anyone who might know to give an opinion?
     
  9. Mantrid

    Mantrid Silver

    looks like a blacksmiths forging kiln. Possibly being in use when horses were more popular
     
  10. Adrian Ahloy

    Adrian Ahloy Copper

    I have my doubts, given that it's encased in alot of steel.
    I didn't post this part because I'm not certain about it and didn't want to talk out my butt about it but:
    My uncle suspects that it was used in an old steel mill that my country had in the 70s. It's closed down now for a long time, and this piece probably wasn't even there when they stopped using it.
    No one can confirm this story.
    It had been abandoned near a seashore for probably 20 years we estimated (very estimated).
    What was striking to me is that the steel is in such good condition even though it's been enduring full sea blast and salt corrosion all that time.
    Everyone says they don't make stuff the way they used to and this makes me think they're right.
    That's why I would very much love to get it fixed up if I could.
     
  11. DavidF

    DavidF Administrator Staff Member Banner Member

    Could also be a heat treating oven...
     
  12. Adrian Ahloy

    Adrian Ahloy Copper

    I sure hope not haha
    I wanna melt stufffff.
    Would 3 burners really be just for heat treatment?
    I'm not a pro or anything but that sounds like alot for that application.
    Def open to being wrong.
    If it really was for that, then at least I know it's not something I'd wanna fix and I can move on and just buy the furnace
     
  13. Mantrid

    Mantrid Silver

    Cant see what use it would have in a steel mill especially being so small. Just right fpr forging knives an horse shoes and general iron mongery
     
  14. Adrian Ahloy

    Adrian Ahloy Copper

    You make alot of sense there.
    The size of the opening really did baffle folks alot. Sounding like I'm gonna have to start saving to get me a furnace haha.
     
  15. Mantrid

    Mantrid Silver

    Adrian Ahloy likes this.
  16. Adrian Ahloy

    Adrian Ahloy Copper

    Not gonna lie I'm starting to feel very convinced. Thanks for taking the trouble to reply the way you have. :)
    I've never been very skilled with my hands. I love the idea of making my own blades and such but I think it will take so much practice that I don't have time for that I just want to do some sand casting.
    Are you into smithing work yourself?
     
  17. Mantrid

    Mantrid Silver

    No, Just casting bronze using lost wax and ceramic shell.
     
  18. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    I’m with David on the heat treat oven. Most all gas forges I’ve seen have the flame directly hitting the piece (I’m no pro either), but I can’t tell how the flame travels inside the chamber on this one. However it works, I’ll bet it takes a lot of gas to operate.
    Maybe you could stand it up and take some pictures and post it online. Some hobbyist or small industrial shop owner who knows what it is and could use it might give you a couple bucks for it. It’s worth a try.
    It could certainly be used in its current position as a casting furnace with coal or charcoal as a fuel or maybe gas, but it would be unnecessarily large and heavy. I’d try to sell it first.

    Pete
     
  19. Adrian Ahloy

    Adrian Ahloy Copper

    That's definitely what I'm considering yeah.
    It might be an issue though because I don't live in the states. Shipping this thing would probably be a ridiculous amount outside the country, and I haven't met a single metal working hobbyist within it.
    I'm glad I know more though, so I can get me a little furnace and start melting stuff.
     
  20. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    The best hope is that someone in the next town over might want it. You never know what's going on in your neighbors shed!
    Ground transport cost is often prohibitive on the continent as well.
     

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