Long time listener, first time caller

Hello All,
Happy to join the forum. I have been spending more and more time on this so it was about time I join. On an off the the last few years I have revisited this forum for ideas.
A little about myself:

I am an MSE student (Material Science and Engineering) and I find myself learning more from what I am doing outside of class than what I am doing in it; and I definately spend more time doing stuff like this than class!

In 2016 I made my first kiln based of an assortment of videos but primarily from the Art of Weapons but I found that being limited to 120v it struggled to have good power and I also learned that I am interested in doing much in the way of electrical work.

2019 I found myself wanting to scratch the itch of melting and forging. I spent some good time researching and just went to my local scrap yard and found the absolute joy and opportuntities that are present there. I got some mild steel for a 235 lb post anvil and 65lbs of scrap steel for 70 bucks! I assembled the forge using an old charcoal grill, truck rotor, some black iron piping and a hair dryer from goodwill ( 50 bucks total). I got some of the forging wiggles out with it and got some minor aluminum melting done with it. At the end though I found myself wanting more heat, less oxidation and more focus on melting and casting. I sold the anvil, remaining scrap steel and the charcoal forge earlier this year with the intent that I would restart my efforts from nothing, and spend the time to create some better.

2020 Since I have sold them I have been researching and studying old and new forums to see what is a mistake and what is not. For now I have decided a direction of emulating the Dave Gingerly furance and specifically I like Jake Von Slatt's verison which is a slightly modified version on Dave's. Got his book as well, in an attempt to fill any gaps in my forum grifting education. It has been very useful and I while it is getting harder to find I would recommend it.

As part of my "doing it right from the start" resolution I have also got a 3D resin printer ( Elegoo Mars which is now $190) which has been its own project and is still a work in progress for me. I got a printer, ultrasonic cleaner and uv cure to do it well and right from the start. I wanted something what would print precise parts with a high resolution surface finish, not necessarily big parts. I'm looking to cast some nice art parts and I am working on my proficiency in Chitubox and Mesh Mixer.

For my furnace I am starting to make a brute style burner and using a body which I think will directly emulate Jake Von Slatt's furance body. When I finish I will post an article, that may take a bit.

Long Term Goals: High Quality cast art work from 3D prints, Create an Alloy Library of different ingots of Aluminium[Alloys] and Copper [Alloys]. Melt and cast: cast iron.

Thanks already for the help and guidance from all the successes and failures. I hope to be apart of the communial research process.

 

Welcome Yeti,
You certainly come to the right place. There are folks here who've have covered every bit of territory you mentioned so the chances are good that you'll find what you're looking for. I've seen Von Slatt's rig before. I remember the lamp.
Strap in and let's go!

Pete