Took a Stab at writing a casting article online

So I have a friend that has been running a review style website. We've talked off and on about me writing somethings for them for a few years. Well I finally took a stab at it. He started reviewing mostly computer related products but a few years ago he added in 3D printers. He has been wanting to add some "Maker" type content alongside the reviews, that's where I came in. I wrote an article about using a 3D print as a pattern in sand casting aluminum. Something a lot of us here have done. So this is my shameless plug for some folks that know something to look at the article and tell me what I screwed up.
https://lanoc.org/review/3d-printing/7826-casting-3d-printed-parts

CBB

 

Well written article, CCB. I'm 3d printing patterns for casting parts of functioning model steam engines.

 

Looks like a good article with some nice illustrations.

 

Very good indeed. The picture of the furnace made me smile a bit. Looks like some aggressive preheating on the lid!

Pete

 

To add to the prior positive comments: Your steel-cornered flasks looked good as did your metal guide pins. Nice touches.

Denis

 

If anything it covers a sample job so well, it makes it look too easy. It's a good comprehensive primer and I like the use of the correct foundry terminology.

 

Great article. Makes me want to take a stab @ sand casting again. If I do, I'll be locating some real greensand or petrobond.

 

Dave,

There is a fire brick in the "Grass" under the lid. And that little circle of grass is long dead and the "Hot" side is up

CBB

 

We all can't be welders! Some of use relay on the grinder to make thing "pretty" when we weld. But they hold up just fine.


Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully this is just one of many articles I'll be doing for them.

CBB

 

Great Article! "Grinder and paint makes me the welder I Ain't"

Ya know, Adam Beane was coming out with filament for these things that was essentially CX5. He got sick and now no one knows whats happening. If it would have hit the market, I would have gotten on board with 3d printing. I just can't deal with those ugly lines and crappy resolution. Fill and sand is too much like work where working material like wax sounds more elegant.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/adambeaneindustries/cx5-sculptable-filament-for-3d-printers

 

MEK doesn't bother me. I don't bathe in the stuff. Military taught us it causes liver cancer. I just glove up.
Removing steps from the process saves time. That's why I was excited when I saw printable material that would work like wax. Oh well, some day it will happen.

 

YouTube it once you get it sorted.. Ya know the whole monkey see monkey do thing.

 

both.. the whole process.

 

Well CBB, it looks like I've stepped on my wiener again by not looking closely enough. I would never razz a guys furnace. I know what kind of time and effort it takes to build one. I've built three, and two of them I am at least mildly embarrassed to to show.
You mentioned preheating your aluminum, and between the color of the refractory, the lid edges, and the color of the stainless, it looks like a full coverage aluminum cow pie on top of the furnace. That was the smile. I should have used the "enhance" button (looked more closely) before commenting. Sorry.
For the record, I know some welders and I sure as hell ain't one! Lol

Pete