Sand Casting Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:09:30 +0000 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:09:30 +0000 The Home Foundry http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?forums/sand-casting.11/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:35:44 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/today-in-tobhos-foundry.3125/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/today-in-tobhos-foundry.3125/ invalid@example.com (Tobho Mott) Tobho Mott
I've played D&D for around 45 years with the same core group of friends. These days we mostly play online using a virtual tabletop, but before my eyes went bad and I learned how to make real bronze axes, I used to spend much of my hobby time collecting miniatures to paint so they look like they're holding tiny fake bronze axes, and building model game terrain.

So I have these old molds for casting...

Today in Tobho's Foundry]]> 7 Tue, 19 May 2026 16:08:44 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/replacement-bronze-leadscrew-nut-for-a-milling-machine.3027/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/replacement-bronze-leadscrew-nut-for-a-milling-machine.3027/ invalid@example.com (Tobho Mott) Tobho Mott
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The nut it is to replace is badly worn. He replaced it with a 3D printed nut temporarily, but that's not cutting it, he needs bronze. A threaded insert might have done the job, but we wound up casting a whole new nut.

He came up with the 3D file for the split pattern and corebox.

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Too many holes!

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Better.

After some back and...

Replacement Bronze Leadscrew Nut for a Milling Machine]]> 6 Sun, 10 May 2026 16:40:00 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/k-bond-sand-the-truth-the-whole-truth-and-nothing-but-the-truth.3114/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/k-bond-sand-the-truth-the-whole-truth-and-nothing-but-the-truth.3114/ invalid@example.com (Tom Cobett) Tom Cobett
You can make molding sand out of beach sand, ground up kitty litter, dog shit and water. It may even work. If you are going to spend your time mixing sand to make metal castings, you should be using the highest performance sand mix...

K-BOND sand: The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth]]> 29 Thu, 07 May 2026 19:31:12 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/pouring-day.3115/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/pouring-day.3115/ invalid@example.com (Guitar Bill) Guitar Bill Aluminum were pistons out of a motorbike, Honda I think.

This was a test to see how the sprue, risers and gating worked. I also used 3000grit graphite to aide in release and flow.
Poured 1/2 of an 8kg crucible.

Have a look at the images. I do plan to either mix the K-Bond method or get Petrobond. Maybe.
I used the Olfoundtyman method of tapered sprue and pouring...

Pouring day]]> 36 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:48:21 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/art-casting.2837/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/art-casting.2837/ invalid@example.com (Tobho Mott) Tobho Mott
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He did get signed up (thanks Dave & Kelly). I'll leave it for him to come out of lurker mode to reveal his forum handle and really dox himself if he chooses, but meanwhile here's a page about his work in sculpture that I found online which he's ok with me linking here:...

Art casting!]]> 54 Sat, 25 Apr 2026 22:50:27 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/for-those-who-havent-seen-it.3120/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/for-those-who-havent-seen-it.3120/ invalid@example.com (Chazza) Chazza

Cheers Charlie]]> Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:49:40 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/casting-sand-suggestions-petrobond-190-mesh-or-oil-free-400-mesh.3102/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/casting-sand-suggestions-petrobond-190-mesh-or-oil-free-400-mesh.3102/ invalid@example.com (Brice) Brice

]]> 22 Tue, 03 Mar 2026 02:54:21 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/1-4-scale-wheels-for-the-willys.3106/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/1-4-scale-wheels-for-the-willys.3106/ invalid@example.com (ESC) ESC
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I had a couple drops in the mold but since...

1/4 scale wheels for the Willys]]> 3 Mon, 08 Dec 2025 05:36:05 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/mold-making-for-rebated-plate.3068/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/mold-making-for-rebated-plate.3068/ invalid@example.com (Tranby1) Tranby1 11 Wed, 03 Dec 2025 20:39:56 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/commercial-foundry.3078/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/commercial-foundry.3078/ invalid@example.com (Chazza) Chazza

Interesting riser near the moving jaw. What stops the gate freezing before the jaw has cooled? It looks too narrow.]]> 5 Tue, 04 Nov 2025 20:42:47 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/any-ideas.3067/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/any-ideas.3067/ invalid@example.com (Sawyer massey) Sawyer massey 1 Tue, 14 Oct 2025 19:44:12 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/what-did-i-do-wrong-bronze-casting.3047/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/what-did-i-do-wrong-bronze-casting.3047/ invalid@example.com (metallab) metallab View attachment 25985

I cast a shell of silicon bronze in greensand. The mold was tilted to increse hydrostatic pressure because of the thin (2mm) shell. To increase metal flow I put a plastic hose under the shell pattern which I removed along with the pattern, to create an extra channel towards the end of the shell.
The result: one riser did rise, but not completely but the other riser did (in front of the extra canal below the shell) not fill at all. I heated the metal to 1200 C in...

What did I do wrong (bronze casting) ?]]> 5 Mon, 06 Oct 2025 10:41:03 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/processing-sand-ready-for-a-batch-of-green-sand.3046/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/processing-sand-ready-for-a-batch-of-green-sand.3046/ invalid@example.com (Mark's castings) Mark's castings
A few days ago I scored some free sand of random grain size, it looks like it's raw un-graded random particle size, freshly dredged from the river. All local sand mines are dredging from the river or river delta deposits so it's mined wet from underwater and pumped into piles. Particle size is up to 6-7mm or 1/4" and down to dust in effect. I picked up 100Kg or so for testing and there's more where it came from.

My last...

Processing sand ready for a batch of green sand]]> 4 Sat, 06 Sep 2025 16:18:01 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/casting-advice-for-a-pretty-large-sword.3035/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/casting-advice-for-a-pretty-large-sword.3035/ invalid@example.com (Darrow of Lykos) Darrow of Lykos
View attachment 25914]]> 8 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 19:55:27 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/cast-boarding-axe.3032/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/cast-boarding-axe.3032/ invalid@example.com (HT1) HT1
for you guys:
while this is ceremonial and should not be used, someone will!!!
1) so what is the most...

Cast Boarding Axe]]> 6 Mon, 18 Aug 2025 22:31:11 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/cast-iron.3004/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/cast-iron.3004/ invalid@example.com (Tobho Mott) Tobho Mott
Here's where, if interested, you can find the background info that has been previously posted :

There's a YouTube playlist with some video covering parts of the cast iron project. More will be added to it later if/when I find time for editing:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo6k_ZP-VFj7LpFVo2xZbJdc5gS-DgsIf&si=DCq8OntDEqBfb589

Building the pouring shank and tongs for my Morgan A12, my road trip...

Cast iron?]]> 46 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 12:16:46 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/bronze-pour-failure-and-how-to-correct.3020/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/bronze-pour-failure-and-how-to-correct.3020/ invalid@example.com (Tops) Tops I went to pour some knick-knacks from various bronze plates, bars, screws mostly reclaimed from boats (my other hobby) and had 5 molds freeze up in the runner before they began to fill the parts.

Metal seemed 'chunky' on top but nice in the middle at 2100 F/ 1148 C.
We were at this temp for a while and decided to pour after removing the chunks.
I assumed this crunchy top was dross but am no longer sure.
Many screws were discovered in the crucible after the pour, we checked...

Bronze Pour Failure (and how to correct?)]]> 16 Wed, 02 Jul 2025 06:39:12 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/locating-a-core-in-fixed-position.3009/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/locating-a-core-in-fixed-position.3009/ invalid@example.com (Tranby1) Tranby1
The challenge is to form an elbow shaped void in a mould. The bowl is approx 14 mm dia at the widest point and reduces in dia to 8mm as it passes through a the bend.

My question is what is the best method to anchor the core such that it remains true in X, Y and Z axis?

I have tried using a simple box arrangement that is added to the core such that the box locates the core into the sand mould. This did not work...

Locating a Core in Fixed Position]]> 13 Mon, 30 Jun 2025 19:03:52 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/what-happens-if-you-add-99-0-silicon-to-an-iron-melt.3012/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/what-happens-if-you-add-99-0-silicon-to-an-iron-melt.3012/ invalid@example.com (SRHacksaw) SRHacksaw
Anyway I do have some of the pure elemental silicon (99.0+ purity) Melting point is 1414C, and obviously lighter -- lower specific gravity, so will float on the melt -- is that the main problem? Although ferrosilicon also floats.

Search results just repeat that...

What Happens If You Add 99.0+ Silicon to an Iron Melt?]]> 11 Wed, 25 Jun 2025 02:51:39 +0000 http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/dumb-funny-simple-cast-story.3013/ http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/dumb-funny-simple-cast-story.3013/ invalid@example.com (OmniVarious) OmniVarious Over the years I would just put a baggie with a rubber band to cover the one that was missing the lid.
One day it just irritated me about the lid for some reason and I had nothing pressing to do. I thought,

“This is dumb. I have casting sand, cope and drag, cast pistons to melt, and the set up...

Dumb/Funny Simple Cast Story]]> 2