Hi all, I am new to casting, although I learnt the principles at college many years ago. I have many things I need to cast mainly for our vintage tractors in aluminium and bronze. I am set up for sandcasting, but I have some parts that I need detail, such as badges that have enamel inlays so will have to look at investment casting so may need your help/ advice on this side of things. Richard
Thanks for the welcome, I built a propane burner and kiln several years ago when I wrote a book on Heat treatment which melts ally and brass easily but reading the threads on here the way to go appears to be making a waste oil burner to save on fuel costs. So I will be checking in on a regular basis Richard
I also fire on propane. It does get expensive. I've considered going to electric to avoid the hydrogen bubble problem with fuel firing.
I'm not sure what quantity of electric would be used for a melt but electricity is very expensive over this side of the pond. Luckily for me I have access to loads of waste oil as my son works in the motor trade
I use a resistive electric furnace. My electricity costs are .08 USD/kw-hr. It costs me 30-40 cents to melt 10lbs of aluminum. Best, Kelly
Welcome to the Home Foundry! Here is Richard's book, I think. https://www.amazon.ca/Heat-Treatment-Richard-Lofting/dp/1785004417 A waste oil burner that can also run on propane might be the best of both worlds. Mine is designed to use propane just to preheat the furnace before switching to waste oil or diesel, but often when doing one quick melt I just use propane rather than dig out and untangle the oil line and hang up the gravity feed tank. There are plenty of examples of different types of fuel fired burners and electric resistance furnaces on here to study if you're trying to decide, but it sounds like you already have a burner that works well... Jeff
Hi Jeff Thanks for the link to my book, its one of 3 that I have done in Crowoods metal work series, I also have a tractor restoration book but I didnt want to perhaps contravine forum rules by blowing my own trumpet Richard
Wow! My electricity costs 33.97p /kWh thats $0.40 ! 5 times as much as you. Always knew we get ripped off in the UK for most things
In Ontario Canada, we have time of day billing, off peak is $0.082/Kwh, mid peak $0.113 and on peak $0.17 and there are some monthly fixed charges for me that's about $50 per month and everything is subject to a 13% sales tax.
