Speedy Melt C-10

Discussion in 'Furnaces and their construction' started by DaveZ, Sep 21, 2020.

  1. DaveZ

    DaveZ Copper

    I was given a Speedy Melt C-10 furnace. Just the furnace, no burner or piping. From the tag it was natural gas fired, 225M BTU. I'm planning on using waste oil. Anyone with knowledge about it, oil furn1.jpg oil furn 2.jpg pros or cons ?
     
  2. rocco

    rocco Silver

    Well free is always good, that's a pro. It's a small commercial furnace so it's well made and pretty much bullet proof that's another pro. It's heavy, that could be inconvenient for you and it also means the furnace heats up slowly and cools down slowly, if you're doing multiple back to back melts, that's a pro but for the way most of us here use our furnaces, that's a con. As far as using an oil burner, one thing that your pictures show is it has a rather small exhaust hole, that would likely have to be enlarged for oil. If it were mine, I'd try it out with a propane burner first, see if I like the way the furnace works for me and then decide if it's worth making the modifications necessary for an oil burner.
     
  3. DaveZ

    DaveZ Copper

    As far as the exhaust if you look at the pictures it has an exhaust port on the back. I thought that was unusual. I also thought the hole in the lid was too small until I realized what the port on the back was. I did put a propane burner in it just to heat it up because it had been sitting outside, covered but still outside. Thanks for the input.
     
  4. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    You've got a winner there. Saved you a crap-load of work. Member garylucas has a similar setup I think. I done know if the refractory is insulating or not but rocco's right, it'll be a heat sink. No big deal if you're burning waste oil. It just takes a while longer to heat up than some of the well insulated home builds you'll see here. Mine is uninsulated but will melt a crucible of aluminum before the furnace is fully up to temp. My first heat of bronze will take almost an hour from cold start but by then the furnace is rocking and a second heat will only take about 20 minutes. If you're doing it with propane it could get pricey.

    Nice score. Did you get any other goodies with it?

    Pete
     
  5. DaveZ

    DaveZ Copper

    I did get a new crucible, by the size of it I believe it to be an A10 or 12. I fits this furnace nicely. I made a propane furnace a few years ago and it holds an A6 max. So this is really a step up in size. I made an oil burner and am anxious to try it out. Working on my oil tank right now. It will be a little while till I get the chance, that thing called work always seem to get in the way. Heres a pic of my burner. oil burner.jpg
     
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  6. Tobho Mott

    Tobho Mott Gold Banner Member

    Looks like a dripper, with propane for preheat. I approve! :D

    Jeff
     
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  7. DaveZ

    DaveZ Copper

    I finished up my fuel tank today and thought I would try out my burner. I heated up the furnace with propane and introduced the oil but didn't have much success burning the oil on its own. Had my tank about 6 ft in the air. At one point I inadvertently stepped on the fuel line and the flames shot out of the exhaust hole making me think I should pressurize the oil tank a bit. A couple pounds maybe?
     
  8. perhaps you might run diesel fuel or #2 fuel oil until you get the burner tuned up. you can switch to waist oil later.
     
  9. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    It might be helpful to measure the amount of fuel you get at that height into a container so you can come up with your gallons per hour rate and then repeat the same test at 10 feet, or a reasonable maximum. That will vary with temperature, of course. Others using that type burner can then compare with you.
    Pressurizing will definitely overcome several issues. So would running #2 or diesel as Alexander mentioned. I don't think you will have much luck with unthinned, unheated, or unpressurized waste oil in Altoona in the colder months.

    How long are you preheating? Is your bore redhot before changing over? Are you running both fuels simultaneously during changeover? I run a Delevan siphon with pressurized fuel tank and I preheat with diesel, so it's a different delivery system than yours but I've found that if the bore isn't red hot before I change over to WMO, it ain't ready.

    Pete
     
  10. DaveZ

    DaveZ Copper

    I ran propane then added the oil. Ran them together, the furnace was hot to the point an old steel crucible I had from my learning days was red hot as was the interior. Then I would turn the propane off. The oil would burn but sputtered and playing with the air and fuel adjustments I couldn't achieve the quality roaring flame. Tried this multiple times without improvement. Pete you are correct about the climate here where I live fall has arrived. I think pressurizing is the ticket. Going to give it a try. Read some posts from old iron farmer and he encourages pressurization.
     
  11. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    Your in good company with OIF.
    You might find yourself in a better oil ignition position if your walls are red. That'll give you a better opportunity to fiddle with the air. You'll want to do your testing and dialing in with the lid open. Reignition with the lid closed can cause some unwanted excitement.
    I went through Altoona once on my way to a college buddy's place in Martinsville (burg?). Beautiful country.
     
  12. DaveZ

    DaveZ Copper

    Thanks Pete. A large portion of what I've learned about this hobby has come from this forum and AA. And I thank you and all the other regulars who share their knowledge with guys like me. And it is Martinsburg. A farming community not far from me.
     
  13. garyhlucas

    garyhlucas Silver

    Yes, as others have said I have a gas fired (propane or NG) C10 like yours. Mine came out of a school so has automatic controls and safety fire eye. Its nice, press a button it purges the furnace then lights right up and shuts down if the flame fails.

    Yes the refractory is heavy and it takes a while to heat. I am doing lost foam and have multiple steel drums so I can set up more than one pour and subsequent melts go fast.

    That small hole in the lid is just for the pyrometer, not much exhaust comes out there. I have a stainless bowl I set in the small charging hole opening with the small lid. I put the cold metal in the bowl, preheating and drying it before it goes in the crucible. Greatly speeds up the melting of the charge.
     
  14. DaveZ

    DaveZ Copper

    Sounds like a nice setup. Like I said I just got the furnace, no burner etc. I wouldn't have used NG anyway. I'm in the process of getting it useable. First thing is getting it on wheels so I can move it in and out of my garage. I want to use WO pre heated with propane. Oil is new for me, I have been using propane in a smaller furnace I built a few years ago for aluminum. I want to venture into brass/copper and maybe in time try cast iron. Retirement is coming up next year and am looking forward to spending more time melting metal. Good to hear from you, thanks.

    Dave
     
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  15. DaveZ

    DaveZ Copper

    Furnace cart.jpg Got the old girl on wheels. Easier to move in and out of the garage.
     
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  16. rocco

    rocco Silver

    Nice looking cart! But, might not be a bad idea to put some fenders over the tires to protect them from the heat and accidental spills.
     
  17. DaveZ

    DaveZ Copper

    You read my mind. Working on the fenders today.
     
  18. garyhlucas

    garyhlucas Silver

    See that pointed pin sticking out of the upper lid so you can open it with a piece of pipe? Well I added the same thing to the lower lid so you can open it and swing it to the side to grab the crucible.
     
  19. DaveZ

    DaveZ Copper

    Thats a good idea but. If you push down on that pin it lifts the lower lid making it easier to swing it out of the way.
     
  20. TRYPHON974

    TRYPHON974 Copper

    I had a similar set up fed by gravity and it worked very well. It's tempting to add complexity but you may lose some reliability. Imho not enough fuel, too much air, if the furnace is red hot, the oil should ignite without trouble. Reduce the airflow until you get an orange smoky flame, if the flame does not sustain increase oil and until it burns by itself then tune your ratio. Easier to start with a very rich mix and add air than the contrary, the air will cool down the furnace and it won't work. If I remember correctly the consumption was around 1-1.5 gallon/hr.
     
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