new to casting and new here too.

I been blacksmithing for about 35 years. Just having fun with it. I want to
start doing some foundry work for many years. I made up my mind I am
going to start.

1. I bought a small electric furnace for melting metal. The fist thing want to
cast is a ring out of copper. What I need to know is when I set the temp
on the furnace do I set it at the melting temp of copper or do I set it higher
and if it higher how much higher?
I made some plugs/patterns out of wood for a belt buckle and a plum bob.
I am going cast them all at the same time.

Thank you for your help. I am sure I will be back a lot, I don't know what I
am doing. I must watch 100 you tube videos. The only thing I have melted
was steel when I got it to hot for welding. I don't do that any more.
Thank you

 

Welcome to the forum flask_copper_man! We are all kind of fond of our pictures, so don't be afraid to post yours.
One piece of advice from me here is don't try casting with copper first it is bound to give you nightmares. This is just what I experienced over this last summer
casting copper all the time. It was horrible, so I would recommend starting with brass it is a harder metal but way easier than copper.
But if you still want to start will copper after my dark message about it then I recommend you get some copper phosphor shot which you can get here https://www.amazon.com/Budget-Casting-Supply-LLC-Phosphor/dp/B07V62MZ14
it is expensive but a pound will last you forever as it only takes a tiny amount per melt.
As for heating it the copper above its melting point for pouring that is a must. With an electric furnace I recommend 1100 degrees C.
I hope this helps,
Patrick

 

Thank you Patrick-C I will order some.
and will let you know what happens.

 

Welcome.
What are you planning to pour the copper into?
Pete

 

Or bronze. It's 94% copper. Much more friendly to deal with.

 

what is the 6% that is not copper. How do you mix them?

 

here Some photos

 

You don't make it, you buy it. I'd give you a place to buy it, but don't know where you are. Industrial metal supply sells sil-bronze ingot.
Once upon a time budget casting sold it, I don't know these days, I don't deal with them.

 

I just broke down and bought some sil-bronze. Never used it before. Belmont Metals sells these ingots.

 

How much is ingot going for these days?

 

I think it was around 75 bucks for a five pound ingot. Cheapest per pound. Not even sure what i'm going to use it for. LOL...
I use mostly copper for my castings and some homemade bronze. They are small pieces.




I was just checking out your lanterns. Pretty cool stuff.

 

I recently got 90lbs of silicon bronze for about $5 a pound just a little more. I haven't used any yet but I am looking forward to it.

Patrick

 

Youd be surprised what bronze can be used for. Check out my sink build thread in the metal working section. I'm also doing a shower pan this year out of sheet bronze. Only downside is the stuff has doubled in price over the last 18months. Last time I bought a big load of ingot, it was like 6something a pound. Copper is over 4bucks a pound, that is driving the price up.

 

I guess I was lucky to get it at the price I did.

Patrick

 

Yeah, you stole it.

 

Well, copper casting is not that bad. I have done it but keep it in a reducing atmosphere. My experience that with a reducing atmosphere in my furnace, the metal surface is like a mirror. When using an electric furnace, use crushed charcoal on top of it as the atmosphere is not as reducing.
Phosphor bronze is a good idea as well and tin bronze also works good.
Brass works OK, but it produces lots of dross and wear a respirator when pouring as the zinc fumes are not good for your lungs.

 

Neat, I am close, just waiting for the weather to warm some it going be about 2 deg. to night.

 

Hi,
Well I am ready to make my first castings .
I going with lost foam casting this go around.
I have for pattern/plugs made. The first on I
am going to cast is a cross. it is very small.
It is about 1" long. I have a photo of it.
I made a flask that I van use for sand and lost foam casting.
Have a photo of that. We are going to get a bad storm tomorrow
that will last 2 or 3 days. Then a real bad gold spill for 2 or 3 days.
But it may warm up foe a day or two after that. late next week
I maybe able to cast.
here the photos

 

Kelly (username Al203) is our forum's resident lost foam expert, the results he gets with lost foam are nothing short of spectacular. Since you're going to be doing lost foam, do yourself a big favour and check out his posts and videos, there's lots tips and tricks there.

 

Oh, I will do that, thank you.