My Osborn Sand Molding Machine

Okay guys! So here it is my first video on the Osborn squeeze jolt machine I got at the end of April 2021. I used it a ton throughout the summer and fall I must admit, but I was never able to make videos of it. Well here is the first one of many. A simple tour and overview that will be followed up with using it. And then giving it a work over. By the way what color scheme should I give it? The Metal Magic (red and gold) or the Metal Magic (red and blue)? I hope you guys like the video.

 

I am hoping to make some aluminum flasks soon, and I plan on making some match plates so I will make them tough. And trust me I will never shake hands, just a pat on the back every once and a while.

Patrick

 

Okay not entirely related but I made a mold with my machine and went to cast it in brass... and well there was some moisture in one of my ingot molds. And BOOM! about a pound of molten brass everywhere some of it going up 16 feet to the ceiling of my foundry, and then raining back down. I got some holes in the front and back of my shirt and welding jacket. But of course that wasn't the worst of it, I was wearing a face shield but no skull cap.
That is a spot that will probably stay bald for a while. Sheesh going bald at 20.

And here is my new hero! Out the door with Captain America, and in with Jackson my face shield. New lens is on its way.

Now don't worry the burn is not severe and it will not keep me from foundry work, just wet ingot molds.


On the "bright" side my cast came out. A nice Christmas decoration don't you think?

Patrick

 

That was a lucky escape...well not so lucky but saved by safety equipment. That eclipses my run in with a wet ingot mould: a splash the size of a five cent piece stopped by the facemask right over my eye that popped off immediately due to all the dust on the mask surface. In a lot of older foundry videos you see everyone wearing felt hats for good reason, I found a cotton baseball cap on backwards fits under the facemask: it'll burn but still stop some of the heat.

 

Me too. It was defiantly not a fun experience. And most of the time I cast all by myself, but this time I had an audience. It sure freaked them out, seeing me go up in flames after a big boom. Luckily I was the only one that got hurt. It was defiantly an interesting experience pulling brass out of my hair.
Oh and by the way I won a casting contest on facebook with that casting above. So I will be getting another furnace.

Patrick

 

I think maybe we'll see something like this in your future?


https://www.amazon.com/Welding-Hood-Cowhide-Shoulder-Protection/dp/B0814LX1XY/

 

LOL! I already put it in my Amazon cart a couple of hours ago. Are you tracking me?
Thank you for the suggestion though.

Partick

 

Patrick,

If you had a blowout of sand due to moisture, your water content must have been very high. To try to get a handle on your content now that you’ve had that experience, have you tried baking out a few samples of mulled sand? Your per cent water should be in the neighborhood of 4%. Baking out moisture is not practical for me as an ongoing practice. But, since we are all pretty much work in isolation, it is an objective measure we can each use as a benchmark. I just take a 6 or 8 ounce sample, spread it on a cookie sheet, and cook it at 300 for an hour or so. Then just compare the pre and post weights and do the math.

As a quick everyday way of testing mine as I am mulling, gripping a handful the first time should result in almost no adhesion of sand to my skin. After gripping maybe 5 successive handfuls in rapid succession, then there is maybe 50% coverage of my hand. I have also, finally, learned to judge it pretty well visually. But, for me, the grip test is more reliable.

Denis

 

Yeah, my sand wasn't too wet it was a stupid steel ingot mold that had some moisture in it that went boom. My sand was in perfect condition because if it hadn't been my cast would not have turned out. But thank you for that information I was not aware of those tests. I may be putting them to use in the future.

Patrick

 

I guess I should have guessed the ingot mold was steel. I just use a green sand open mold I form with a wood pattern that makes four pigs.

I am not convinced that my grip method of moisture assessment is one that will work for everyone. But the cooking method should be pretty reproducible and is based on a number of good sources where the prefered moisture content does cluster around 4%.

Denis

 

Alright! I just published a video of making the mold for that Christmas decoration. It basically shows the process that I use to make a mold with my Osborn. There is also some
slo-mo of the explosion. Enjoy!

Patrick

 

Well, I think this will take care of my PPE problem. No more burns!!

Patrick

 

Hello Patrick, are you still using that Osborn?

 

Yes, sir, it is a huge time saver. Why do you ask?
Patrick

 

Never know when one may come up for sale, I have 3 Osborn 275j and a SPO. The ones I want will be wheeled. I have worn out maybe 10 and I am always on the lookout for them.
That is a pretty part you made.

 

Okay, cool. How do you wear out something like that? You must make a lot of molds. The Osborn company does sell replacement parts if that is all it would take to put those machines back to work. If that is something you want to give a shot I can send you their contact info.

Thank you.
Patrick