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Dewaxed a large plaster mold one time by placing it in 45 gallon drum on brick stilts. Filled water up to stilts, put a lid on it and heated away. Wax came out, then had to kiln dry the mold before casting. It worked. Plaster doesn't degrade until in excess of 1300 F I believe, but that can be checked. Going to that effort to save wax didn't make a lot of sense. We kiln dry and dewax keeping upper temp to about 750 F. Used to do 1100 F but produced a lot of flashing which was reduced by firing to the lower temp.

 

Pics were requested so I found one of the kiln and melter.

 

Thanks Bill. Is 750F what you hold the plaster at when you pour bronze into it?

 

We let the kiln cool to about 500F, deconstruct kiln, then put molds in flasks with sand backing. The mold temp is close to the 500F when we pour. I should add that when referring to plaster, the plaster is the mold binder. In the mix is clean sand and ludo or lutto. The mix is 1 part plaster, 2 parts clean dry sand and 3 parts ludo which is crushed mold material. Mixed with water and poured.

 

Sounds very similar to Raspers recipe? Interesting stuff.

W3 had an in-ground furnace with a grating top level, shame that guy gave it up for vape products

Welcome to the nut house, experience is always welcome around here

 

More money in vape stuff these days. That would be my first choice for a permanent foundry. I'd love an in ground rig. I'm vertically challenged, grandmother was only 4-10, mom was 5-1.
I should count myself lucky I made 5-7" An elevated floor around the furnace like Barry has is slick. If he gets a spill, he's safely 2 feet above it. I like that setup too.

500 is pretty cool. I start off with shells around 1700 and by the time I'm pouring, I figure they are closer to 1500. If I've got tiny stuff, metal is closer to 2100 and for thick stuff, I shoot for 1900. I occasionally see a hot tear on my fat main sprue right below my pouring cup if I poured on the hot side of things. Here is a good example on my most recent pour. No harm, no foul as I kinda plan for it. Metal ended up where it needed to go so I'm good with it. Bigger picture is, no part of a my bronze artsy fartsy stuff should ever be this thick.

 

W3 had quite the set up, shame most of those threads are dead ends now. His cast CNC design was a winner and he was melting tonnes of whellium.

Looking forward to more posts Bill.

 

Well here's the conclusion. Set up has been completely mothballed. After spending $4500. 5 years ago, I'd like to see it go on. So I'm making an offer to whomever is interested. You pay for the shipping and the furnace complete with crucibles and handling gear is yours. If you wish to make a contribution to my retirement that would be much appreciated, but not necessary. The Wayne is an excellent piece of equipment which deserves further life. All the papers for its last certification will accompany it, so if you want the to make it fully legal, all the paper work is done. When I disassembled the unit I colour coded all the hook up so reassembly should be no problem. The refractory lining is intact but could use some attention.
thanks
Bill

 

Jeff, If you do not go and get this thing, I will never speak to you again!

 

If you have any questions about the equipment, call me at 905 563 4469. Just in case, we are in the eastern time zone. I'm not too lucid in the middle of the night!

 

You do know that would be a good twelve hour round trip for him? And that's only if there are no traffic snafus passing through greater Toronto area and that NEVER happens.

 

I did 12hrs one way for my Bridgeport. he can handle it.

 

Find Waldo. Where is Jeff?

 

I'm trying for ya. That's Tobho Mott. He lives in your neck of the woods and is an active metal caster.

 

bill, I think I've had a couple customers use you over the years. I'm not too far from you in Oshawa. I've been machining castings and raw steel around the GTA for 25 years. I think you're just outside Hamilton. Are you thinking about selling off your equipment? Or, getting started back up again as a hobby? Either way, it's nice to see you on this side. Your experience is greatly appreciated!

 

Bill, I still Lake foundry just off the QEW for some of my production cast iron pieces. Tom their knows his stuff forward and backwards. It's a small world.

 

Jeff's somewhere near Ottawa.

 

I have some wax supplies, I'd like to sell. Some 1/8 inch red sprues, Sticky wax and some Kinko brown sculpting wax. I think I have someone taking the furnace and crucibles.

 

Actually I've been trying to give it away with a voluntary contribution to my retirement fund. What are looking for?