I built this thing a few years ago. Before I found this foundry forum. Does this look like it is worth finishing or not. Just want to melt aluminum. Please dont laugh too hard because my little sykie is very fragil. Ha. Harold
What's the bore size of that pipe?, you'll want two inches or so wall clearance with the crucible after the pipe is lined with 2-3 inches of refractory. If you're melting aluminium then an A20 size crucible full is quite liftable for one person and would allow decent size castings. With some refractory lining and a refractory lid on it, it looks like it would work fine as a furnace. Propane fuel would be fairly clean and easy to set up for a first furnace.
Thanks Mark Was just curious if anybody could see it working as I did. Sometimes you can find something that is wrong before finishing it. Then it would be too late. Not sure how wide it is but will take a tape next time I go to the shop. How wide is an A20 crucible?
These are the approximate dimensions for A series crucibles in millimetres, an A20 is about 8 inches across and 10.5 inches tall so ideally you'd have a 12 inch bore after lining. You'd have to pick a crucible to fit.
Havent been to shop yet to measure pipe yet but I got on ebay and A20 crucibles are high. Does a guy have to use a boughten crucible or can they be made if just using aluminum.
If you are using scrap aluminum and casting ornamental and/or unstressed parts, I dont think there is any problem with using a steel crucible. You mention A20. That's a fair amount of molten metal. I'd suggest starting much smaller until you get some experience with you rig and handling molten metal. A 20lb molten metal spill can be pretty dangerous. Select something like a piece of pipe or structural profile with 1/4" wall and weld a similar thickness base onto it. With proper furnace tune it will last a good long while. You have a little more leeway with how you lift and pour with a metal crucible. Just remember the steel has less strength at temp so make the interface robust. Most of this concern is moot with small crucibles. Best, Kelly
Wish I had a little start like that.LOL You are way ahead of the game if this is your starting point!
Thats the starting point Bill. I have some aluminum semi rims to cut up. The measurements on the pipe are 20 inches deep and 14.5 across. Not sure what I did with the top but can make something. I will probably start with a pipe crucible. Thanks for the suggestions guys.
I see a lot of people using different homemade oil burners but I havent seen anyone using a commercial oil heating unit for their system. Maybe this has been used before and didnt work. I hope that I am not building something that wont work. Help. Harold P.S. I am going to use 2in. kaowool with satanite. Should it hold up under this kind of burner?
P.S. I am going to use 2in. kaowool with satanite. Should it hold up under this kind of burner?[/QUOTE] Does the burner work?
It won’t hold up for long. A little while, but not long. An oil burner provides a lot more punishment than propane so those using the satinite/wool combo with propane do quite well. A hotface made of mizzou, casto-lite, or blu-ram an inch thick or so would be bulletproof. We’ve seen commercially made residential oil burners here and on Alloy Avenue work ok if that’s what you’re referring to. As an aside, although this isn’t exactly rocket science, there are a number of moving parts involved so some times getting the help you’ve asked for is a process, not an event. Pete
FYI most Aluminum Semi rims Are 6061, not cast, look at them close to see if they are cast or machined Billet V/r HT1
I'm only using cast car wheels, but the spokes are usually hollow from behind and not smooth from machining, if it was machined from solid I doubt they'd bother with such material saving methods of hollowing the back side of the spokes which is something easy to cast. The video below shows rebuilding car alloy wheels which have a riveted on spun aluminium rim 6061? but a cast alloy hub. If you take a look at various sections of the disassembly and repair you can readily see the difference in rear side appearance of the cast components at the 13:55 minute mark. So for these wheels the hubs would be suitable but the rims are not good for casting.
look at the surface finish on the rear, or in carved out areas, here is a surface finish chart to help https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/00355164 large openings in the rim will not have acceptable draft, (the bolt holes will be drilled in all rims so ignore them) the rear of the rim will be lacking in "detail" ( Not going to dig deep into design, but alot of those details are not just to save weight, but add strength by controlling the grain growth in the cast material) the rear of rim and any openings may have obvious machining marks if you see the word forged ANYWHERE that is the opposite of cast , and its a selling point for rims forged rims are more expensive then cast rims This is the default design for semi rims so if you see this it's forged , not cast https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Custom-semi-truck-wheels-forged-aluminum_62182795443.html lastly a billet rim is always machined from a forged piece (OK I'll admit Alibaba might cast rims machine finish details into them and lie.) V/r HT1 P.S. forged rims do not have to be 6061, they also might be marine grade 5000 series forgings , there were even some sports cars with magnesium rims , but that is crazy unlikely for you to run into
I will have to dig out a rim to see what I have, I do remember that the ones I have are rough like cast iron in the center. More stuff to learn. Thanks for your help.
