Show me your lids please.

I am building a new furnace using refractory brick lining and held in place by a steel sheet-metal cylinder. I have seen some very good lids in various videos, so if you have one that doesn't require brute-force lifting and leaving it on the ground, like my old furnace, I would appreciate seeing yours.

Also, is there an ideal distance between the crucible and the wall of the furnace? My first furnace was probably about 1 1/2" but that was so long ago I can't be sure.

Crucible size is A 10,

Cheers Charlie

 

And you are making a resistive or fuel-fired furnace to melt what metals.

Denis

 

Below link goes to a picture of the lid lift on my A10 project, copied from Denis, on hold during the boating (boat repair) season.

https://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/resizing-55-gallon-200l-drum.2490/page-6

 

here this is the best lid i've seen and used , the cams are a PITA to get right and the swing out is going to put that hot lid hovering over something you dont want.
this design, Lionels design, only has one shortcoming , you have to walk around the handle when in use, of course at that time "liftout" you NEED to be on the other size
I highly recommend this, I owned a Hobby Melter, and Built one on the same design. lasted years of Hard use, I wish My current one was the same design, and unlike the Cam designs, this is crazy easy to build, Rebar and pipe

V/r HT1

 

My experience exactly.

 

Waste-oil fuel; mainly aluminium but making bronze is in the pipe-line.

 

Nice idea.
Don't think it will suit me, as my furnace is inside near a corner under the roof vent. Definitely worth considering though.

 

Thank you Jeff – valuable information.

Can all you oil-burners out there give me your clearance dimensions please?

Cheers Charlie

 

Define "Near" because putting a furnace in a corner is a bad idea, you need access to Three sides.... well you said A-10 , thats small and changes things up, but you need to be able to easily get to all sides , and of course remember it will be Hot


V/r HT1

 

At least 2". My #18 comes in at about 1.75" clearance but I'm only melting aluminum in it so there's some forgiveness there. Bronze and cast iron go in smaller crucibles so I have well over 3" clearance. I try to keep my brim within an inch or 2 of the exhaust hole. (I think there are temperature variations that can exist up and down the bore column and I'm not refined enough to dial that variable in, so I try to make sure I'm at least capturing as much heat as possible).

Pete

 

Here's mine. It is all brick and has worked well for years, 485 melts currently, with little damage. I melt mostly aluminum, some brass/bronze and a little iron. Since the furnace was not portable I made a lift system attached to my roof and floor.

http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/simple-brick-furnace.288/

 

My furnace is on the small side, and so far I've only used it for aluminum. I've ordered a #6 crucible and will see if it holds up to melting some brass. If it doesn't it won't be a problem to redo the lid. I need to repost the link. Somehow it only posted half the thread. http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?posts/42019/ Got the whole thread this time but it started in the middle.

 

Here's the lid on my furnace. Best lid design I have come across. I copied the style from a larger McEnglevan educational furnace that I have. I adapted the mechanism to something I could fabricate easily.
The handle slips on, so it can sit where it's cool. It lifts it slightly to swing out of the way, still facing down keeping searing heat away from your face. Don't have to remove it and place it, doesn't flip open, very simple. The mechanism is super simple. Best if the mechanism and lift bars are a bit loose cause things tighten up when they get hot.

The only downside I have found to it, is if you try to load a piece of scrap that sits too high the lid will catch it trying to close. Usually not a problem.

 

can we see a close up of the cam lifting mechanism PLEASE!!!
Thanks in advance
V/r HT1

 

Here is a more detailed view

 

Here's a lower tech approach that has worked well for me. One pic when it was new and one later on. A lesser lift than the whole thing. But I've cast iron with this furnace.

 

Thank you for your posts Rocketman.

I like the design very much and I think I will use it on my furnace,

Cheers Charlie

 

I kept mine simple

 

The refractory was basically poured solid using a cottage cheese container to form the 4" vent hole. There's a 1" layer of ceramic fiber insulation on top and covered with sheet steel. There's no wire webbing in there for support, only the curve of the metal provided by the existing rib in the keg. 6 years and 30 heats or so including bronze and cast iron and it's holding up fine. Used mizzou.

Pete