Foundry
I recently discovered the possibilities of metal casting. It is a great addition to a workshop and enables you to make relative complex shaped work-pieces or tooling in a much shorter and economical way.
At this stage I am doing meanly aluminium castings. I tried to melt copper with great success, so copper and copper alloys will follow soon.
At this stage I am doing meanly aluminium castings. I tried to melt copper with great success, so copper and copper alloys will follow soon.
Old Furnace
This was my first furnace, build with a home-made refractory. As obvious in the pictures it couldn't withstand the heat of the burner very well. After about 6 runs, the refractory was all brittle and lost almost all bonding capacities.
Recent Furnace
My new furnace design more thought-trough and should be able to withstand the burner temperatures, which approximate 1300 deg.C. It has now dried with an increasing pattern during 36 hours, and only fired once. All looks great for now but time will tell if it holds up.
Also notice my perfect paint job on the furnace. It's really necessary to use old paint, do it while it's more then 30 deg.C. outside and use a paint brush which will lose all the hairs while in the process of painting, to become such a result ...
Also notice my perfect paint job on the furnace. It's really necessary to use old paint, do it while it's more then 30 deg.C. outside and use a paint brush which will lose all the hairs while in the process of painting, to become such a result ...
Melting Aluminium
Best results are to be found when using pure 6060 aluminium alloy ingots. Scrap aluminium can be added in small quantities. To degas the melt, calcium hypochlorite gives good results. Before adding always make sure it contains no other chemicals and more important, make sure it is absolutely dry. As a melting flux low-soda salt, containing potassium chloride, works great.