foundry/casting

[SE18]

I want to build an outdoor foundry and have been looking stuff up on the internet regarding how to do it and had some questions. I do plan to use propane as fuel.

1. I was gonna use firebrick but the wool stuff is supposed to heat up quicker and thus save fuel. But wouldn't moisture get into the wool if left outside? Guess it would need a tarp covering.

2. Can a small foundry for blacksmithing double as a place for aluminum castings (dual usage?)

There's a lot of info online, btw, but very little I found that useful

 

[jasonh]

firebrick v. wool: You can use one or the other or a combination of both. You'll probably need at least some firebrick to build the bottom of the furnace because you need a stable base for the plinth and crucible. As for moisture - always keep everything dry. If water gets into the furnace lining, firebrick may be worse than wool because material may pop off as it heats up- but try not to have a wet/moist furnace in the first place.

forge + furnace?: Certainly a forge could be used to melt small amounts of metal- but it's not the ideal form factor, you'd have trouble maintaining heat on larger quantities. If you wanted a dual purpose device an enclosed gas forge would be easier to use as a furnace than a traditional coke forge.

>There's a lot of info online, btw, but very little I found that useful

youtube is the place. check out:
luckygen1001
superdave257
myfordboy
muellernick

these guys are my casting gurus

 

[SE18]

Thanks! I'll check each of those youtube broadcasters out for sure

 

[gus]

There is a write up in the Model Engineer Workshop on a very simple and small aluminium furnace made out of house material plus a simple gas burner. Now in South Thailand.Will dig it out when I get home. The refractories are made of material easily obtained. The housing is a simple one gallon paint container.