Getting Started

[Casting_Greenhorn]

Hello! Did some sand casting at school - enough to remember the overall process, but not the particulars. Interested in starting some projects at home. A few opening questions:

1) Where to get a furnace? I saw a lot of people build their own; is there a good DIY site somebody can point me to, or is there a place to buy one?

2) Brands - I need safety equipment, crucible, sand, etc. What are reccomended brands for different items?

3) 3D Printed Models - is there any experience using 3D-printed patterns?

Thanks!

 

[Wizard69]

Hello! Did some sand casting at school - enough to remember the overall process, but not the particulars. Interested in starting some projects at home. A few opening questions:

1) Where to get a furnace? I saw a lot of people build their own; is there a good DIY site somebody can point me to, or is there a place to buy one?

Almost everybody does DIY furnaces. In fact I don't know of any manufactures of low end hobby furnaces. Maybe somebody else has a line on commercial units.

As for Getting started on of the more interesting series of books is David Gingery's series on how to build a home shop from scrap. He covers furnace construction, pattern making and techniques to build a lathe and a series of other machines in set of 6 booklets (I think it is six there are others outside of the series)

2) Brands - I need safety equipment, crucible, sand, etc. What are reccomended brands for different items?

Agians a lot fo DIY stuff is constructed but there are companies servicing the hobby world supplying crucibles, tools and materials. I'd suggest googling for metal casting supplies.

3) 3D Printed Models - is there any experience using 3D-printed patterns?

Thanks!

Actually I believe that there is a thread within this forum covering that, you might try reviewing some of the older threads. As it is I don't have a 3D printer so really can't answer your question other than to say there is a lot of rapid development being done in that world.

 

[JCSteam]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I know a guy that has made his furnace from a 25kg propane tank, ceramic oven insulation and a propane torch. With a brake disc for the top of the furnace. (Please don't go cutting into a propane tank!!!!!).

The crucibles are generally picked up from the likes of eBay, car boot sales or private sales through word of mouth. There probably the hardest part to come by.

As for 3D printing, it is evolving fast and prices for machines are dropping quick. You can now pick up a 3d printer for around £100, it does depend on what size you want to print. The 3d parts printed can be superglue together, using certain types of glue and spray accelerators. This increases the size of pattern you can produce. However for an accurate pattern you need to have it printed as a whole.

For software packages look at freecad website, a simple easy to use software with plenty of back up support and tutorials, it does have it's draw backs in that any design you make from a tube, to a complex cylinder is copyrighted to the site. You have no copyright in the design you have drawn. There other software packages out there, some are free....... some cost!!! A lot!!! So decide what you'll be wanting to produce and think ahead.

3D design is fun, and hit on the right item can make a few quid for your efforts too. I designed and had made a few scuttles for a Mamod traction engine, had them laser cut, bent and welded and sold them on. Made a fiver a piece. Not bad for sitting at a computer for a couple of hours.

 

[Cogsy]

Hello! Did some sand casting at school - enough to remember the overall process, but not the particulars. Interested in starting some projects at home. A few opening questions:

1) Where to get a furnace? I saw a lot of people build their own; is there a good DIY site somebody can point me to, or is there a place to buy one?

2) Brands - I need safety equipment, crucible, sand, etc. What are reccomended brands for different items?

3) 3D Printed Models - is there any experience using 3D-printed patterns?

Thanks!

Welcome to the forum. There is a lot of info to be found on YouTube with a little searching. You can also have a look at :http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/ for initial ideas. Making your own is the 'normal' way to go although some have repurposed small kilns. I made mine from a 9kg BBQ propane bottle - it's very safe to cut them if done correctly, again research is needed.

Depending on where you're located, you may need to make your own casting supplies, including the greensand, but again it's not difficult.

Finally, 3D printing conventional patterns should be easily done but some have successfully used 'lost-PLA' casting methods in the same vein as lost wax. As soon as I get the time (hopefully end of November at this stage) I plan to try 3D prints with very thin walls and zero infill and attempt to use a PLA pattern in the same way as 'Lost Foam' casting. It will at least be interesting...

 

[MRA]

If you google 'artful bodger casting' you'll find a site run by Colin Peck. I bought his book, which was not hugely cheap, but very, very helpful. He also helped me out when I had early troubles getting my version of his waste oil burner to work properly. His design works very well, and scales - I built a smaller one around a small-ish butane bottle, and home-made lining of 1/3 fire clay, 1/3 sand, 1/3 smashed-up firebrick (proportions by volume). Fireclay is much stickier than cement / concrete and so more tricky to work with, but it's all do-able. My mate built one too and has really got into it - so maybe share a book with a friend!

I've done lots of Al alloy and bronze with it, but no cast iron yet!