pics as promised

[rrnutsplitter]

Hi Everyone!
Just got back from Cabin Fever and visiting relatives in Carlisle, Pa.
Thanks to everyone that helped to make the show fun for me and allowing me to use a chair when I needed one. And thanks to the dinner crew on Friday night at TGI Fridays, it was alot of fun.
Here are some pics of myself and my molder Mark pouring a cannon barrel for a customer back in 2002 or there abouts. We produced cannons from 12" to 30" solid to bore out yourself or as in this case i made a core out of stainless pipe filled with core sand, vented and with a steel rod for support so you would have a ready made barrel to use.
Pic.1 Shows the furnace just after start up. You can see the blower I used tucked up under the furnace in the back and the Hauck Burner at the glory hole. Even when the furnace got up to temp. all that came out of the burner was a heavy white fog and all the combustion happened in side the furnace. I never did get tired of the roar.
Pic. 2 Shows how when the furnace started to come up to temp you had to turn the fuel back a little or it would over fire. The crucible lifter is hanging off the crane on the left.
Pic 3 Shows me checking the metal temp to get an idea how much longer it will need.
Pic. 4 Shows us lifting the crucible out and placing it in the pouring shank. We will clean the metal here and add the phosphoric copper shot and the zinc addition to make up what gets burned off in the melting . The pot in the background is an old ladle cup that we used for the dross.
Pic. 5 & 6 We are getting positioned to start the pour. Also the pattern that we used for this mold can be seen in the background.
Pic. 7 The Navy "M" is running into the mold and you can see the smoke coming out of the insulated riser of the two we built into this mold.
Pic. 8 Shows us pigging off the metal that we did not need.
Hope this provides some entertainment, if you have any questions, I will do my best answer them.
Jeff

 

[jwcnc1911]

Are you one of those people who says "casting is easy, just melt metal and pour it"? Your pictures certainly make it look easy!

I've been wanting to start a home foundry for a few years but never had the courage to jump into it. A foundry is not really something you can dabble in.

 

[aonemarine]

Nice foundry set up, makes mine look puny.

 

[rrnutsplitter]

jwcnc,
Trust me there is NOTHING easy about running a foundry. More things to go wrong than Carters got pills.

aonemarine,
I cant take much credit for the "set up" it was that way when I bought it from the original builder.

But speaking of that I'm sure you have noticed that when we had pouring clothes on we wore face shields and leggings. These are two things that I wish the guys and gals out there would adopt. I wasn't wearing my face shield one day when I went to put the graphite rod into a crucible of alum. to degas it, and wouldn't you know I didn't get the rod hot enough and it spit back, right into my eye. Molten alum. in the eye, REALLY HURTS! Still have both my viewing organs, but I was really lucky.
The previous owner had trouble with his one foot and I asked what the trouble was, he said years before a mold broke open and he had about 40 pounds of molten bronze poured into his boot. The secretaries heard the scream. The docs ended up amputating that leg a few years later because it would never heal right.
The Foundry Business is fascinating, but PLEASE BE SAFE.
I am working on an earlier request and will have sources and material info available soon.
Jeff

 

[aonemarine]

I've been working on a larger set up. When I build it the pouring area will be elevated between retaining walls so if I do have a break out the molten metal will be contained away from me. I wear a face shield, chaplets, apron and jacket when pouring. I've had bronze spit back at me before. It didn't get me, but did make me think more about safety.

 

[rrnutsplitter]

Good I'm glad to hear it.
Are chaplets leggings?

 

[aonemarine]

They come up the leg just below the knee and cover over the boot laces, you can see them in my avitar.
Well sort of, thier under my jeans. But you can see them on top of boot.

 

[rrnutsplitter]

aonemarine,
Thank you I feel better already. I didn't realize what I was looking at!

 

[aonemarine]

Well at first glance it looks like a guy who is about to burn his leg off..LOL. I feel pretty secure with the safety gear I have now, but will improve it in time as I still have some concerns about getting burned. That little bit of iron is pretty hot, and I'm gearing up to do 5 times that amount..

 

[robcas631]

Jeff, No doubt that was scarey! Rob