Avoiding Problems Casting Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Iron
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Cast Iron Pour No. 15 (continued):
More bearing cap photos.
I used ceramic mold coat for the first time on this casting.
It is alcohol-based, and so you dry the mold with a light propane flaming, then spray on the mold coat, then burn the mold coat off.
The mold coat worked well, and prevented the iron from burning into and adhering to the sand mold.
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More bearing cap photos.
I used ceramic mold coat for the first time on this casting.
It is alcohol-based, and so you dry the mold with a light propane flaming, then spray on the mold coat, then burn the mold coat off.
The mold coat worked well, and prevented the iron from burning into and adhering to the sand mold.
.
Attachments
Cast Iron Pour No. 16 and Aluminum Pour No.24 - Phoenix Casting - 2020:
The Phoenix art casting was an attempt to create and cast something/anything during the COVID debacle, when all the art-iron shows had been cancelled.
The overall meaning of the Phoenix casting to represent how backyard casting would one day rise again after the COVID mess passed, and when casting shows could begin again.
The pattern was 3D printed and had a flat top surface.
I ruined the first pattern by heating and trying to bend it.
The second 3D printed pattern was printed with a curvature to its face.
The multi-color was made by cutting the filament and inserting a new color, during mid-print.
I sketched up the pattern in Solidworks after drinking a lot of coffee (no drugs were used in the creation of this pattern, unless you consider caffine a drug).
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The Phoenix art casting was an attempt to create and cast something/anything during the COVID debacle, when all the art-iron shows had been cancelled.
The overall meaning of the Phoenix casting to represent how backyard casting would one day rise again after the COVID mess passed, and when casting shows could begin again.
The pattern was 3D printed and had a flat top surface.
I ruined the first pattern by heating and trying to bend it.
The second 3D printed pattern was printed with a curvature to its face.
The multi-color was made by cutting the filament and inserting a new color, during mid-print.
I sketched up the pattern in Solidworks after drinking a lot of coffee (no drugs were used in the creation of this pattern, unless you consider caffine a drug).
.
Attachments
Aluminum Pour No.24 - Phoenix Casting - 2020 (continued):
I filled the 2nd pattern a bit to allow it to be pulled from the sand, and then painted it.
I normally use shellac on patterns, which is translucent, and dries very quickly.
I cast an aluminum permanent pattern first.
I used the ceramic mold coat again, and it gave a good surface finish.
The photo shows the raw casting with no finish work or buffing being done to it.
I used an open faced-pour.
Perhaps a bit of shrinkage on the left side lip.
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I filled the 2nd pattern a bit to allow it to be pulled from the sand, and then painted it.
I normally use shellac on patterns, which is translucent, and dries very quickly.
I cast an aluminum permanent pattern first.
I used the ceramic mold coat again, and it gave a good surface finish.
The photo shows the raw casting with no finish work or buffing being done to it.
I used an open faced-pour.
Perhaps a bit of shrinkage on the left side lip.
.
Attachments
Cast Iron Pour No. 16 - Phoenix Casting - 2020:
The ceramic mold coat was used on the iron castings, and they came out of the mold bright and shiny, as if they had been buffed, with no sand adhesion.
Any residual sand on the casting could be brushed off with a dry paintbrush.
This was a fun experience, and gave me an opportunity to go out and melt/cast some metal.
This was also a 2nd test of the ceramic mold coat with iron.
Ceramic mold coat used on resin-bound molds with iron is also a game changer, as far as the increase in surface quality.
I was really shocked at how clean and shiny the iron castings were when I flipped them over out of the mold.
The only difference between the first and second de-mold photos is I used a dry paintbrush to lightly dust off the castings before taking the second photo. It seems like these castings were buffed, but that is how they came out of the mold (I have witnesses).
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The ceramic mold coat was used on the iron castings, and they came out of the mold bright and shiny, as if they had been buffed, with no sand adhesion.
Any residual sand on the casting could be brushed off with a dry paintbrush.
This was a fun experience, and gave me an opportunity to go out and melt/cast some metal.
This was also a 2nd test of the ceramic mold coat with iron.
Ceramic mold coat used on resin-bound molds with iron is also a game changer, as far as the increase in surface quality.
I was really shocked at how clean and shiny the iron castings were when I flipped them over out of the mold.
The only difference between the first and second de-mold photos is I used a dry paintbrush to lightly dust off the castings before taking the second photo. It seems like these castings were buffed, but that is how they came out of the mold (I have witnesses).
.
Attachments
Casting Work - Post 2020:
The only other melt attempt I made in 2020 was an attempt to melt 1/2" diameter steel rods in my furnace.
I could get the rods red hot, but there was no way to get to the actual melting point of steel using my oil burner and diesel as a fuel.
I am probably short 200-300 F of the melting point of mild steel, and I would need more heat than that to reach some usable pour temperature.
I had to try to melt steel though, just to see if I could do it.
As I understand it, steel is tricky to cast, for a number of reasons that I don't really understand.
Casting gray iron is very easy compared with casting mild steel.
At the end of 2020, I had an avalanche of work projects hit, and I have yet to catch up with everything that was dumped on me.
These were not projects that I could decline, and so the backyard casting and engine building hobby have gone on the back burner, so to speak.
One day I will get caught up, and the Phoenix will rise again in my backyard.
.
The only other melt attempt I made in 2020 was an attempt to melt 1/2" diameter steel rods in my furnace.
I could get the rods red hot, but there was no way to get to the actual melting point of steel using my oil burner and diesel as a fuel.
I am probably short 200-300 F of the melting point of mild steel, and I would need more heat than that to reach some usable pour temperature.
I had to try to melt steel though, just to see if I could do it.
As I understand it, steel is tricky to cast, for a number of reasons that I don't really understand.
Casting gray iron is very easy compared with casting mild steel.
At the end of 2020, I had an avalanche of work projects hit, and I have yet to catch up with everything that was dumped on me.
These were not projects that I could decline, and so the backyard casting and engine building hobby have gone on the back burner, so to speak.
One day I will get caught up, and the Phoenix will rise again in my backyard.
.
Richard Hed
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Time to Riot a Book!
Casting Work - 2025:
The game plan for 2025 is to cast some permanent aluminum patterns for a 1/2 size Baker Ball Hopper Monitor engine.
I need to 3D print the pattern halves, and coreboxes for the water hopper, which is the first part I will start with.
I have been working on how to design the hopper 3D prints and coreboxes, and I think I have that pretty much worked out.
I am going to use pattern halves, since that will make molding much easier.
I would like to cast permanent aluminum patterns, and I would like to do that indoors.
I remembered that my nextdoor neighbor has a small kiln, so I went over there yesterday and told her I needed to "requisition" it; it was a matter of extreme hobby emergency.
Casting things indoors is a good way to die, and burn your house down all at the same time.
I guess I will spread out a welding blanket inside my office, and make a catch box of sorts to pour over.
And I will put fire extinguishers all around.
Aluminum does not concern me that much as long as I can fully contain the spill from an entire crucible.
I have some crucibles smaller than a #10, and I hope to be able to use those for indoors pours.
Here is my neighbor's kiln that I will "borrow/keep".
If I drilled a hole through the lid in the center, and elevated the crucible up on a plinth, then I could take temperature readings using the pyrometer, without opening the furnace.
The $100 dollar question is "Will the thin mold half fill completely with aluminum?".
The $200 dollar question is "Will the thin complete hopper mold will with gray iron ?".
These are bridges what we will have to cross when we arrive at that destination.
Here are some of the smaller crucibles that I will try to use.
I need to calculate how much aluminum half a water hopper pattern will require, and I can do that in Solidworks.
I need to make some lifting tongs and pouring shank for these.
I may be able to make an adjustable tong and shank to fit several of the smaller crucible sizes.
By melting and pouring inside my office, I can work while the melt is heating, and keep an eye on things.
I am not sure what the wife will say, but I can probably bribe her to ok it.
The dimensions and capacities of these crucibles is as follows:
A0.5 Top: 2.625", Bottom: 1.875", Height: 3.125", Brass: 2.2 lbs, Cast Iron: 1.98 lbs., Aluminum: 0.7 lbs.
A3 Top: 4.125", Bottom: 2.75", Height: 5.0", Brass: 8.2 lbs, Cast Iron: 7.38 lbs, Aluminum: 2.7 lbs.
A5 Top: 4.875", Bottom: 3.375", Height: 6.0", Brass: 15 lbs, Cast Iron: 13.5 lbs, Aluminum: 4.9 lbs.
Note that the number following the "A" is the approximate crucible capacity for aluminum, in pounds.
.
The game plan for 2025 is to cast some permanent aluminum patterns for a 1/2 size Baker Ball Hopper Monitor engine.
I need to 3D print the pattern halves, and coreboxes for the water hopper, which is the first part I will start with.
I have been working on how to design the hopper 3D prints and coreboxes, and I think I have that pretty much worked out.
I am going to use pattern halves, since that will make molding much easier.
I would like to cast permanent aluminum patterns, and I would like to do that indoors.
I remembered that my nextdoor neighbor has a small kiln, so I went over there yesterday and told her I needed to "requisition" it; it was a matter of extreme hobby emergency.
Casting things indoors is a good way to die, and burn your house down all at the same time.
I guess I will spread out a welding blanket inside my office, and make a catch box of sorts to pour over.
And I will put fire extinguishers all around.
Aluminum does not concern me that much as long as I can fully contain the spill from an entire crucible.
I have some crucibles smaller than a #10, and I hope to be able to use those for indoors pours.
Here is my neighbor's kiln that I will "borrow/keep".
If I drilled a hole through the lid in the center, and elevated the crucible up on a plinth, then I could take temperature readings using the pyrometer, without opening the furnace.
The $100 dollar question is "Will the thin mold half fill completely with aluminum?".
The $200 dollar question is "Will the thin complete hopper mold will with gray iron ?".
These are bridges what we will have to cross when we arrive at that destination.
Here are some of the smaller crucibles that I will try to use.
I need to calculate how much aluminum half a water hopper pattern will require, and I can do that in Solidworks.
I need to make some lifting tongs and pouring shank for these.
I may be able to make an adjustable tong and shank to fit several of the smaller crucible sizes.
By melting and pouring inside my office, I can work while the melt is heating, and keep an eye on things.
I am not sure what the wife will say, but I can probably bribe her to ok it.
The dimensions and capacities of these crucibles is as follows:
A0.5 Top: 2.625", Bottom: 1.875", Height: 3.125", Brass: 2.2 lbs, Cast Iron: 1.98 lbs., Aluminum: 0.7 lbs.
A3 Top: 4.125", Bottom: 2.75", Height: 5.0", Brass: 8.2 lbs, Cast Iron: 7.38 lbs, Aluminum: 2.7 lbs.
A5 Top: 4.875", Bottom: 3.375", Height: 6.0", Brass: 15 lbs, Cast Iron: 13.5 lbs, Aluminum: 4.9 lbs.
Note that the number following the "A" is the approximate crucible capacity for aluminum, in pounds.
.
Last edited:
Casting Work - 2025:
This will be what we will be attempting to cast as permanent patterns and probably corebox halves for.
I don't have a screenshot of the opposite side of this yet.
I need to add some filler behind the internal bosses, and also add coreprint halves top and bottom.
I decided to make separate corebox halves (I think), since I can 3D print those.
I am going to cast the coreboxes thin, with some support legs, so I don't have to cast a large mass that would be prone to high shrinkage.
The water hopper will be approximately 8" diameter.
The overall height of the engine on its base will be about 28".
The flywheels will be 14" diameter, and I have found a machinist with a lathe large enough to machine those for me.
This is the overall engine, and it will be about :
This will be what we will be attempting to cast as permanent patterns and probably corebox halves for.
I don't have a screenshot of the opposite side of this yet.
I need to add some filler behind the internal bosses, and also add coreprint halves top and bottom.
I decided to make separate corebox halves (I think), since I can 3D print those.
I am going to cast the coreboxes thin, with some support legs, so I don't have to cast a large mass that would be prone to high shrinkage.
The water hopper will be approximately 8" diameter.
The overall height of the engine on its base will be about 28".
The flywheels will be 14" diameter, and I have found a machinist with a lathe large enough to machine those for me.
This is the overall engine, and it will be about :
Ruant33
New Member
This is amazing information and insight regarding your casting journey. I have just started on my journey and seeing what you went through in the beginning gives me the determination to push on. Thank you for sharing.
It took me a few years to get consistent results.
Part of the problem was I did not know how to tune an oil burner.
Another part was not knowing how to arrange sprues, runners, gates, risers.
I had to figure out the correct pour temperatures.
And there are a few tricks to getting consistent quality gray iron castings.
There are a number of hobby casting folks who do art, scuptures, etc., but not engine work.
Finding someone who does hobby engine casting work on a high level is pretty rare.
Getting that person to share what they know is even more rare.
There is no sense in folks repeating all of my numerous errors/blunders though, so I put them here for all to see; so perhaps others can avoid the problems I had.
Good luck with your casting efforts.
It is a really fun hobby, especially when you start to have some success with it.
.
Part of the problem was I did not know how to tune an oil burner.
Another part was not knowing how to arrange sprues, runners, gates, risers.
I had to figure out the correct pour temperatures.
And there are a few tricks to getting consistent quality gray iron castings.
There are a number of hobby casting folks who do art, scuptures, etc., but not engine work.
Finding someone who does hobby engine casting work on a high level is pretty rare.
Getting that person to share what they know is even more rare.
There is no sense in folks repeating all of my numerous errors/blunders though, so I put them here for all to see; so perhaps others can avoid the problems I had.
Good luck with your casting efforts.
It is a really fun hobby, especially when you start to have some success with it.
.
