Hit a hard spot in a casting; what to do?
- Thread starter smfr
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Glad it worked, but in the future, shoot, just buy a bag of charcoal. Scrape a bare spot on the ground or dig a little hole, or better yet get a charcoal starter - these things melt aluminum with ease!
Just a few bucks. Put a leaf blower under it, and it'll produce some crazy temperatures. Then remove the forced air and let the coals simmer, go out over a few hours, and you'll have drawn the temper from that nasty iron part.
Just a few bucks. Put a leaf blower under it, and it'll produce some crazy temperatures. Then remove the forced air and let the coals simmer, go out over a few hours, and you'll have drawn the temper from that nasty iron part.
The charcoal starter chimney devices really can be used for some very basic foundry work. A few pounds of green sand or petrobond, some charcoal, an air source, and the charcoal starter device will get one going. Obviously you need a crucible, but I've seen guys use steel cans for a one shot deal. Some of the charcoal pounded to dust, and layered on top of the melt, creates a reducing layer and keeps dross and oxides down.
We used to use them to make a material called magnalium, a 50:50 mix of aluminum and magnesium, which is used in pyrotechnics, display fireworks. The magnalium ingot is so brittle, it can be broken into small pieces by hand and with a hammer. Magnesium is dangerous stuff and not recommended for a melt unless one knows the danger - it can burn furiously. Anyway, there's nothing stopping one from melting a bit of aluminum with one of these. Obviously all foundry safety precautions apply.
Magnalium - interesting stuff.
We used to use them to make a material called magnalium, a 50:50 mix of aluminum and magnesium, which is used in pyrotechnics, display fireworks. The magnalium ingot is so brittle, it can be broken into small pieces by hand and with a hammer. Magnesium is dangerous stuff and not recommended for a melt unless one knows the danger - it can burn furiously. Anyway, there's nothing stopping one from melting a bit of aluminum with one of these. Obviously all foundry safety precautions apply.
Magnalium - interesting stuff.
