The molding shop and garden (backyard) foundry

[d.bick]

I’ve just posted this short clip of me doing a bit of sand molding (moulding for the U.K. readers) for a friends rear traction engine wheel.
We are going to make a split pattern by casting two of what you see me mold. The sand used is clay bearing red sand from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. U.K.
Hopefully I will post the casting of this wheel
Dave Bick


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPCMz5VRZ5o[/ame]

 

[rudydubya]

Really interesting Dave. Well done. I've never tried casting my own parts, but it sure looks interesting. You make it look easy. Thanks for sharing, looking forward to your follow-up.

Regards,
Rudy

 

[Royal Viking]

Thanks Dave!

That brought back memories of High School Metal Shop (that was before the specialized vocational education schools came on the scene). We could cast our projects in aluminum and then machine the castings.

Can you show us the finished casting?


Roy

 

[fltenwheeler]

Nice video Dave. Thanks for taking the time.

Tim

 

[dsquire]

Dave

Nicely done Dave. Looking forward to the next installment. Thanks :bow: :bow:

Cheers

Don

 

[d.bick]

This is my home foundry
I have built the foundry building out of 1 ½” x 1 ½” steel box covering it in galvanized corrugated sheet steel. The idea is to keep things that may burn down to a minimum.
The area where I pour the molten metal has a covering of dry sand about 2” deep this is important if you splash the molten metal or the flasks (molding box) over runs, this dose a will happen. If molten metal comes into contact with concrete it can spit at you.
The furnace was made from a redundant gas bottle and a lining of about 2” thick wall of fire clay is rammed around a former. The lid is on a spiral hinge to allow it to rise as it is moved. It will melt approximately 3kg of aluminium in about 20 to 30 minutes in a pot 5” diameter x 6” high. It will melt 10 kg of bronze in about 40 minutes.
The melting pots are from 3/16” thick stainless steel. The material spec is S527 scrap off cut from a job we do at work. I’am not sure if this stainless is suitable for high temperature, but it came free and has lasted me well in many melts. They are TIG welded, but stick welding could have been used. They have two hooks on the top and a hoop on the bottom to allow the lifting and pouring using a lifting handle and pouring handle.
The Gas is propane. I have found that the 47kg bottles do not suffer from freezing up as do the smaller ones, if you only have a small bottle a garden hose spraying water on the bottle helps stop the freezing.
The air is supplied from a 12 volt range rover heater blower (4x4 car) It’s a bit bigger than the smaller car heater blowers. I run it from a car battery charger, which has a low and high amp switch, and this allows for some control of the air input.
Please take care if I have inspired you to have a go at foundry work. You will see I cover all my body in flame retardant material and I wear a leather jacket, steel toe-protector shoes and most important a full face shield.
Dave Bick


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOt3w9z9088[/ame]

 

[d.bick]

Melting The metal
Dave Bick

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwMrVEHuOZg[/ame]

 

[d.bick]

The cast alum wheel is 4 ¾” diameter and is for a pattern. Two of these are required and will be pinned back to back. It will be the rear wheel of a small freelance traction engine.

Dave Bick

 

[CallMeAL]

Thanks for taking the time to demonstrate your foundry. Nice result!

 

[T70MkIII]

Enjoying your videos - thanks, Dave.

 

[xlchainsaw]

excellent. i like the pattern of the rear wheel. its very similar to the rear wheel on a mamod truck.

 

[SAM in LA]

Dave,

Thank you for taking the time to demonstrate casting an aluminium wheel. I realize the amount of effort it takes to produce a video and appreciate you doing it.

Regards,

SAM

 

[Royal Viking]

Dave,

Thanks for taking the time to do this. A great job at that too!

Roy

 

[flyn_brian]

Very informative. Thank you.

 

[compspecial]

I find this very educational and interesting, thanks for all your time and effort to bring it to us Dave!
Stew.

 

[woodnut]

Hi Dave

I have been casting for a little while now and always wondered how hard to ram up the mold?
Too hard and it won't let the gas escape and not hard enough and the mold falls apart.


My casting haven't turn out too bad so I think I am doing it some what right. I am just using home made green sand.

Keep up the great work!

John.