The Home Machinist!

AFIK water/graphite, with a dash of soap is sprayed or rubbed on master patterns for clean withdrawal. Wax (Auto finish type) talcum powder and all such things are used similarly. In open sand, sprays of various clay based coatings are used in iron founding, and dried with a 'weed' torch. (Natural sands) Otherwise , I do not know of such practices used today, particularly with synthetic sands, like petrobond, that are designed for aluminum and bronze casting.

Perhaps someone with more commercial bronze founding experience has better knowledge.

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Big Dave

Be Alert! The world needs more Lerts.

For those thinking about a waste oil furnace I can vouch for the fact that waste oil can be procured for free once you ask around.

I am Cleaning house for the wife coming home. Hope to run the furnace this weekend to try the arm casting again. Walked out on the back porch to find six gallons of waste oil in one gallon bottles. These were in a cardboard box. No idea who dropped it off.

My main supplier is the local garage located in Salem Alabama. I leave him two five gallon cans which he fills as he does oil changes and calls me when I can pick them up. If I do not need any I do not drop the cans off. He normally pours it into a large tank that supplies oil for his heater in the shop.

I am drawing the limit at four five gallon cans on hand at any time so I do not become a super fund site.

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Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4

Good thing I have perseverance. (Even if I'm not sure how to spell it.)

Put brake pads and rotors on the Wife's van for breakfast and then in the afternoon when it got up to 96 degrees here in Alabama I decided to try the new flask clamps out. Also had two new brake rotors to use as weights.

The furnace session went great. All seemed well in the world with the melt going well. I even let it go another fifteen minutes to ensure it was hot. Used the coffee can riser extension Degassed, added the copper phosphor and skimmed. When I poured I went fast and the pouring gate filled up to the top. I knew it was not right though as no metal came out the two risers I had on the far end. Only a little smoke.

This was the results.



Obviously not hot enough or maybe my vents were too small.

I believe this may also be a problem I have a large tube feeding a small one so I may be causing turbulance in the flow.



Cleaned up, took the family out to Pizza and relaxed a little.
Came home to try the information I am reading about using graphite to help the flow. It is located on this forum.

Rammed up this mold using graphite as a seperation barrier and then sprayed the mold area down with it.



I have also cut the ingate to the same diameter as the coffee can riser. Also the risers are larger along with what I guess are called popoffs to let the pressure out.



Finally coated everything with graphite.


We shall see tomorrow if it matters. I will run the furnace a little hotter and longer but have also decided to purchase a pyrometer as everything I am reading says it can only help.

_________________
Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4

Anyone have a clue if this one at Budget Casting Supply is any good?

http://www.budgetcastingsupply.com/Pyrometer.php

_________________
Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4

I don't recall ever reading anything that didn't support the use of a pyrometer. The human eye can't really judge temperatures well, plus we aren't really familiar with temperatures in the casting range, so we often don't know what we're seeing. I fully expect you're going to benefit by having one.

Harold

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Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.

I have an older pyrometer that came with a furnace puchase. Old and clunky, it looks much sturdier than the one you show. Looks kinna delicate. Being somewhat small, it looks like maybe something a jeweler would use. Mine is about 36 inches long with the meter at the handle, and no exposed wiring, all tube.

I cant run my furnace without it.

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Big Dave

Be Alert! The world needs more Lerts.

After driving all over town and calling everywhere I could think of I stumbled on Graphite in bulk at the local John Deere dealer while buying lawnmower parts today. they carry it in one pound bottles for use in seed spreaders.

It is less than five dollars per one pound bottle.

Today I ordered the Pyrometer from Budget Casting. I shopped around online and it is the only one in my limited price range. should see it in to five days.

Tonight I am going to try the side frames again with the graphite. I will also run the furnace up a notch in heat. I know I should wait for the pyrometer but don't want to waste my scheduled playtime.

_________________
Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4

Hi, i will be interestd in how the Pyro works. i think I would like one also. Keep us posted please.

Tom C.

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tom_at_srclry_com
Lost somewhere in Michigan!

I just checked the specs on that meter. If it lives up to the description, that's a pretty good deal. So much better than guessing. Looking forward to your report.

Harold

_________________
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.

Total price with shipping and handling was $135.00.

I decided not to run the furnace till it arrives.

_________________
Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4

Made one last attempt with the beams prior to the pyrometer arriving. I ran the furnace up hot by guesswork and poured into the mold with the graphite only. I did not use the coffecan riser. But I did tilt the mold down to some extent. I also used the copper phosphor.

In all honesty I did not take time to skim but concentrated on getting it from the furnace to the mold while hot. I also did not have enough in the crucible as I was not able to fill the gate to the cope
One side filled completely to the end riser with the other only going to the base of the riser anc coming up an inch or so.



I give credit for the pour being better to possibly better but not right heat and the graphite. Time will tell when I try the pyrometer.


Things I have decided to try is to split the pattern board and make individual molds for the left and right side. I would only be pouring one side at a time with the gate only feeding in one direction.

_________________
Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4

Now I must learn the Zin of Gating to trap sand and prevent inclusions.

_________________
Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4