Subject: Re: casting aluminium

From: [email-masked] (Barry Workman)
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 1994 07:34:05 GMT

[email-masked] (Allan Hill) writes:

> Can somebody tell me basically whats involved in casting aluminium ? - Is
>it a feasible thing to attempt ?

>What would one need to do this ?

>Allan Hill
>    [email-masked]

Basically, to cast aluminum, you need a mold and some melted aluminum.
Pour the metal in the mold.

Actually it is very easy to do on a small budget.  First get Dave
Gingery's book "The Charcoal Foundry".  It's available from Lindsay
publications, and the address is in the FAQ.
Dave takes you through the whole process of building a small charcoal
fired foundry to melt metals up to and including aluminum.  My entire
foundry cost me about $50 and I had to buy everything new.  I do my
casting in the driveway and I have done castings at 1 AM without bothering
the neighbors -- although the local police helicopter did scope me out
one time.  
The one point where I disagree with Gingery is the green sand mix.
He has you blending your own.  Find a foundry supply house in your area
and buy some Petrobond.  Well worth the investment.  Any other questions,
post here or E-mail me.
-- 
    - Barry Workman

---

From: [email-masked] (Barry Wolinetz)
Date: 17 Oct 94 11:16:48 -0500

Allan Hill ([email-masked]) wrote:
:  Can somebody tell me basically whats involved in casting aluminium ? - Is
: it a feasible thing to attempt ?

: What would one need to do this ?

: Allan Hill
:     [email-masked]

I humbly suggest that casting aluminum have a place in the FAQ since it comes
up quite a bit.

I Ordered a copy of Gingery's charcoal furnace (build your own aluminum
foundry from scratch) from Lindsey (see the faq for Phone# and address) and 
took the "handbook of sand casting" book by C.W. AMMENS (also available from 
Lindsey) out of the library.  Both are very helpful/informative.

Casting aluminum is very feasable (hey, if I can do it, it can't be all that
hard!!!).  It doesn't take long to melt (about ten minutes in the charcoal
foundry) and it is fairly easy to work with.  The hard part, is making the
patterns you intend to cast and getting the right touch with your moulding
sand (how hard to ram it, how moist etc).   

The raw materials are abundant,
I collect old lawnmowers and dismantle the engines or if I'm lucky enough
the entire deck is cast aluminium. (watch out for stray bits of steel in the 
engines!!)  I would avoid using cans and extrusions because they are missing
the Silicon and other additives that make a good casting.  As someone replied
to me once... Use a casting to make a casting. 

I was very impressed with my first results and encouraged to make more 
castings.  

I went to a local Aluminum foundry (check your business to business yellow
pages under Foundries or Foundry supplies) and bought 150# or so of their
moulding sand for a couple bucks.  I tried making my own moulding sand but 
I couldn't find silica sand that was fine enough.  Petrobond, available from
foundry suppliers, is also reputed to be excellant, but a little more pricey.

I made one of my crucibles by welding a disk to the bottom of a 4" round pipe
segment, and bought a couple of cast iron pots at the local flea market.

I made my own tongs out of conduit and 1/8" flat stock.

Once again, I encourage you to get the Gingery book, he covers the topic very
well and gives you several projects that you can make. (a lathe,shaper,mill
and drill press....).

Good luck

Barry

Barry Wolinetz
The Northern Trust
Chicago, Il