Subject: Re: Charcoal Foundry questions

From: [email-masked] (BrnzCaster)
Date: 28 Jul 1995 04:43:40 -0400

Let your castable setup overnight, then remove all internal forms.
When I cast a new furnace, I cast the floor first, let it setup firm, then
pour the upright wall.
Cover the whole furnace with plastic and let it cure a couple days before
the initial bakeout.
Predrill the steel shell for the furnace with several 1/16" holes for
venting.
Don't make the castable too wet ... it should "stand up".

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Winston W. Harness, Metalsmith
[email-masked]
[email-masked]
http://www.mmf.com/metal/home/wwh/

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From: [email-masked] (Brian Springstead)
Date: 26 Jul 1995 02:47:40 GMT

I've finally gathered all the "ingredients" to build the charcoal foundry.
Hopefully this weekend I'll have it finished.  Before I start I have a couple
of questions that maybe someone could answer.  I am using a comercial 
castable refractory instead of the homebrew mixture and there are no 
directions on the bag.  I know, I should have checked, but I too busy thinking
of all the really neat stuff I was going to make!

1. The split tube form for the tuyere.  Should this be removed after the
   castable refractory has setup?  Should it be left in, or does it matter?

2. The main form (wooden disks & sheet metal) when should this be removed?
   Do I let the castable cure over night and then try and remove it, or just
   enough time for the castable to cure solid?

3. Does it first have to be fired before I start using it?

Thanks in advance.  I'm really looking forward to casting some parts!

As an aside, while buying charcoal I thought it would be really funny to see
a commercial, say for Kingsford, that stared David Gingery.  Something like:

<camera pans showing external view of workshop>
<man stands in garage doorway pouring charcoal into a 5 gallon pail from
a "Kingsford" bag (Dave's charcoal foundry)>

<man looks at camera>  "Hi, I'm Dave Gingery, author of the build your own
working metal shop from scrap series.  When it comes to melting aluminum
with my charcoal furnace, I ONLY use Kingsford.  Nothing else will do..." 
You get the idea.. :)

Brian

--
Brian Springstead | Remember no man is a failure who has friends.
                  | Thanks for the wings!
 [email-masked]  |                          Clarence