RCLuvit
12-01-2002, 10:37 PM
A buddy and I started messing around with melting down aluminium from old large transistor heat sinks to pour and cast buggie/truck parts. We just used a plastic a-arm off of my MP to see how it will turn out. I'm trying to get my hands on some casting sand, but right now I'm going to use sifted concrete to make a rough mold, to see how it works out. We used some of Ohio's wonderful clay dirt that we have here to mess around with at first, but we didn't let it dry out, even though we used a propane torch on it to help dry the surface, it still had too much moisture and caused a bubble to form, but it didn't turn out too bad for just messin' around. We used an old coffee can and cut it so it was only 2 inches deep and placed it on a Coleman gasoline stove and used a torch to help get the aluminium melted. My father in law has a forge stove and a melting pot that I may try if I get into this a bit.
ICHABOD HATE
12-06-2002, 07:07 PM
the best temp to use for alum sand casting is between
1650 deg/f to 1750 deg/f
thats what i've found by expireance.
albany green is the type of sand I use
It is clay based.
the right amount of moisture is important for the
mold to hold together.
too much moisture and the alum will pop
(splatter hot molten metal everywere)
It is also important to clean the metal.
use a kast iron skimmer to take the slag (junk metal deposits)
off the top.
ALLWAYS PRE HEAT any metal you add to the crucible
( melting pot )
weither its more alum or using the skimmer
it
all has to be pre heated to prevent an explosion.
I do this type of work and it's vary dangerous.
I've seen some bad accidents where people have been blinded
or badley burned.
Id concider changing your melting method.
there is a lot of finish work to do after you cast,
grinding & fileing patching (patching is a last resort)
I dont want to preach I just want you guys to be careful
this hobby isn;t as fun if you cart see the car.
Later