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projects:casting_furnace

Casting Furnace

What is a casting furnace?

It's a container and heat source used to melt metal until it becomes a liquid and can be poured into a mold.

Completed Stuff

  • Casting furnace (currently uses a #16 crucible, but can probably handle up to a #24)

  • Burner assembly for Propane - 12vDC motor, 2“pipe fittings

  • Rolling cart and wheels

  • #16 crucible
  • #16 crucible tongs (top grabbing)
  • #16 single-man shenk
  • Waste Oil/Diesel fuel system
  • Ingot molds (for left over aluminum for recasting)
  • Lid lifting mechanism/jack

Stuff to build

  • Furnace lid lifting armature (50% complete)
  • Sand casting area (sandbox on wheels) dimensions TBD
  • Scree rake

Other

  • Ideas comments, suggestions always appreciated
  • Cutting the top 3” off of the 20galDrum for a lid using a plasma cutter

  • Furnace shell, lid frame and #16 silicon carbide crucible

  • Burner tube before casting the refractory material - I used Uniram 85ESS as the refractory - avail. from Carpernter Bros in MKE

  • furnace housing and lid with refractory

  • furnace refractory burn-in

Milestones

  • 04/04/12 - Successful test of burner and blower fan (Picture 1,2)
  • 04/12/12 - Construction of wheels for cart (Picture 1,2)
  • 04/19/12 - Casting refractory material and furnace construction (Picture 1,2)
  • 04/21/12 - Baking refractory and burning out cardboard tube form (Picture 1,2)
  • 04/29/12 - Gas nozzle rig complete (Picture 1, 2,3)
  • 06/29/12 - Lid lifting mechanism constructed and tested
  • 07/10/12 - Lid lifting mechanism welded to rig
  • 09/01/12 - Furnace complete
  • 11/08/12 - First aluminum casting pour
  • 11/15/12 - Second casting pour
  • 11/29/12 - Third casting pour

Materials List (If you want to make your own)

Project Members

projects/casting_furnace.txt · Last modified: 2012/12/03 13:40 by branth