The Bucket Foundry

[Frits Overmars]

Looks like Flettner's engrossed in something somewhere else

I guess I am to blame for that...

[Flettner]

Looks like Flettner's engrossed in something somewhere else, in fact you can bet he is! Not so good is the fact that he is really the only one here who is into foundry work big time, more or less keeping this thread alive - all very sad, but I guess that's just how it is.

There are one or two others who are actively into foundry stuff, doing quite a bit of sterling work and looking in occasionally, then of course there are a couple of dabblers (like me) who occasionally have a go, but still need their hands held! - and that's about it I guess.
Looks like even Yow Ling (who started the thread) has abandoned it! but I'm sure he is pretty well engrossed in"Bucketeering" at the moment.

I have done sweet FA just lately except fill my workshop with wood shavings from experimental patternmaking and trying to bring some of my machinery (workshop) back to useable condition again.

All goes to show that foundry work and casting is really just a passing interest for the great majority, and unless is a viable a commercial enterprise as well, very few people, even though they might be interested, would consider it as a hobby.
It is quite difficult to set up of course and unless you're passionate about it, not worth the hassle - just isn't cool because it can't be bought as a kit in a package with a fancy wrapper I guess!

People who make jewellery/precious metal etc. and people who build model engines, trains and the like. seem to be the only hobbies really into foundry stuff nowadays.

Anyway, here's hoping!

Yes, sorry, I've been a little tied up as it were. I have though been giving the little cylinder some serious redesign though, just a few little changes to make it more adjustable when I'm wanting to try different setups on the same casting. I'm sure I think I know what I want

[WilDun]

Yes, sorry, I've been a little tied up as it were. I have though been giving the little cylinder some serious redesign though, just a few little changes to make it more adjustable when I'm wanting to try different setups on the same casting. I'm sure I think I know what I want

Ok Guys, thanks for the replies, - just thought it might be another case of the "Marie Celeste" - came aboard and no one home! - feel better already!

[Flettner]

Well it all ended up out in the paddock!! I didn't wait long enough to for the mould release to set, so the jolly thing stuck together, bugger. But as it happens I've changed my mind on how the seconary transfers work anyway so I'll start again with this new system.

[WilDun]

Well it all ended up out in the paddock!! I didn't wait long enough to for the mould release to set,

That's too bad, at least you've got a paddock for it, I have nowhere but the wife's flower bed! - she is nagging me to get things tidied up around the house ...OR ELSE! .........they just don't understand, do they!
My son who lives overseas has a little Bach with a big garage down the coast and I've been toying with the idea of moving my operations down there - nobody to bother me there, peace to do as I please!

Hope your stuff works out and also that you get to grips with the Ryger.

[Flettner]

We can rebuild it, I decided to have the afternoon off to finish the core plug. Now after some more painting and sanding I will build the core box up from this core shape.

[Yow Ling]

Its been a while since I posted anything here. My foundry got stuck on a few basic problems, the first was I couldnt cut up the aluminium ingot into peices that would fit in my crucible. I solved this last week when I bought an old power hacksaw, to give you an idea of scale the blade is 350mm long



The other and much bigger difficulty is in the patternmaking department, if you cant do woodwork you are kinda screwed, plus Im not keen on sawdust for healthy reasons. I looked at different ways of doing things and watched a Chinese video on making polystyrene patterns, they dipped them in a slurry then vibrated them into a fluidised bed of sand which packed in pretty well , the slurry wall stopped the sand collapsing into the cavity when the metal was poured. They made pretty nicelooking castings.

My plan is to make a polystyrene part using hot wire cutters and encase the poly part in CO2 sand so I wont need the slurry .

I built a wire cutter and had a test cut tonight, The wire is just stainless lockwire and hooked up to a 26v transformer with a variac , 11 volts will make the wire red hot. for the test I just took a head gasket and traced around the edges with the wire. The part I made is a bit of a pigs ear but i think it will work out ok in real life

[Flettner]

Its been a while since I posted anything here. My foundry got stuck on a few basic problems, the first was I couldnt cut up the aluminium ingot into peices that would fit in my crucible. I solved this last week when I bought an old power hacksaw, to give you an idea of scale the blade is 350mm long



The other and much bigger difficulty is in the patternmaking department, if you cant do woodwork you are kinda screwed, plus Im not keen on sawdust for healthy reasons. I looked at different ways of doing things and watched a Chinese video on making polystyrene patterns, they dipped them in a slurry then vibrated them into a fluidised bed of sand which packed in pretty well , the slurry wall stopped the sand collapsing into the cavity when the metal was poured. They made pretty nicelooking castings.

My plan is to make a polystyrene part using hot wire cutters and encase the poly part in CO2 sand so I wont need the slurry .

I built a wire cutter and had a test cut tonight, The wire is just stainless lockwire and hooked up to a 26v transformer with a variac , 11 volts will make the wire red hot. for the test I just took a head gasket and traced around the edges with the wire. The part I made is a bit of a pigs ear but i think it will work out ok in real life

That hacksaw is an oldie.
The Bandsaw I use in my workshop was made in Christchurch (1950 somthing) back in the day when we used to make stuff.

[Yow Ling]

That hacksaw is an oldie.
The Bandsaw I use in my workshop was made in Christchurch (1950 somthing) back in the day when we used to make stuff.

Old and killer heavy, could only move it a few feet at a time between breaks, getting it out of my trailer was a real act, had to use a jack to get it over the doorstep

[Kickaha]

Old and killer heavy, could only move it a few feet at a time between breaks, getting it out of my trailer was a real act, had to use a jack to get it over the doorstep

You have to do shit the hard way, give me a call next time

[ken seeber]

Its been a while since I posted anything here. My foundry got stuck on a few basic problems, the first was I couldnt cut up the aluminium ingot into peices that would fit in my crucible. I solved this last week when I bought an old power hacksaw, to give you an idea of scale the blade is 350mm long

What you can also do is to use a 9 inch angle grinder with a masonry disc, cuts alum easy. You could either cut it all the way thru, or cut down 10 mm or so on one side only to create a stress raiser and with a sledge hammer give it a smack, cut side down


I reckon the styrene fumes will be worse than the sawdust, so definitely cast outside with the wind blowing towards your least most popular neighbour. You know, the one who reckons you have issues.

[husaberg]

We can rebuild it, I decided to have the afternoon off to finish the core plug. Now after some more painting and sanding I will build the core box up from this core shape.

I have came up with a name Neil
With a bit of luck it might just fly

[ken seeber]

We can rebuild it, I decided to have the afternoon off to finish the core plug. Now after some more painting and sanding I will build the core box up from this core shape.

Mumma mumma mate, you're the man ! Can't wait.

[WilDun]

Yow Ling,
I'm glad to see you're still with us and still interested - to be honest I don't think you'll regret getting that monster of a hacksaw and it'll be useful till you are too old to use it! (and beyond).

Flettner, I wasn't going to say anything until I've got my head around that 'thing' and to be honest I'm still a bit in the dark, so I'll wait a while longer and see how things pan out!
In the meantime I'll just go along with Husa - you know, the "elephants can fly" theory!

[Flettner]

I thinks it looks more like Zurg, space ranger Buzz Lightyears nemissis. If you you have grand kids you will know who I'm talking about
Anyway, the start of the core box and no I don't know what it will look like yet it will just evolve.
For those unsure as to how it works, there is a peice missing, oh, just the cylinder itself. Can't show that bit off just yet.