General Categories > Non Gun Stuff
Aluminum melting
unfy:
Removed the bucket after 90min. Used a hand shovel to dig the sand out first heh.
The blue bucket did not survive the twisting action as seen in the video. Consider that a $3 consumable during the build.
Finish is indeed nice inside.
Decided to have my pipe approach the fire chamber at an angle so as to 'get a swirl'. Supposed to more evenly heat things etc.
Sadly, I don't think I got the angle of my hole steep enough. I tried re drilling it slightly, but I dunno if that was a good or bad thing.
It had been about 1:45 - 2 hours since it had set. The action of the hole saw meant that whatever was inside the saw re-liquified heh, but the hole is indeed keeping it's shape.
If I were to try this again, it would only cost another $6 or so. The steel pail - just use some tape or something to cover the hole. Have plenty of plaster left. Might just have to buy sand a new blue bucket. I should get dimensions on that bucket so that other forms can be built.... I'll edit this post in a bit to have measurements.
6-1/4" x 6" , tapering a bit towards the base. For reference: a coffee can is 6" x 6". You can't use a coffee can straight up, though - the ridges will make it impossible to remove without damaging the refactory.
unfy:
Been casting bullets while the furnace continues to cure all afternoon (dunno why casting bullets is so relaxing, but whatever). Second bar of shooter lead is melting into pot, so got a few min. oi, skeeters out in force. not gonna get into next bar
It still seems quite plaster-of-paris fragile. Still *feels* damp (or maybe just really smooth). No, I don't have any metal showing on the base of the lid :D.
Put the lid on just to get a pic. Drew a line around the base as well, just to see how much overlap there is between base and lid. I'm not real happy about the results, but whatever (for now).
Concerning coffee can stuff -- if you drill a hole in the coffee can where you want the air inlet to be... wait.... that won't work. Basically, I was aiming for:
* break out old refactory from pail
* install coffee can
* install pipe between the two holes
* re-fill plaster/sand refactory
* leave coffee can in there
Consider the coffee can a consumable and just something to help the inner lining of the refactory last longer. Cure time would be longer, but whatever.
The problem ? would need a way to seal off around both ends of the pipe so that plaster doesn't leak into the coffee can, nor does it leak out the inlet hole. Some kind of cardboard thing would prolly work. Could also then just let the coffee can side burn away during first firing... and ... who cares about the outside one ?
Skeeters are gettin pretty bad, dunno if I'll finish off this next bar of lead or not ._.
DenmanShooter:
Not really sure what purpose is for melting aluminum since you've already spent more than you'll ever get out of it I THINK.. but keep it up!! This is interesting.
Mali:
A this point I am interested in what works best and the effort to build the "best" one. This is a VERY interesting project he has going.
unfy:
--- Quote from: DenmanShooter on September 21, 2015, 07:51:52 PM ---Not really sure what purpose is for melting aluminum since you've already spent more than you'll ever get out of it I THINK.. but keep it up!! This is interesting.
--- End quote ---
10qt pail: $9.88 (i don't recall it being that expensive, and it's re-usable):
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Behrens-10-Qt-Galvanized-Pail-1210GS/100125409?keyword=10+quart+pail
Plaster of Paris 25lb: $10.98 (have lots of left over)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/DAP-25-lb-White-Plaster-of-Paris-Dry-Mix-10312/100123682
4" U bolts: $1.06 ea ($2.12 total, and re-usable)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/National-Hardware-146-1-4-in-x-1-3-8-in-x-4-in-Zinc-Plated-U-Bolt-with-Plate-and-Hex-Nut-2190BC-146-U-BOLT-ZN/204591316
2.5qt blue pail bucket (destroyed, might be better to coffee can anyway? dunno?): $2.35
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-2-1-2-Qt-Blue-Pail-with-Handle-0255030/204694319?MERCH=REC-_-PIPHorizontal1_rr-_-204078629-_-204694319-_-N
1" black iron pipe 12" nipple: $4.59 (reusable)
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/rough-plumbing/pipe-tubing-hoses-fittings-accessories/fittings/black-fittings/1-x-12-black-nipple/p-1389966-c-9501.htm?tid=-2734533308059917106
Play sand: $2.80 (i actually got mine at menards, about same price diff brand, didn't quite use all of it)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-50-lb-Play-Sand-111351/100318476
1" PVC coupling: $0.90 (i dunno if this is the exact item, but price is close... dunno if this will melt or not heh)
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/rough-plumbing/pipe-tubing-hoses-fittings-accessories/fittings/pvc-fittings/pvc-schedule-40-fittings/1-sch40-coupling/p-1752437-c-9384.htm?tid=1417075065774399578
1" PVC pipe, 5 feet: $2.00 (re-usable)
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/rough-plumbing/pipe-tubing-hoses-fittings-accessories/pipe/pvc-pipe/schedule-40-solid-core-plain-end-pipe-1x5/p-2204484-c-19656.htm?tid=8576585851811028382
I don't have a link to it, but the plastic flower pot tray that I used as a form for the lid was $1.00. If you used a bucket, it wouldn't be a consumable.
Then above: $36.62
Add a crucible (still working on that....).
3/16" weldable steel rod (crucible tongs): $2.39 (reusable)
https://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/household-hardware/stock-metal/weldable-steel-round-rod-cold-rolled-3-16-x-3-ft/p-1466260-c-9215.htm?tid=6450838868653760237
1/8" x 1" x 4 feet flat stock (dross removal tool): $6.99 (this can prolly be shorter or just not used, reusable)
https://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/household-hardware/stock-metal/weldable-steel-flat-1-8-x-1-1-4-x-4-ft/p-1466272-c-9215.htm?tid=-757372524152876331
Stainless steel spoon from walmart, about $2.00 (dross/slag).
Sooo... $11 or so in other tools ?
Oh, I did buy a hair dryer brand new from walmart for $9.99 or something. Thrift store hair dryer prolly work just fine (want to push cold air, btw).
$55ish so far (not including failed crucibles or the initial coffee cans). This includes a lot of stuff that is reusable.
I've also gone through 3/4 of a bag of charcoal - $6.
I'm not too sure about a hair dryer being taped to a pvc pipe in the middle of the air. The King of Random video uses a 2 foot section of PVC. I'm willing to bet a 6" section is enough (assuming it's out of the way). Although, at 2 feet - the hair dryer is prolly far enough way to not accidentally pull in any hot exhaust of the furnace.
I've got prolly 2.5 - 2.75 lb of aluminum "globs". I still have 85% or so of the garbage can to go through of crushed cans.
Assuming I get 15lbs of aluminum, I'll prolly break even or possibly be in the hole a bit. At 20lbs I'm prolly ahead of the game.
Not to mention all the learning going on heh.
I have plans in the future of doing cast metal parts for stuff. Lacking milling and lathes and stuff, prolly nothing anything too fancy - but, there are some things I wanna do that kinda want metal parts.
--- Quote from: Mali on September 22, 2015, 09:21:47 AM ---A this point I am interested in what works best and the effort to build the "best" one. This is a VERY interesting project he has going.
--- End quote ---
"working best" ? that's all about a balance of cost prolly.
Did two empty coffee cans with some strategically placed holes, a bean can, a hair dryer, and some charcoal melt cans ? Yup. Was it terribly useful ? Nope.
A hard firebrick inner chamber will withstand a lot of abuse. Use of propane instead of charcoal will produce a cleaner molten pot and possibly be easier. Maybe cheaper to use as well, I dunno. Use of a better refactory (see also: perlite + high temperature bonding agent) prolly also far better than just plaster + sand... but perlite + bonding agent can't really withstand a lot of abrasion abuse. Electric has longer warm up times, but less fumes and a cleaner melt. Prolly also cheapest to operate (but hardest to build).
If I can get a dozen melts out of the plaster bucket, then yay. If adding the coffee can as part of the inner lining increases number of melts and possibly makes the build easier, yay.
Today I'm gonna grab one of the failed crucibles. Throw a few pieces of charcoal in the crucible. Light it and put it into the furnace, and see if the heat helps to slowly cure things a bit more / etc. I have no idea if it's fully cured or not, prolly is. But a slow heating should be helpful, I would think.
I did grab some metal stuff from a few places to throw at a coworker with a welder to see if he can make me a crucible. Sadly, I think it's only 16ga metal... but... it was cheap. 16ga appears to match the propane bottles, btw.
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