Backyard Foundry – oil burning furnace – moulding and casting a spider

[LukerParticipant @luker]

Thanks Graham. Brass isn't one of my favourite metals to cast and I only need it for the ornamental fittings for my builds (which were quite numerous for the old loco's). I sometime battle with scrap here which is why I’ve had to develop certain replacement alloys and methods of refining fines etc. When I built the American loco I had very little bearing bronzes and ended up making most of the components from cast iron including the eccentrics and straps. It actually worked quite well in the end.

[Roger QuaintanceParticipant @rogerquaintance14196]

Posted by Luker on 25/02/2022 14:27:57:

Thanks Graham. Brass isn't one of my favourite metals to cast and I only need it for the ornamental fittings for my builds (which were quite numerous for the old loco's). I sometime battle with scrap here which is why I’ve had to develop certain replacement alloys and methods of refining fines etc. When I built the American loco I had very little bearing bronzes and ended up making most of the components from cast iron including the eccentrics and straps. It actually worked quite well in the end.

a thought comes to me, why not try mixing your own bronze, copper brass and some zinc, or maybe some Aluminium for ali-bronze it would solve the problem would it not, worth a try.

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

Hi Luiker the local jobbing foundry where I go to [not many of those left now] don't like brass either also ,they use co2 sand & many years ago I asked for some greensand [mansfield red] & they said "go round the back" & dig as much as you like,needless to say I dug a few cwt up along with grass & weeds I riddled it & still use it, occasionally adding a handfull of "fullbond 100" bentonite to keep the bond,. Roger when I first started I thought I would make some home made Aluminium Bronze 90/10 mix needless to say I got the mix wrong with too much alloy & it turned out absolutely rock hard in lumps,, never bothered again, bronze would be easy enough to make but not with zinc in it, fortunately over the years folk get to know you & I've built up stocks of brass/bronze & alloys for odd jobs I've done for people so I'm ok for "pot fodder"

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

Posted by Luker on 24/02/2022 18:21:07:

Hi Noel, thanks but technically I'm not a tradesman, just a guy who plays engineering in his back yard . Those were fines so they do get cast at a slightly higher temperature. I have found the loss of Zink is negligible for all the castings I've tested so I don’t worry too much about it. I've set my furnace up in such a way that the exhaust acts as an extractor for the immediate area which clears up very quickly.

I’ll give your ingate maker a bash, thanks for the tip!

Unfortunately buying from the scrap industry is very difficult with all our legislation. Lucky my boxes were made some time back. I do like your idea for a box though…

I have experimented with home-made insulating risers and even hot capping (that can be a little dangerous if you get the calcs wrong), but to be honest I don’t bother. Most of my casting issues can be solved with proper risering or mould orientation. BTW here’re some pictures of the one piece in the video. It’s been machined and gone over with a little emery, just needs to be polished…

Beautifull,brass castings not a blow hole in sight.

[LukerParticipant @luker]

Posted by Roger Quaintance on 25/02/2022 18:10:23:

Posted by Luker on 25/02/2022 14:27:57:

Thanks Graham. Brass isn't one of my favourite metals to cast and I only need it for the ornamental fittings for my builds (which were quite numerous for the old loco's). I sometime battle with scrap here which is why I’ve had to develop certain replacement alloys and methods of refining fines etc. When I built the American loco I had very little bearing bronzes and ended up making most of the components from cast iron including the eccentrics and straps. It actually worked quite well in the end.

a thought comes to me, why not try mixing your own bronze, copper brass and some zinc, or maybe some Aluminium for ali-bronze it would solve the problem would it not, worth a try.

I do mix many of my own alloys, or even shift the composition of alloys to what I'm looking for. Mixing base metals can be tricky and unfortunately most of the information isn’t easily available or common knowledge. A good example is the copper alloys. Copper oxide has a melting temperature relatively close to metal copper meaning it goes into solution, instead of the slag, which comes out as porosity in the mould. Graham mentioned ALBr which I have mixed quite extensively the last couple of years as a replacement to the tin bearing alloys (the composition varies depending on the properties I’m looking for). I mix my own free machining version but you can’t just add lead, because this causes hot tears, you need to add silicone. Cast iron properties can be shifted around from a ductile version to a harder wear version for wheels etc. this is easy when mixing from pig-iron.

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Hi Luke, since you do not feel that the term Tradesman is correct, then may be a metallurgical scientist is better ? I for one would like to thank you for sharing freely your knowledge of the vast field that is foundry work, I hope I can speak for others on this point !

Making ones own alloys in small quantities is seldom going to be worthwhile in europe or the US since A) there is a good chance of failure and B) the right material or alloy will be comercially available though neither has a bearing on the third option – you want to do it for fun or out of nesscessity ! It is true that my opinion is biased as I work in an area where bronze, alli, lead, copper and brass are all freely available

IF any body knows of any Manfield red sand as used in brass founding, even that covered in weeds please let me know, 100Kg would be good 1 tonne would be even better, I will pay and I will travel to collect ! Noel.

[LukerParticipant @luker]

How the other casting came out….

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

Posted by Luker on 07/03/2022 13:16:44:

How the other casting came out….

Great casting, Luker, nothing like polished brass, & that's a really nice finished casting, not had chance to make your burner yet, had to cast a couple of brass yorkshire roses for some mahogany mirror units Ive made for the wife tuned out good ,polished brass stands out well on the mahogany pediments, like the drill polisher,I have a similar set up with a horizontal spindle with a 1'2" chuck driven underneath by a 1/4 hp motor I use it for polishing all sorts from safety valves to bevelling & polishing barometer glasses,I rarely waste the lathe on polishing,Good luck finding your mansfield red Noel I got mine a lot of years ago from friends at a local foundry I found your video interesting ,looks good fun, The beauty of coke fired furnace is it's very quiet.

Graham

[LukerParticipant @luker]

Thanks Graham. Yep I keep sanding and polishing outside my workshop! Roses in wood sounds interesting, please could you post some pictures. I'm always looking for gift ideas for my better half!

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Good morning Gentlemen, a beautiful sunny day here in Norfolk. On the subject of polishing castings an easy way to make a polisher is to find an electric water pump, Say 1/2 to 1.5 Hp normally they will be 2pole 2850RPM single phase. Often scrapped as the pump or seals have failed or simply as the system is being upgraded. Dismantle the pump and disguard BUT keep the impellor.. IF flange mounted then mount on a heavy piece of angle iron or such or strap to a C shaped cradle that can be bolted down. Some alli cased motors have small cutouts that hold a nut enabling a foot to be bolted on. Buy a pigtail, the pointy bit with a screw thread, but make sure you get the right hand so the polishing mop screws ON not OFF !!! Take the pump shaft and measure it and check the thread, now drill or bore in the lathe, may be 1" deep then tap to suit thread.. Screw on pump shaft and check for truth. with the reads running the right way there is no need to grub screw or loctite. DO NOT reverse the direction of rotation as this will allow the pig tail to unscrew OR you will need to secure !!!!

As always the Lord smiles on the righteous, one day awhile back I found 3 dumped, from a swimming pool, one even had a new 20m 2.5mm extension on it., all were 2Hp It did matter as I already had made one years ago but good stock ! If dumped because it was noisy it will have an easy to get bearing set so worth fixing..

The polishing Shop are very helpful for pigtails I would go for about 1" (25mm) dia and 3 wheel types in 6" x1", sizal, stiched cotton, and loose leaf. Each used with it's own grade of soap, coarse for as cast, medium for a good lustre, and fine for a super finish. Axminster also supply all you will need. ( I have NO connection with either firm )

Polishing is a VERY DIRTY job and can be dangerous !!! Sharp edges should ALWAYS face away from the wheel. On finely detailed work it may be a compromise as the buffing soap is very agresive and will destroy detail. DO NOT dwell on a single point, keep the work on the move and avoid allowing the wheel to funnel into a corner or it will cut grooves.

Have Fun. Noel

Edited By noel shelley on 08/03/2022 10:45:58

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

Hi Luker, sorry about the delay re "yorkshire rose" these are traditional yorkshire roses not with lots of separate petals [& they have to be displayed the right way up!!] & a few other snapshots of castings I've done.in the past.

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

No1 Invicta we borrowed the castings from an aveling that was getting repaired,one of the 1st castings I did many years ago,No2 me pouring[never mind the junk behind!! hehe No3 2/1 scale traditional fingerpost signs we used to have round here alas all gone now, this miniature is ,in my front garden between Worsall & Yarm Rosecroft is our cottage, no 4 is the 2 part pattern with core print for the North Yorkshire c c top of the post, all letters cut out on the Hegner,No5 is one of the roses with 2 different pouring sprues,one with a pouring baisin,, one without, not much difference to be honest, No6 straight out of the flasks with a brass firebar off a 2" traction engine [for a friends ornament ] wouldn't last 5 mins in his firebox!!,lastly the 2 roses mounted on the pediments.

  Oops !! go to part 3 for pictures of  what this is all about!!

Edited By the artfull-codger on 29/03/2022 19:51:16

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Very Good, clear definition, You beat me to it with the comment about the fire bar not lasting long. Many years ago I did an invicta horse ! Good luck, Noel

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

Posted by noel shelley on 29/03/2022 20:20:53:

Very Good, clear definition, You beat me to it with the comment about the fire bar not lasting long. Many years ago I did an invicta horse ! Good luck, Noel

Thank you for your kind comments Noel,[praise indeed from yourself ]I've seen & follow you in action on F B & good it is too, when I make nameplates with any fine letters/details I usually sieve a layer of petrobond on as it's stronger & finer [& expensive now] then the rest is mansfield red [well it's black now with use!!.

Regards Graham.

Edited By the artfull-codger on 30/03/2022 10:26:01

Edited By the artfull-codger on 30/03/2022 10:26:53

[LukerParticipant @luker]

Posted by the artfull-codger on 29/03/2022 19:22:32:

Hi Luker, sorry about the delay re "yorkshire rose" these are traditional yorkshire roses not with lots of separate petals [& they have to be displayed the right way up!!] & a few other snapshots of castings I've done.in the past.

These are astonishingly beautiful! That rose would work really well in a nice jewellery box for my misses…

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

Hi Luker these hall mirrors were for the wife,to give as presents to family,members,I'm always on the lookout for ready made "patterns" to use for castings these were made from a resin ornament, if I'm loaned anything I make a copy in petrobond with type metal which was used in the newspaper industry as it does not shrink when it cools,I also use roses metal which actally expands when it cools, we used it in the glass trade for setting armourplate glass doors into channel rails we chiseld it out & replaced it with modern rubber pressed in with a hydraulic press, needless to say I salvaged all the scrap, it melts at the boiling point of water, thank you for your kind words.

Graham.

[LukerParticipant @luker]

For the fellow foundry-men…

[LukerParticipant @luker]

Posted by the artfull-codger on 30/03/2022 22:27:52:

Hi Luker these hall mirrors were for the wife,to give as presents to family,members,I'm always on the lookout for ready made "patterns" to use for castings these were made from a resin ornament, if I'm loaned anything I make a copy in petrobond with type metal which was used in the newspaper industry as it does not shrink when it cools,I also use roses metal which actally expands when it cools, we used it in the glass trade for setting armourplate glass doors into channel rails we chiseld it out & replaced it with modern rubber pressed in with a hydraulic press, needless to say I salvaged all the scrap, it melts at the boiling point of water, thank you for your kind words.

Graham.

I really am spoilt with the 3D printer, if I need a pattern I just draw it up and print it overnight. Next day I can normally cast the component. Not like my first loco where all the patterns were from wood. That alone took a few months!

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