casting question

[dieselboy]

Hi
 I am making a mini landrover (series 3) for my 5 year old (or is that 5 year young) son
 I have a rolling 2 wheel drive chassis from a 1970's batricar that I want to convert to 4 wheel drive
by modifying the front steering hubs.(see pic)
At the moment there are stub axles running in bearings but i want to make a couple of castings for the bearings to run in
but with small cv joints instead of the stub axle assembly also with some kind of swivel to the top and bottom of the castings
for steering
Ive read some books on the basics of casting and think it would be a brilliant thing to be able to do in the future
but at the moment I only need 2 casting to be done so it probably not worth the expense,
I live in Potters bar south herts
is there anyone on here thats near to Potters bar who does casting who could possibly do some casting for me ( in exchange of some beer tokens )
also that I can learn from and get advice from (regarding setting up my own casting furnace)
Many thanks
Malcs

[Gadget]

Hi Malcs,
I'm a bit too far to offer to make your castings but have been casting aluminum for years. I will be happy to assist you with your learning process if you need help.
Dan

[dieselboy]

Hi Malcs,
I'm a bit too far to offer to make your castings but have been casting aluminum for years. I will be happy to assist you with your learning process if you need help.
Dan

thank you for your offer
it is mainly aluminium / alloys im thinking of using in the front steering assemblys as it shouldnt
be under too much stress as the finished car wont go faster than 4mph
you are a bit far away but i would like to ask a few questions
how easy is it to get a propane burner to reach high enough temperatures to melt aluminium alloys
is your furnace home made, if so it it easy to build
does the furnace make a lot of noise (my neighbours have a baby!!)

many thanks
malcs

[techno ludite]

Hi Malcs

Take a look at myfordboys channel on utube http://www.youtube.com/user/myfordboy and backyard metal casting.com http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/, imo myfordboy' videos are well done and he has put a lot of thought into what he wants to convey to the viewer ( if you get what I'm trying to say ).

Good luck and stay safe if you go ahead with home casting.

TL

[Rob.Wilson]

Hi Malcs

Sadly i am also to far way to be of any help   


It is fairly easy to melt ally with a propane touch if large enough   


Rob   

[kwackers]

It is fairly easy to melt ally with a propane touch if large enough   

Indeed it is...

My first attempt at casting involved melting some lead to make window weights. I'd just acquired a Sievert torch and decided the biggest head should be about right. I put all my lead into an old aluminium saucepan, sat it on an old metal chair and pulled the trigger - admired the "WOOSH - ROAR" and huge flame that it spat out. I was extremely gratified when moments later the lead just dropped into the saucepan, but less so a second or two after when the pan followed it.

If anyone has a use for a block of leadaminium alloy just let me know..

[bigmini]

It is fairly easy to melt ally with a propane touch if large enough   

Indeed it is...

My first attempt at casting involved melting some lead to make window weights. I'd just acquired a Sievert torch and decided the biggest head should be about right. I put all my lead into an old aluminium saucepan, sat it on an old metal chair and pulled the trigger - admired the "WOOSH - ROAR" and huge flame that it spat out. I was extremely gratified when moments later the lead just dropped into the saucepan, but less so a second or two after when the pan followed it.

If anyone has a use for a block of leadaminium alloy just let me know..

You could make soft hammers with it. In my workshop days we had a steel mold that we would stick a round bar bar of stainless steel into, and fill the mold with molten lead to make soft hammers. I added some aluminium to mine. They lasted longer, were better balanced for hitting things and still soft enough to do the job.

[BiggerHammer]

leadaminium alloy     

Hey! I know where there is a nice batch of stainlesssilverbrazingrodbronze alloy is at now that you mention it. When brazing liquid argon lines goes BAD!

[Gadget]

Hi Malcs,
I'm a bit too far to offer to make your castings but have been casting aluminum for years. I will be happy to assist you with your learning process if you need help.
Dan

thank you for your offer
it is mainly aluminium / alloys im thinking of using in the front steering assemblys as it shouldnt
be under too much stress as the finished car wont go faster than 4mph
you are a bit far away but i would like to ask a few questions
how easy is it to get a propane burner to reach high enough temperatures to melt aluminium alloys
is your furnace home made, if so it it easy to build
does the furnace make a lot of noise (my neighbours have a baby!!)

many thanks
malcs

Hi again Malcs,
Propane burners will easily melt aluminum. I use waste motor oil myself but it requires a blower which can be noisy. The naturally aspirated propane blowers are reasonably quiet so you probably could melt without waking the neighbors baby. Here's a link to a great casting site that should have enough information to get you going.  http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/  Everything from burner and furnace design to making flasks for pouring.
Dan

[Swarfing]

Where are you located? I have a furnace here at mine

[dieselboy]

Where are you located? I have a furnace here at mine

 I am in potters bar herts (just north of the road to hell the m25)

[dieselboy]

Thank-you everyone for putting up suggestrions of websites and links to youtube
i will be looking at them later 

[Swarfing]

Thats a bit far from me in Swindon sorry but the adventure of making your own would be worth it for you.

[andyf]

Hi Malcs,
Here's yet another link showing how to make a furnace from Portland cement, cat litter and Perlite. It does work; I took the photos on the lost foam casting page.

http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/foundry.html

Andy

[SemiSkilled]

This is a long thread on a car VW site, I think this blokes in Ireland top stuff,

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4662626-The-complete-guide-on-casting-parts


Lee

[Swarfing]

Avoid cat liter as it is mixed with other stuff that can not be guaranteed and very difficult to grind. Bentonite cay is classed as deep dug clay which in general is the Grey clay you see. As long as it is not dyed which it will say will do the job nicely. Ideally it needs to be the powdered variety so that is can be mixed thoroughly. Perlite you can get from a garden centre and the sand needs to be silica sand. you can find this at the builders merchant as the type used for brushing in between paving blocks. Or the other source is child's play sand. It is very fine and clean as it is normally washed and dried. Hope this helps

[dieselboy]

Hi Malcs,
Here's yet another link showing how to make a furnace from Portland cement, cat litter and Perlite. It does work; I took the photos on the lost foam casting page.

http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/foundry.html

Andy

thank you for  suggestions
I now have a copy of
'' foundrywork for the amateur'' which is making good reading at the moment,
I have also read about adding perlite to cement to make a heat resistant barrier in a metal drum / cylinder and noticed our
local ''wilkinsons'' do perlite for adding to flower pots (etc) at quite a cheap price.
Is it possible to make a furnace out of an old propane cylinder (47kg size) as i noticed one dumped in a ditch by the roadside a few days ago while cycling home from work
im not sure about the cat litter though!!

[Swarfing]

That would be perfect to make one from

[SemiSkilled]

That 47 Kg cylinder would be fine, how are you going to get it home on the bike though?

this thread start of with making the furnace step by step.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4662626-The-complete-guide-on-casting-parts

Lee

[dieselboy]

That 47 Kg cylinder would be fine, how are you going to get it home on the bike though?

this thread start of with making the furnace step by step.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4662626-The-complete-guide-on-casting-parts

Lee

oh, no, ,, i spotted it in a ditch on my bike, but if i do try to get it i will use my series 3 land rover
to take it home (just got to fix the brakes first)