Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] [OT] melting aluminium

I've built a ron reil style burner. Pretty cool little thing. It took a
trip to home depot and a really small drill (probably not hard to come
by in this group). We already had a regulator kicking around as a
person in the shop is really into fire art. They have melted aluminum
with it in our forge, but we lack a crucible so we haven't done any
pouring yet. Its propane fired and I got the stainless flare that he
mentions in those directions.
--chris


--- Alan Marconett KM6VV <KM6VV@...> wrote:

> Hi Chris,
>
> I might qualify, I have a simple 6" round base that I cast for an old
> steam engine, while in H.S.! ;>)
>
> Seriously, I have been eyeing the propane (natural gas?) fired
> furnaces
> for a while, and found these URL's to be interesting:
>
> http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/hfa/Jerryt/BYOfurn.htm
>
> http://www.webpak.net/~rreil/design.html
>
> http://www.webpak.net/~rreil/buildforge.html
>
> I don't have ANYTHING yet, unless you count the natural gas piped
> into
> the back yard for a sauna/(forge?). I'd LIKE to be able to do
> ALUMINUM
> and BRASS.
>
> I watched aluminum casting of some steam engine parts at last year's
> P.R.I.M.E. I was impressed with how the exhibit filled the "yard"
> (behind exhibit hall) with casting materials. My wife took one look
> at
> it, and said words to the effect: "Not in my landscaped backyard!".
>
> I would not EVEN attempt to "fire" one up on ELECTRICITY in
> California!
> :>(
>
> Alan KM6VV
>
>
> Chris Stratton wrote:
> >
> > <SNIP>
> >
> > I recommend anyone interested in this do a deja search on the
> recent
> > thread on rec.crafts.metalworking on this subject. The major
> > highlights were that although it does not require much energy per
> Kg
> > to melt aluminum (or even cast iron) it does take quite a bit to
> > overcome the radiation losses (although less at Al temps than CI).
> > And small melts have much more surface area that must be insulated
> > against radiaton per unit volume than large ones, so hobby size
> > induction furnaces are far less efficient.
> >
> > If one wants to melt aluminum to make usefull things in limited
> > quantity, a couple 100 lb propane tanks are probably the way to
> go...
> >
> > Has anyone here actually used home cast aluminum parts on a
> machine,
> > say for motor mounts or something?
> >
> > Chris
>
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