Metal Casting Zone

I want to pig some scrap, that is melting odd pieces into clean ingots. I do not yet have a decent furnace or crucible. I have sucessfully melted (1 time)aluminum with a coffee can, charcoal, hair dryer and a bean can. The bean can however, blew out, dropping most of my melt into the bottom of the coffee can. How do I melt with a bean can and avoid blowout? I just want to pour some ingots or a 2-3" dia bar in an open bucket mold.
As this was my first ever melt, I experimented with speed of the hair dryer. On high it produces a real hot roaring fire, on low, a more sedate fire but maintained melting temp.
Guess what I'm asking is do I melt on high, as quick as possible, or start on high and back off poring as soon as I get enough melt, what combo am I looking for?

A bean can?? These won't take the heat. Try using a cast iron skillet or buy a crucible.

yes, a thin wall bean can will melt, even a steel one will melt. Something thicker in steel would be better.

all types of crucibles can be fabricated...

a piece of steel pipe does very nicely.

i think you will need to use something
thicker than a can.

i have just taken a piece of tube and welded a plate to the bottom.

this type of crucible can take reheating and will be safer for your pour.

good luck,

irontwig

I'm just looking to do a quick melt. Don't have a proper crucible yet. I have seen people use cans on other websites.
How about stainless steel, like a cup or cream picture? I think I still have a cast iron pot about 4" in dia. that I used for melting lead for sinkers and muzzle loader bullets years ago.
I'm looking for materials locally to make a crucible from, will check the welding and well driller shops.
Found a link to a $6.00 crucible on the crucibles thread, but shipping would probably be a killer right now.
If a bean can can last one melt, and I can find 12 bean cans, I'm good, know what I mean? I had actually melted some soda cans and pop tops in my attempt, but feel my inexperience with speed of the blower and timing led to the burnout of the can.
Just itching to melt. Extreame low budget. Yada, yada ... I like to new find ways to do things and new things to do!
It's all your falt, gave me this melting bug and... Got ta have fire, heat, melt (insert Tool man Tim grunt here, can't spell it!)...

Hey Irontwig.
How thick are the walls on that thing? It looks a lot like what I'm building so I'm curious on how it performs.

Mine is 4mm (about 0,16&quot thick with a 100mm diameter (about 3.94&quot
I made two for aluminium only, in case I screw one up.

ever try useing a cap of an oxygen tank?

exciting to try new ways for a melt

chucketn wrote:

I'm looking for materials locally to make a crucible from, will check the welding and well driller shops.


You also might want to check any local scrap yards. There's one near me that has all kinds of metals. Might be an excellent source.

i started my foundry project by building a furnace.

this required me to have some idea of dimensions of the crucible.

i selected a #16 crucible as my standard.

(this seemed to be a good amount of metal)

with little budget i built this crucible as a test,

but we have now melted over 20 times using it.

(not really a test anymore)

it is fabricated from a 5" dia. pipe.

the walls are 3/8" and so is the bottom.

the overall height is 10"

i made the spout out of a piece of angle,

and the lifting and pouring ears are bar stock.

it is kinda fancy...

i have seen very rough crucibles that work fine.

don't let this stop you.

gas cylinders are nice but hard to come by...

(i only like to work with old oxy cylinders, if you can find them)

i would look around for a pipe scrap.

good luck,

irontwig