Metal Casting Zone

Slightly on the dry side. Kind of like greensand consistency. If it's too wet, it'll take forever to dry. I let this one sit for a week, and it was still damp. I accelerated the rest of the drying process by putting it in the kitchen oven and slowly ramping up the temp over a couple hour period. i also think that if it is too wet you will have a hard time getting it out of the mold and handling it. I didn't use any mold release when I rammed this one up, and it popped out pretty easily and wasn't all that fragile to handle.

this all very interesting. yes its $85 au and they are made in the usa!then i have to pay $30 shipping as they are located in south australia where im 2000 plus miles north!im still to go into the pottery shed near our steam shed been going past for ages and never stopped to go in. i know they have a wood fired kiln out the back of their shed and hold pottery classes there. they may be able to help me out.i havent had any luck around the "sheds" first the foundry (im not welcome there) next the blacksmith wont sell me any coke even tho they have heaps and the blacksmith has a cupola furnace and does cast iron casting. i might get lucky with the pottery shed who knows.??i do better from this forum.

thanks odd duck for the offer of the patterns but postage would be a killer. i have some large blocks of pine here six to eight inch square. i was going to turn them up on the lathe for the pattern. i had thought to use a milkshake container(platic one) and paper mache it to make the patterns keeping the smooth plastic inside for the interior (outside of the inside if you know what i mean lol) or set a container in some plaster to make the pattern for the pattern. i also thought to make the inside cone expandable similar to the old shoe stretcher except it would be expanded whilst ramming and released for removal. just my thoughts.

Just for kicks, XL, I went on the UPS store site. To send a 10 pound/4.5 kilo package of little or no value to Brisbane, would cost $170 US. Ouch

Jammer wrote:
Just for kicks, XL, I went on the UPS store site. To send a 10 pound/4.5 kilo package of little or no value to Brisbane, would cost $170 US. Ouchyes we know ! we bought some cast iron toys that weigh close to a kilo (2.2lbs) and they cost about$38 us .with the current exchange rate..... ouch. we bought a lot from the us when our dollar nearly matched yours. no im afraid im stuck with "just have to make my own" the story of my life.the good point is that it forces me to learn new things even at my age. (im thinking i might need wheels on my feet lol)