Metal Casting Zone

trapped for a few more hours so I thought I would try to list all my crazy plans for the year:
1) learn lost wax casting by doing wax figure pieces and then casting. Bought an amazing old book on the subject. Richard Mcdermott Miller-Figure Sculpture in Wax and Plaster(my review)
2) tinker with casting rings. got some ring wax, ring sizing rings, little wax heater thing for xmas and want to give it a try.
3) finally build my metal ship or man in a bottle using lost foam. I am leaning towards a battleship or sub. last time was complicated by the pipe sticking because it was not pulled in time. in any event I will pull quicker. getting a clean sprue attachment with no ability to work the metal may be tricky. I think a little windshield wiper like thing that runs through the molten metal might help but i don't know. or simply very careful calculations of volume.

4) Pour my third attempt at the lost packaging peanut bull. I have the mold but have not had a chance to pour yet. hopefully after using blindpig's suggestion of acetone burnout will make the third time a charm. also many more vents this time.
lost foam packing peanut bull number 1
lost foam packing peanut bull number 2
5) Build a better furnace to achieve the above.

More to follow I am sure.

What are you planning?

I just hope to be able to find time to melt and have the weather for it. The two don't usually fall at the same time.
I want to do a lot more with Iron casting, and try to get some good Brass castings.
I've got lots of ideas but few real plans.

The only plans are left over from last year.

Finish CNC Machine
Finish USMC casting
Finish oil burner set up
Mail stuff out I promised last year.

Hope you didn't have to stay a airport too long( any wait depresses me).
Think your casting in a bottle is a super idea,looking forward to seeing more pics.
Like you I think a new furnace might be in my future, right now am noodling on making a tip for my waste oil burner that can take heat for 5 to7 hours allowing me to fire pottery. If it works out I'll need a somewhat larger furnace. Projects include a treadle powered potters wheel,finishing up a light milling machine to attach to my lathe,pour some odd castings which are ready to pour and lastly finish a "T" bucket roadster body I've been working on for my son.
Right now though am suffering "cabin fever"the temperature has just risen to"0" and as my garage/shop doors face north am afraid the oil for the furnace is "sluggish" to say the least! Probably not going to cast or heat shop right now (durn!). Oh well! this to shall pass (I hope).............
Blindpig