Metal Casting Zone

After reading the post and asking a few questions I think im about ready to make some greensand. I know that the basic recipe is sand, clay, and water or oil. As always I have to look around to find what I can do on little or no money. Instead of silica sand im thinking about useing zirconia powder, it comes in beads but after it goes through the sand blaster for awhile its a fine powder. I also found graphite, it comes in a liquid form for coating mold equipment but I think the overspray could be dried out and ground up. The clay would be easy and cheap to get as long as I used bentonight, I haven't been able to track down fireclay. Im looking to cast nickel at some point so im thinking ill need a tough greensand.

sounds good. greensand here costs me $3 a bucket to make.i would make basic greensand with the silica sand ..add the graphite... and a bit of the stuff you mentioned. these additives can be added after the tried and tested clay /sand mix.gains a bit of age to it from use.

I think the zirconium should work, all you can do is try it.
I used the finest silica sand I could find, it like the sand that you see in mall ashtray can things. The bentonite I used was just cheap cat litter ground up in a blender. I sifted it and put the large pieces back in until I got about 7 pounds, mixed that with 70# of sand and added water and mixed. It didn't take much water, only about a quart. I have to add a little water every time I use it, it dries out even in a sealed 5 gal bucket. ??