Metal Casting Zone

Greetings everyone. I have embarked on the journey of building a furnace and begin casting some aluminum. I have a machinist background and make basic parts at home. I have a 16" South Bend metal lathe.
I have begun building the burner and will have plenty of questions. I'm planing a propane start and WMO to run.

I'll be melting metal in SW Michigan, I hope
Dan

Welcome! Waste oil rules! Make sure you post pics to keep us updated on your progress, and don't be shy about asking questions. we like questions.

Welcome to the forum.

I'm in central Ohio, so not too far away.

OK, here's what I have going on in my mind. Don't look too deep into my mind, it'll scare you, but as far as the burner itself is concerned, I have a small 60 cfm Fasco blower. I attached a 2" PVC pipe section to the outlet about 4" long. To that I reduced it down to 1-1/2" PVC that is probably 6" long.
Using a rubber pipe coupling, I connected the PVC to a 6" long 1-1/2" threaded steel nipple. I have a steel coupling on that and another 1-1/2" steel nipple screwed to that. So I have 12" of steel pipe.
In the second nipple, at the discharge end, I am planning to install a flat piece of stainless, approx. 3" long into the end of the pipe. I am going to drill holes into the SS plate to perferate it and press it into the pipe so when you look into the end of the pipe, you'll see the edge of the SS plate.
I plan on using propane to start the fire and heat the SS plate until it is red hot, then start the WMO dripping or running onto the SS plate. The idea being that the oil will vaporize when it hits the plate and ignite. The burning oil will keep the plate hot enough to continue to vaporize the oil.
I am going to introduce the propane at the threaded coupling so it will burn at the SS plate just long enough to get it very hot, then switch over to oil. The oil will be introduced at the forward end of the plate so some burning will take place on the SS plate to keep it hot.
I'll be doing the old propane cylinder furnace to start with. I have an old propane cylinder and I'm gonna cut the top off in the lathe when I get home and the wife isn't looking.
What d-u tink? Prolly more than ya wanted to know.
Dan

Just make sure you flush the tank well. I think most cut the tank while it's full of water, that would be messy on a lathe.
The burner sounds workable. Once the furnace is hot with propane, the oil will ignite. No need for the SS plate. Getting the air to oil ratio is the tricky part. Too much oil makes a mess and too much air cools things down too much.

"When the wife isnt home" thats all ways the tricky part huh? cant wait to see it in the works.......

I moved this topic to the correct forum, but I can't figure out how to delete this one.