Metal Casting Zone

new guy here, my name is john mccurdy, 48 years young, i live in massachusetts. i am now collecting materials to build my first furnace, my plan is to build one on the cheap just to play around at first, if things work out i will build a more serious one. i have a cut down 15 gallon drum 16 inches tall and will be using a homemade refractory of portland cement,silica sand,perlite and fireclay. i will build a steel crucible,possibly from some well pipe, and will have to make some tongs and all the rest along with a burner, i will use propane for fuel. i will be melting alluminum to try and make some custom trim and small parts for a custom car that i'm building. i plan on trying sand casting and lost foam casting for starters to see what i can learn. wish me luck and thanks for having me.

Sounds like a plan. Don't forget to keep safety in mind. This is a lot of fun but, one small mistake can cause a big injury.

Welcome to the forum.

Hey Bulldog, welcome! Like Jammer said, don't forget safety. At a minimum get a full face shield and welding gloves. And, since I think you will like it, you have a foundry supplier in Massachusets, M.G. Stevens Inc in Tyngsboro, their tel# is 978-649-0112. The refractory mix you described will crumble in short order, might as well start with something you are not constantly patching, it also isn't very insulating, and where you will be using propane anything helps. For long runs it won't matter much, but for most of us who do a cast or two a weekend, waiting while the furnace heats up eats up time and fuel. A better insulated furnace cuts down that first melt time considerably, allowing more work to be done in a short casting session and more melts per tank of gas.

hello everyone !!!



i am saha from Srilanka ....



i am new in this forum and i want to learn from here.....



i wish you guys will help me......



thanks in advance .....