I am relatively new to the casting realm. It started with my buddy's dad agreeing to teach me to carve Kentucky muzzleloading rifles. He used to cast his own butt plates, trigger guards, and inlays out of brass and a little silver. I also had an arrow head that was given to me that I fashioned into a pendant and wore on a chain. It began to chip on things and I decided to cast it out of silver. Compared to now I had a VERY dim idea of what to do. I found out how to make a mould out of plaster of paris and playdough. ( it sounds childish, but it worked! to a point) the mould came out great! And I practiced casting the arrow head out of lead by melting the lead on my electric stove. After getting that, I borrowed a oxy-acetelyne torch from a friend and successfully melted a few 1 troy ounce bars of .999 silver. And I poured the 'molten' silver into my plaster of paris mould. I gave it time to cool and separated the two halves. To my mixed amazement, it worked to a point. the top of the arrow head was completely formed, but the tip of the arrow looked like chewed bubblegum! I returned it to a mass of silver soon after! It was an embarassment!
I have been doing some research online and have been turning up a little information. I have checked out www.BackyardMetalcasting.com, and have gained a little more information from the time that I have spent obsorbing what he has done. But, I don't feel that I have enough information as to designing and constructing a furnace and foundry of my own. He talked about several different burners and furnaces. I am particurally interested in the waste oil and propane burners. I have a few questions as to the designing of both of them. Some may be obvious to some of you, but, my brain thinks too hard about some things and it can obscure the obvious from me! It happens.
If anyone has any DETAILED information or plans of their own that they would be willing to share with m, it would be greatly appriciated!
