Backyard Bessemer?

[matt87]

Okay perhaps a little out-of-the-box, but anyone ever considered doing a small-scale Bessemer conversion? Could be a fun way to turn 'unuseable' cast iron into true mild steel. I'm thinking clay crucible (cheap, easy to make) in the acid Bessemer method, with a modified air source from above, like the basic oxygen process; this makes construction easy.

Thoughts, ladies and gents? Issues? How does one identify low P cast iron? Am I mad for thinking this? Are you mad enough to try it?

[philip in china]

Do you think there might be a reason why commercially made crucibles are as expensive as they are? If it were possible to just make one out of clay I think more people would be doin it. My thoughts are- if you want to try, good luck. What are the accident and emergency facilities like at your local hospital?

What I would be more inclined to do would be to make a cupola and recast the cast into something you need.

Matt I know almost nothing about the subject but remember a similar exchange of views across the street several months back. If ever you are there it would be worth trawling the archives to see what was said.

[ThomasPowers]

Well Kelly did his experimentation on converting cast iron to mild steel using a refractory lined barrel so that was a bit smaller in scale. (He did it a couple of years earlier than Bessemer too; why some folks call it the Bessemer/Kelly process. There was an alligation of industrial espionage back then too).

I've thought of it, but I figure I need to learn puddling first.

[Bentiron1946]

If you are interested in melting iron I suggest the book Iron Melting Cupola Furnaces for the Small Foundry by Stephen Chastain, ISBN #0-9702203-0-8. I found the best price at Alibris Books. As to clay crucibles you can get a helpful book from Lindsy Publications on how to make them plus plans for bronze melting furnaces and other good metal working subjects. Have fun and be careful as molten iron is really very hot. Be sure to have a full set of leathers, face shield, leather soled boots and tape the laces so no little globs get inside. Love that molten metal.

[ThomasPowers]

And BOF makes cast iron melting look like a gradeschool project! "Violently exothermic" was how it was described IIRC...