The Armourer Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Hello, my name is Graeson and for the past year or so i have been interested in the idea of Bronze Casting. I have done a lot of research and i have a few questions. 1, i have a ceramic mug that has been modified, but i was not sure about making a lid. Do i need to for bronze? If so, how airtight should it be? 2, I carved my mould out of two blocks of concrete that were used for a fire pit. If I heat it up enough will all of the moisture evaporate for casting into it? 3, My tongs are made of thin aluminum strengthened by a thick bar of steel. Will the tongs survive the 10 second pour? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 STOP! Do not attempt any casting until you are familiar with the technology and safety. Failure will result in DEATH, or life altering injuries. No, you cannot melt bronze in a ceramic mug. No, you cannot use concrete blocks for a mold. Aluminum tongs probably will not do either. Take a course in foundry work, read some books, read all that has been posted on this site. There are other forums just devoted to foundry work. Seek them out. Other considerations: Safety gear is essential. What is your heat source? What alloy bronze are you pouring? How much metal are you melting? What are you trying to make? Molten metal are very dangerous. Do not ever regard them in any other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 No lid needed for bronze if you add some broken bottle glass for a cover. I have used steel crucibles in a pinch but commercial graphite ones work better (steel always seems to spring a leak at the most inopportune time). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Armourer Posted August 11, 2014 Author Share Posted August 11, 2014 Thanks guys. I had been planning for a while but I would rather wait for a few years and take classes and use professional equipment than get killed. Sorry if i seem like a know it all newbie, or rather know nothing newbie. I came for advice and learning. In a few years with a lot more experience i will possibly try it. Until then i will continue to work with sheet metal. Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddDuck Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Graeson, you may want to post your general location. Kind of like blacksmithing, there are alot of backyard metalcasters all over the USofA. I'm sure that there are alot that would be very happy to show you their version of insanity. The other fellas are correct, screwing up while metalcasting is a quick way to get hurt badly. It is very doable however with a little thought and planning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Graeson: As said already do NOT do any casting till you've done some REAL research. Whatever you've been reading was written by folk with no experience or even decent book knowledge of the foundry craft. Don't feel bad, Facebook, the net in general is full of people wanting to "teach" folk a thing but have nothing valid to offer. It takes experience to learn to tell the fruit from the nuts. The two "ideas" you've outlined are recipes for disaster. If you were VERY lucky the mug would break while in the melter and you wouldn't get any on you. In all probability it'd break as soon as you tried picking it up, spilling it all over the place. Even a tiny bit of molten bronze on you're hide is a taste of hell on earth. Visualize trying to juggle molten lava. . . Seriously. If luck were running against you, like say a deity had a beef and wanted to do you a cruel permanent mischief and you're set up held together long enough to pour molten bronze in a CONCRETE MOLD !!! You would be standing over a steam bomb when it exploded in your face. You'd be eating not only shrapnel but molten bronze. You'd be lucky to survive and would almost without doubt be scared, probably disfigured for life. Find a caster who teaches, take classes and make your pours under experienced supervision. Once you have a few dozen pours under your belt, have an experienced design for a melter, real equipment and SAFETY GEAR, what the hey. You'll at least know what you're getting into, be able to ameliorate the risks and bear the responsibility of a catastrophic failure with prior knowledge. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Good info. The the other reason I was alarmed by your post is that the pouring temperature of molten bronze is 800 degrees hotter than the melting temperature of aluminum. If everything else had worked you still would have lost control of 5 pounds of 2000 degree liquid metal. To add to Frosty's point about concrete exploding, never even make a melt over a concrete floor. Any spilled metal and concrete shards can fly off like shrapnel from a grenade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Armourer Posted August 11, 2014 Author Share Posted August 11, 2014 Thanks for the advice everybody. I will do a lot more learning before i try anything. I am in Winnipeg Canada, right in thte middle of Canada. I really appreciate the wisdom and concern, thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggwelder Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 i live in ontario, pm me and i`ll give you my phone#. then we can go from there. i`ve done a little bronze, but a lot of aluminium and lead, making bullets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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