br5409

Vinegar=no reaction. Fire with scrape test = no reaction. CLR = no reaction with shavings(scrape).

I will try the acid test also. Thank you.

Thanks to hills over at the scrapmetal forum for this. Says to use the burn test like many of you said.

total weight: 6.77lb

dimensions: 10"x13"x5"

not got around to scrape test yet. Another person said I could use copper sulfate and test it also.

12 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said:

The question in our minds is is it magnesium or aluminum. A few scrapings lit with a match or lighter will tell you the difference. The aluminum will just sit there and the mag will light up and dance. Zinc alloys are heavier than aluminum. 

I had a guy that owns a scrap yard tell me that he thinks that it is cast aluminum. He did not know if it had any magnesium or zinc in it though. I will try the "scrape" test next. Thank you!

Closest BIG scrap yard to me is SA Recycling or PSC metals. I will have to call and see if they have a XRF gun. Thanks guys. If anyone knows anything or a cheap way to find out, please respond below. I pecked it with a grinder and no sparks.

What are cable company amp cases made of? Cast aluminum? Magnet does not stick. These are old C-core amplifier cases. I think they are cast aluminum? I have not done a spark test yet. Just wondering if any of you guys have messed with them. I would like to melt them down if they are aluminum and do not have any magnesium in them.

I have decided on getting at least 30 lbs. I think this one is sort of large anyway, so I am thinking about making a smaller one too. I may just get a whole 55lb bag. I read that it has a shelf life of 12 months, maybe I can build another by then. Thanks for the information to you and Frosty.

wow Latticino, I must have been WAY off on my calculations. I was always told volume would be area*thickness. Another way to figure it...

sides before ceramic:

circumference of a circle-2*pi*r is 2*7.75*pi = 48.7"

area of sides: l x w=48.7 x 14.5 = 706.15" squared

sides after ceramic

2*5.75*pi = 36.13" squared

volume to cover sides after ceramic 36.13 x 14.5 x .5 = 261.94" cubed divided my 1728 = .15 cubic ft

Top and bottom

area of circle=pi*r*r = 176.71" squared

volume to cover top or bottom=176.71 divided by 1728 x .5 = .051 cubic ft

Total =

.051 + .051 + .15 = .252 cubic ft which is close to your calculation of .42 cubic feet(but you were using .75 thickness and flat top and bottom).

92 * .252 = 23.18 lbs (a bag will be way more than enough) If I messed up a calculation or how I figured it, please let me know.

Anyways, I was WAY off! I already threw my scratch paper away so I do not know how I came to the figure of needing 286lb. I must have been trying to fill the whole cylinder. Now see why it is good to ask the experts before you do something. I am glad I did because I was trying to justify pouring another $1000+ in to this. If it is like most other hobbies, I will drop that into it soon enough.

Everything is good man. It is good to be on the lookout for the inexperienced.

I need to get the exact dimensions again, but it will be Tuesday before I am back in the shop.  The cylinder is 22.25" tall by 15.5" diameter. Of course the bottom and top are beveled. Been too many years since I had Calculus to figure the top and bottom exact. The best I can remember I measured the sides where it is straight to be 14.5" tall not counting the top and bottom. I have 2" ceramic blanket to go in all of it. My calculations are 1/2" thick on the kast-o-lite.

I calculated everything from the 92lb per cubic foot stated in the data sheet, so from your statements I have no idea how much I need, lol.

1 hour ago, br5409 said:

That would be OK if I were only needing a little. I only need 385 lb.

Sorry, math was off....286lb.

6 hours ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said:

Look no further than here. The IFI store, PM Glenn to order.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/202-store/

That would be OK if I were only needing a little. I only need 385 lb.

To all that have responded: Thank you for your input. I know that I have much to learn, that is why I am here. I do not think there is near as much danger in building the foundry (which is what I am asking about), now using it is a whole different story.

I have not been able to source the kast-o-lite anywhere close to me within 200 miles. I may be looking in the wrong spots. What sort of places should I be looking?

Hello all,

Let me start by saying I am a total newb to all of this, but I have been doing a lot of reading on this forum the last couple of months.

I am building a foundry/furnace out of an old beer keg. My main interest are to melt/cast aluminum and copper to begin with. Brass interest me but from what I have read on here, it is pretty nasty stuff to mess with so maybe later on that.

I have the top cut off the keg and purchased 2" kawool, rigidizer, ITC-100, tongs, clay graphite crucible, and made my burner(waste oil burner). I have purchased welding gloves, face shield, respirator, much of the safety equipment. That is about as far as I hove gotten. My question is do I need to install a hard refractory liner after the kaowool or can I use Satanite or something similar and then coat with the ITC-100? I know Frosty recommends kast-o-lite 30 but there is no place close to me that has it and every place that I have checked wants close to $150 in shipping fees to send me a 55lb $100 bag. The area inside the keg is almost 8 sq ft, so I would need many bags of it too. What are the pros/cons by not installing the hard liner and just using Satanite? Every place close to me just gives me the "deer in the headlight stare" when I ask about any of this stuff.

Also, can anyone give me the coverage area of Satanite? I have emailed back and forth all day to Harbison Walker and they can not even tell me. You would think that the manufacturer would know huh? They say it is a mortar and is for brick laying. They keep recommending me get Mizzou Castable Plus. Again, no where available close to me.

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.