The Proper Course Of Action

[Wes Henderson]

May I start by saying that I am currently deployed and trying to plan a proper course of action for when I do return home and begin casting. All I can say is that I have at least six months invested in reading and another six months at least before I would even attempt anything. Secondly, I do not intend to jump into casting, ESPECIALLY more advanced metals, until I feel properly prepared. Preferably being told by more senior members that they do not feel it would benefit me to remain at the level I am at the time. Thirdly, I have an understanding of the risks involved, have a background in chemistry and thermal physics. With that being said I welcome all criticism and opinion both. I am not one to be offended, but please keep in mind statements like "you are going to win a Darwin award" offer much less insight as opposed to "you should preheat this so as to remove moisture because of the detrimental effects it could have when it makes contact with the molten metal".

 

Now, with that all out of the way, allow me to get into the primary agenda of my thread. I'll bullet my points so as to simplify my intentions.

- I do intend to be properly capable of casting iron at some point in my life.

- I am looking for advice on time frame and milestones that I have yet to find.

- I do intend to both take a class upon my return to the states and work personally with someone senior to this process.

- I am hoping for insight as to what matters in terms of priority when learning.

 

So, with those highlighted, I hope we are on the same page. This is what I believe I should do, and please feel free to offer your insight to correct me, as I have nothing but time to make amendments to my plan. I plan to begin with casting aluminum. Now, my question with that is what is most crucial to begin learning in regards to it aside from safety, obviously. I would think that when first starting, one should use virgin metal in a commercially manufactured crucible following a proven designed foundry so as to create as many scientific constants as possible, thus eliminating as many factors of variability. I also understand that degassing for aluminum is not as necessary as the process is for some other metals, which again, limits the variables. So, with this metal in particular, what is most important that I focus on perfecting? What are some milestones to work towards? How do you know when you are ready to move to the next metal? Furthermore, what metal is recommended to begin casting after aluminum?

 

Through all of my reading and watching I have found a plethora of information, but these are the topics I felt were not covered by any person of proper credibility. It could very well be that perhaps I have not looked in the right places, so if that is the case, please offer me some help in where to look. Lastly, I further understand that any input received is advice only and I accept the responsibility and liability upon myself to consult a professional with anything beyond my own capability. Thank you in advance.

[ThomasPowers]

You should *always* preheat your Darwin Award as it gives it a bit more sizzle!

BTAIM look into cupola for melting cast iron, I picked up several of the Lindsay reprints "Melting Iron in the Cupola", "Cupola Practice and Mixing Cast Iron", "Secrets of Green Sand Casting", "Brass Founding", etc; but you would probably be better off with more modern hands on instruction.   Mesalands Community College has been doing an annual iron pour for a while now,  the last one was http://www.mesalands.edu/events/5906/

One question do you plan to do green sand casting or oil sand to start?  Getting good with the medium you plan to use in the end can help a lot.  The casting class I took (out of hours at a local university's fine arts dept) went from zinc (day 1) to Brass using petrobond for our second casting.

[Wes Henderson]

I've actually been referred to another forum that is particular to foundry work for this topic. However, I'm still researching what sort of casting I plan on doing. I'm looking into the different types of sands. Can you make semi-permanent moulds? Something that can be used more than once?

[Kozzy]

You seem to have this laser focus on cast iron.  It's a bit like saying you intend to build a NASCAR but might fiddle with go carts a little first to learn the ropes.

Don't even think of iron yet (in real terms..never hurts to read and learn).  Start with the easy stuff and become PROFICIENT in that before you even consider moving up the ladder.  Heck, you can even make good money from nerds by casting (modern) pewter dragons (like role playing game accessories) and such which can teach TONS about technique.  Do some silver rings in a spin caster---do some cuttle bone casting--do some metal casting in silicone molds, burnout foam casting, rammed sand molds, dipped molds, molds with cores, CO2 consolidated sand molds and many more. Move up to some aluminum..then maybe brass or bronze.  There are years of good learning available before you take on that NASCAR project.  Much of that would actually be FAR FAR FAR more profitable in terms of actually selling products you make than iron.

I'd bet you a buck that once you learn and practice the less arduous end of casting to proficiency, you might re-consider doing iron except as a lark to say you did. Wisdom gained from actual working practice is like that.   For real production work you might need, there are places that do nothing but iron all day long who can do it cheaper, better, and safer than it'd ever be worth doing yourself.

[ThomasPowers]

You can make a mold plate and ram them up as needed.  Reusable for cast iron would be VERY EXPENSIVE!