casting projects

[Don Victore]

First attempte at posting pics. These are some of my casting projects.

[Don Victore]

wtf? I created a photo-bucket account. I copied and pasted a url. still nothing. What did I do wrong. This is why I prefer hand tools.I must be definitely mentally deficient in this realm. Please help:confused:

[Clencher]

Go to Photobucket (this works for picture trail so assume will be the same) put the picture up you want to post and right click on it. A dropdown comes up with options including copy. Left click on copy.

Now go to the forum, type what you want in Quick Reply or whatever then put the cursor where you want the pic to appear. Then hit Ctrl V and it should paste it. Like this:

http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL370/9115650/16752884/266986560.jpg

Then if you want to type beneath the pic as well, just drop the cursor down and carry on. Repeat the above as many times as you want for multi pics. I'm a 'new boy' so to speak and have tried various ways of posting pics and found this the easiest. I resize the pics before putting them in the web-host to 15cm (6ins) on the longest axis and set resolution to 96ppi.

(Apologies for the pic above but it's my only attempt at casting and she's only 3ft long! It was this or lead fishing weights.)

[Don Victore]

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/100_2094.jpg?t=1185002521

[Don Victore]

Hell holmes! that worked! Thanks a mill. Excuse the impropriety but that was really helpful. Now there is no stopinging me. you created a monster:D

Victore

[Don Victore]

Is it a keel? or just an experiment? Can't tell
let me know. Interested

[Don Victore]

so here is a pic of my new rig. much lighter then the concreate versions and more eficient to boot. I'm using kaolwool for the refractory and an iron skeloten for the frame work. Riveted as I have at present no welding means.


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/100_2033.jpg?t=1185005987

These are hanging kneese for a desk

they would not have been posible without this new rig

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/100_2083.jpg?t=1185006622

here they are in place

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/P7180378.jpg?t=1185006872

Please excuse the bluriness. I will try to improve on this

This is only a test

Victore

[Clencher]

I just right clicked on your 1st pic, copy, and Ctrl V posted it here:

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/100_2094.jpg?t=1185002521


If you right click on the body of the picture in Photobucket, rather than the url I suspect you'll find the pic posts directly as above.

Superb work Don, those hanging knees in one of your other pics are a delight. Mother's brother was a moulder in a Royal Dockyard - he'd have been well impressed I can tell you. My efforts pale into insignificance - the pic I posted was a new lead keel I cast on a 3ft LOD model sailing yacht built by my granfer in the 1930s that I did a complete refit on last year. Also cast a new lead swinging rudder. That's kids stuff compared to your work. I'm off, before I get tempted to post a pic of the finished product, that's thread drift.

[Clencher]

Oops! no it didn't! and yet it was there on screen when I was typing the reply. Hopefully someone out there with much more experience will tell us why and give a fix.

[JTA]

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/100_2033.jpg

I shortened your link a bit and it worked. Photobucket gives you some code beneath your pictures. Try the html or img line and see if that works

Jack

[Don Victore]

By all means post, post! melting metal these days is all that gets my blood moving.And the only way I can prove my mettle Turning molten metal into beautiful and useful devices is at the fore front of what I think one can accomplish as a wood worker and boat builder. I think deep down I'm a pyromaniac but I use my powers for good:D Thanks for the compliment It is really appreciated

Don, Victore

[PeterSibley]

Love those knees Don ! :) What metal? I do a bit of casting in manganese bronze and a bit of gunmetal ,a leaded mix .I have a reasonable small setup ,mainly hobby but with one or two paying customers .

How much weight in the knees and what size crucible?

[George Ray]

Jeez Louise !!! What a beauty......

That is inspiration that will help me get my little brick pile furnace fired up before too long.

[Jim Ledger]

You've GOT to get the photo thing down. Your stuff is fantastic.

Try this...

Open a reply on the Forum and get a cursor flashing.

Go to photobucket and click on the IMG code. It copies automatically.

Come back to the Forum reply and right click. A menu opens. Click on Paste.

The IMG code will appear in the reply window.

Hit "Preview" under the reply window and the photo appears.

Good luck and lets see some more.

[pipefitter]

Awesome! Casting is an ambitious art to be sure.

[Don Victore]

The hanging knees are silcon bronze, They weigh around 30pounds.

This is the flask that when packed ended up 500 pounds

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/100_2025.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/100_2084.jpg

This is a handle for some entry doors
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/P2180089.jpg


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/P2180082.jpg

[emichaels]

Don tell us more about the finish in the last two pics. It looks like a handrail or grab rail with a mottled finish. How did you do that ??

Eric

[Don Victore]

They were door handles. After casting and clean up. I peaned the entire surface. Making sure the peaning hammer's head was smooth. Then I heated the handles up to red hot and dipped them in lein seed oil. After they were cool. I rubbed out the high spots left by the peaning hammer. Leaving the lows dark

[PeterSibley]

OK Don ,looks as if you are way ahead of me .I cast pretty good stuff in small sizes but I am unsure how to handle a big flask by myself .I tend to stick to my A8 though I do have an A20 sitting there unused that would help a lot ,as I have a few chain wheels /gypsies to cast .They will come in at around 20 pound with feed and shrink risers .

Do you use some kind of gantry setup or have a helper ?

[StevenBauer]

Wow! Very impressive Don.

Steven

[Don Victore]

No gantry unfortunately. Hopping to build one a some point. I just use a one man pourer for smaller stuff and a two man for larger stuff. But I want to go larger still. So when I finally build one I'll be able to do that

[PeterSibley]

What is the maximum you feel comfortable with by yourself ?

[Don Victore]

Peter,
I would love to see some of your stuff.Those Knees were poured from a #10 crucible filled to the top. Not very safe I know. When filled it weighed I estimate (withe crucible, The single pourer and the 33 pounds of bronze) About 48 lb... Nobody else was around so I sort of had to do it that way. I would say thats the upper limit of what I would want to do alone. Because it really is not the fact that it's heavy to lift. But that much weight at the end of a 3' bar filled to the brim with molten metal and trying to pour into a 1 1/4 is kind of a pain. Good, will the day be, when I can finally setup a gantry.

Victore

[PeterSibley]

Agreed Don,I have poured similarly filled flasks but have decided to stop pushing the edge .I have built a gantry to lift the A20 and scissor lift to lift it out of the top of the furnace then into a wheeled trolley .Its all a bit clunky and slow and I lose too much temp as it is before I get the flask into position to pour .

I'm trying to come up with something a bit quicker ,that will let me pick up the flask easily but support the weight .Like you, I find 20 kg on the end of a 3' handle a bit much for comfort .

The current idea is an hinged arm with elbow out of 3x3 rhs with a pivot at the end , I'll do some more drawings !

[Don Victore]

Some thing that worries me about those gantry rigs however is how high they go up. All the examples I've seen any way. I know its not super common for a crack or bottom falling out. But if it happens I think I'd like it to be as low as possible. Most likely the benefits make up for that potential incident. To be honest I have never seen or heard of such an incident. Only of people noticing that a particular crucible was no longer worthy and then relegating it to be a really outstanding ash tray.

[PeterSibley]

It is enough to give me bad dreams though !!:( Imagine 10 pound of molten bronze etc ,etc. Not a good thought .
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL282/9443996/17245530/267594479.jpg

[PeterSibley]

http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL282/9443996/17245530/267594470.jpg

This photo shows my furnace open ...the idea at the moment is to devise some kind of arm with a tong/flask holder at the end to lift out of the open furnace ,from the side .Perhaps something with an elbow so I can manipulate the angle of pour easily .Any ideas ?

Bye the way , the red rail above the furnace is the current gantry ,a rolling 12volt drill powered winch, easily lifts 250 pound ,but as you say , it's a long way up in the air .

[PeterSibley]

http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL282/9443996/17245530/267594475.jpg
and the foundry building itself .......cheap but servicable .

[Ken Hutchins]

I considered doing my own castings, until the health problems interferred, time is suddenly more important, so it's.
Hi ho! Hi ho! It's off the foundry we go.

[Don Victore]

Peter,

To me that is a beautiful thing. Awesome shop and looks like a perfect setting. My dreams look like this. The difficulty I see is removing the crucible. Essentially side ways from the furnace. Can it open to 90 degrees or can it be modified to. If not I was recently thinking of a set up, were, one could pour single handed. With the gantry system. A sort of balanced one man pourer with gantry. In your case seems like you would have to pull it from the side. I have not really understood why those gantry systems required two people ( to keep the crucible level?). It may take some experimenting and practice to do it alone but most likely possible. The weight is in the crucible. It seams that it would stay relatively balanced. I imagine a lifting thong with a 90 degree arm going towards the the line with enough counter balance to keep it level side to side. While you keep the other two axis's controlled with your arms. So long as you have enough height to engage a scissors lift when it's still in th furnace. I'm not so good at describing things verbally (or written). I'll see if i can sketch some thing, scan it and give a visual with this. I think that is a workable design. Nice set up. The easiest would be if you could make it open enough to allow a direct pull. Again You are lucky to be in such a beautiful area.

Victore

[PeterSibley]

Victore ,thanks for the input ....I look forward to your sketch ,
Peter

[River Sailor]

Very impressive, Don - please keep posting pics of your future projects.

John

[Don Victore]

Clencher, JTA, and Jim Ledger,
Thanks for all the help in figuring out how to post these these pictures. It is very appreciated. Here is pic. of the next casting. Just wish it was to go on a boat but alas it,s for some front door. (this is just the pattern)




http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa101/adzdub/P3170289.jpg

[PeterSibley]

Don ? Any ideas ?