2/4/2016 The Foundr y Setup http://www.backyar dmetalcasting.com/tools.html 1/6 [Homepage] A Closer Look At the Foundry Setup Here is a closer look at some of the components that make up my personal backyard foundry. It may seem crude but boy can I get some serious work done! How many people can melt metal and cast it into desirable objects from their backyard??!! This is a full view of my foundry setup in the driveway. Granted this isn't the best picture but you can still see the major components. On the right side is the furnace with its blower attachment. There are three molds to the left of the furnace waiting to be filled with metal (the best part!) The coffee can on bricks (behind the molds) is for collecting the skimmed slag. The two bricks behind the coffee can are for holding the lid when ready to pour the metal. The small bread pans and cup cake pan is for making ingots with any extra metal. Notice the hooks to the left of the photo for holding and manipulating the ladle. To the left of the hooks is the skimming spoon attached to its pipe extension. This is my homemade ladle. I made it from a 4-inch diameter 9-inch long piece of black steel water pipe with a cap screwed on. Notice the rings welded to
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On the piece of paper in the bin is aclump of sand squeezed into a cylinder
shape with my hand. Well tempered
sand will hold together well, show gooddetail and break apart cleanly.
I read in a popular metalcasting book that wood flour (or baking flour if
that's all you have) should be added to the mix when making it. For the loveof god, don't do it! I didn't notice any benefits from it and worst of all it
stinks, no... reeks of funk, rot and filth like you wouldn't believe for daysuntil the rotting flour is finally eaten up by mold, fungus and various
microorganisms.
This is a bin of commercially made oil-
bonded sand. Originally it was brightorange but it darkens with use. Thesand in immediate contact with the
molten metal turns jet black and dry asthe Sahara. The manufacturer suggests
removing the blackened sand andcollecting it in a separate container to
be retempered with their "special oil"
and "resin catalyst" when enoughaccumulates. I separated it for a fewcastings but abandoned the practice
after getting tired or scraping, carvingand chipping burnt sand from the