FYI - my guy also has 6061 chunks - something like 4"x3"x1/2" (not sure about the thickness) for ~$0.70/lb. They are leftover pieces in odd shapes with funky edges. The price varies with the quoted scrap price from the local recycler. That price is ~2 months old.
On Tue, May 27, 2014 at 5:06 PM, a l <leit...@gmail.com> wrote: > This idea was starting to merit it's own thread given Rob, Philip, and > Dave's contributions. So as not to derail Will's question/discussion I > moved it over here. > > Casting aluminum can be done cheaply. I've cast random blobs using soup > cans for crucibles, a wash tub filled with clay insulation, a leaf blower > and lump charcoal. > backyardmetalcasting.com has a wealth of information including designs. > Propane and air work well, oil and forced air work well too but have a > tendency to make smoke during startup and if they blow out. I have a set of > needle drills I bought from hobby lobby for $15 so we could make our own > propane burner. People have reported decent results using MIG gas tips for > oil burners. > Getting greensand shouldn't be too hard. We can buy petrobond stuff or > make a few(10-15) pounds of wet sand while we test the waters. This will > definitely need to be done out of doors. We will also need to put down > -dry- sand around the furnace and pouring area. In the event of a spill hot > aluminum can cause explosive spalling of concrete sending concrete > fragments and molten aluminum in every direction, a bad thing(TM). > > As Dave pointed out clay and especially graphite crucibles require > specific care if we want them to last. You need to bake out the moisture > immediately before each use and ensure they cool slowly in the furnace.Not > filling them during the initial melt stages allows the aluminum to shift > and expand without stressing them. Lastly handle them with care to avoid > breakage. > > The best kinds of aluminum to cast are extruded items like lawn chairs, > car rims, window frames, sliding doors, etc. Beverage cans work well enough > for art pieces and learning to cast but those allows are optimized for cold > working and forming into cans. The lid and body are actually two different > allows. Using Steel for crucibles and ingot forms is ok, but it's best kept > in mind that a portion of the iron does dissolve into the aluminum slowly > changing it's properties. As does sand casting except silicon instead of > iron, so if the end use has tight mechanical tolerances it's best to use > the least handled material possible. Chips are nice if that's all you can > get but their high surface area means you get more dross in the melt even > if you don't add them to an empty crucible. The bigger the starting > material the less dross and losses to adsorption you'll get. > > I've got a few of the Gingery and Lindsay Books on aluminum casting I'll > bring to tonight's meeting so you can look them over Philip. As a side > note, why not just use steel plate machined to shape for your triggers? > Should be something do able with a bandsaw and some creative dremeling. > > regards, > Andrew L > > > On Tue, May 27, 2014 at 4:05 PM, dave walton <walton.d...@gmail.com>wrote: > >> We have a local source of mixed aluminum shavings (several alloys - >> mostly 6061) coming from a CNC machine for ~$0.50/lb. They tend to still be >> a bit damp from the spray jets. You have to dry them, then add to an >> existing pool of molten aluminum. They will oxidize and turn to dust if you >> try heating them on their own. >> I can hook you up with our source, but I suspect you can find something >> closer. >> >> >> On Tue, May 27, 2014 at 1:32 PM, Philip P. Patnode <ppatn...@gmail.com>wrote: >> >>> Rob, >>> >>> A 10min search on The Google using the search term "aluminum casting" >>> resulted in many videos showing how to do it easily and cheaply. >>> >>> One tutorial showed it could be done using two steel cans, a hair dryer >>> set on "cold", and charcoal briquettes. >>> >>> No need to have a class - just look at the videos and try some >>> experiments in your backyard. >>> >>> BTW, how much aluminum do you have in you horde? Any square or circular >>> tubing? I might be interested in buying some of it from you. >>> >>> Philip >>> >>> >>> On Tue, May 27, 2014 at 1:17 PM, Robert Rybicki < >>> rob...@robertrybicki.com> wrote: >>> >>>> Using oil sounds neato! I for one would be very interested in learning >>>> how to do this. Maybe we can have a class or something? I have aluminum I >>>> have been hoarding away. >>>> >>>> Rob >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On May 27, 2014, at 6:46 AM, dave walton <walton.d...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> We use regular old propane at Maker's Alliance. Works fine. >>>> Any extra gets poured into muffin tins from Walmart for easy melting >>>> next time. >>>> We have used crucibles as a container for melting, but they break after >>>> a few uses and if you don't watch the heat, they melt too. >>>> Cast iron works okay - preferably old thick stuff. Not cheap Chinese >>>> imports. >>>> I've read about groups using waste oil and waste vegetable oil as a >>>> fuel source. They recommend using a siphon nozzle: >>>> http://www.amazon.com/Delavan-Siphon-Nozzle-30609-30609-9/dp/B00EO5IE3C >>>> If you go that route you will need an adapter - Delavan 17147 or 17136 >>>> , some plumbing, and an air source. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tue, May 27, 2014 at 9:03 AM, Devin Wolfe < >>>> de...@midnight30products.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Not effectively. We would need a oxy-acetylene, MAP, or a Oxy-propane >>>>> torch set up. Then we would need sand for mold making, and we would have >>>>> to >>>>> make some mold boxes. If your making small parts you can use MAP gas from >>>>> the hardware store, but if the parts get bigger, or you want to make a lot >>>>> of them, it is far more cost effective to buy big bottles of oxy-acetylene >>>>> or oxy-propane. >>>>> On May 27, 2014 8:44 AM, "Philip P. Patnode" <ppatn...@gmail.com> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Related, but off on a tangent here - >>>>>> >>>>>> Does SH have the equipment to make small aluminum castings, not >>>>>> larger than say 4in x 4in x 4in ? >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> > > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > Discuss@synhak.org > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss >
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