foundry work - aluminum pulley

[celsoari]

Is it stronger to case the block vs using a round extrusion that is the same diameter? I am a novice and have no idea, I can get just about any shape in any size I want at a local store, cusious why the choice is to cast the block vs cust it off the end of a round bar? Your work is beautiful, at times I really want to learn to cast as well as you! -jeff

I chose to cast, as the store is very far from my home. Thanks for commenting
greetings from Brazil
Celso Ari

[celsoari]

When I'm not buying full stick for jobs I goto The Yard Store, they price aluminum at $2.5/lb down to $1.5/lb for cut offs. I looked at an online supplier that I have used once, 3 inches of 8" 6061 round was $58. About a year ago I purchased 3" of 6" round and 5" of 4" round, bill at the yard store was $60. (I was building a base for a ball turning attachment for my 14" Rockwell lathe) I think they sell online. Is that is more expensive than casting, considering the time of the guy working? Thanks for responding, can't learn anything in a vacuum..

You have to consider that I live in Brazil and materials are more difficult to find than in the United Kingdom, Here the distances are of continental dimension. doing can become easier and cheaper. Besides that you are happy to build it yourself

[celsoari]

Those are sweet prices but casting is nearly free if you're scrounging from the scrap pile and not putting a dollar value on your time.

It doesn't take a lot in the way of equipment and the learning curve isn't steep with aluminum casting, and it puts a world of new possibilities into your hands once you're set up because you can quickly produce aluminum castings that with some finish machining can become useful things. Dave Gingery produced a whole series of books detailing building a machine shop cheaply (with a metal shaper even) made from castings using a charcoal furnace and wooden patterns in green sand molds. These days there's even folks making castings from Styrofoam patterns coated in plaster of Paris in a variation of the lost wax process which is even easier than green sand molding.

It's fun melting metal and opening the flask after a successful pour can be a real hoot.

its true! "It's fun melting metal"
thanks Bro

[DIYSwede]

Thanks, Celsoari for posting - nice finish and seemingly no gas pores in your cast?
For degassing I use a teaspoon of "pool chock chlorine" in a foil wrap and press it to the bottom of the crucible,
flux isn't really necessary for my alloy of choice.
-Don't chlorinate without a proper face shield, gas mask, apron & gloves though...

One thing I wondered, as your aerating your sand seemed to be a dry & dusty job:
-Are you using your greensand entirely dry?
I get very nice finish with my sand just a bit moist as per Myfordboy's and Olfoundryman's recipes:

When it comes to repurposing old Al casts I can recommend scrapped Al car wheel rims,
motor and transmission parts, table stands and office chairs
(those 5-star castor chair feet provide 5-6 lbs ( a litre) of alloy each)...

Keep up the good work and good luck!
Cheers
Johan

[celsoari]

I use slightly moist sand.
use this aerator too, similar to the image you posted. For degas I use magnesium sulfate penta hydrated (Epson salt)

greetings
Celso Ari

[mhfcell420]

Espectacular

Espectacular

[johnreich]

very nicely done

[that_other_guy]

I don't know how I missed this one.

Beautiful work once again my friend Celso!

brino

[Bony]

Strength depends on the composition of the scrap used in the melt pot. If you use chunks of damaged wheels (cleaned & no powder coating) it's bound to be strong enough for most workshop castings.