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Thread: One Day Foundry - For Casting Aluminum

  1. #1
    Supporting Member scorch's Avatar
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    One Day Foundry - For Casting Aluminum

    As a challenge to myself I decided to make a very simple foundry setup for melting and casting aluminum. I have a larger more involved equipment but I thought it would be interesting to revisit some of the methods I used for my first castings. I also wanted to explore some new ideas I had for setting up a simple aluminum foundry.

    It is a lot of little tools that make up one big tool, a foundry. The sample part I cast in the video is a Gingery lathe part (compound slide).

    The project page is here: One Day Foundry - For Casting Aluminum


    Below is a picture of the parts/tools I started with and the project video.
    One Day Foundry - For Casting Aluminum-parts_small.jpg

    Download plans for forging and casting tools.
    Last edited by scorch; May 15, 2015 at 11:53 PM.

  2. The Following 15 Users Say Thank You to scorch For This Useful Post:

    Andyt (Mar 30, 2018), baja (Dec 6, 2019), EnginePaul (Jun 19, 2022), gunsgt1863 (Mar 31, 2018), high-side (Dec 6, 2019), Hoosiersmoker (Feb 15, 2024), Jon (May 16, 2015), JRock (Mar 29, 2018), kbalch (May 18, 2015), KustomsbyKent (Oct 24, 2017), Miloslav (Aug 1, 2018), Moby Duck (Oct 22, 2017), Paul Jones (May 22, 2015), rlm98253 (Oct 22, 2017), wmichale (Nov 23, 2017)

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    kbalch's Avatar
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    Thanks scorch! I've added your Aluminum Foundry to our Forging and Casting category, as well as to your builder page: scorch's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

    Download plans for forging and casting tools.

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    Cool post, scorch! Easy enough to follow for guys wanting to try a foundry build.

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    Hi scorch,

    Great idea and a great explanation! Your Aluminum Foundry is the 'Tool of the Week'!

    You'll be receiving one of our official HomemadeTools.net T-shirts:

    One Day Foundry - For Casting Aluminum-black-shirt-front-actual-design.jpg One Day Foundry - For Casting Aluminum-black-shirt-rear-actual-design.jpg
    One Day Foundry - For Casting Aluminum-white-shirt-front-actual-design.jpg One Day Foundry - For Casting Aluminum-white-shirt-rear-actual-design.jpg

    If you've already received one of our official HomemadeTools.net T-shirts, we'd be glad to award you a $25 online gift card from GiftRocket. Your choice!

    Either way, just let me have (via PM) your details (size, color choice, and mailing address for the shirt or email address for the gift card) and we'll get things processed directly.

    Congrats!

    Ken

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    kbalch's Avatar
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    This thread has been moved to the Must Read subforum. Congrats (and thanks) to scorch for making such a valuable contribution!

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    Supporting Member Paul Jones's Avatar
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    Hi Scorch,

    Wow, the method and video is very informative and encouraging to those wanting to get started with doing their own casting. What I liked the best was the use of hand tools that most of use own and readily available raw materials. The only thing requiring power was the hairdryer and again something we probably already own. Can't wait to see more of your work.

    Paul

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    Supporting Member scorch's Avatar
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    Thanks for the Tool of the Week honor Ken!

    Thanks Paul for the comments. On this one I made a directed effort to make the tools needed as simple as possible (Although I also used a power drill in addition to the hair dryer). I had not worked my body that hard in the workshop in a long time. Makes me appreciate some of my power tools a little bit more.

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    Making it look so simple... Thanks.. Will give it a try!! Thanks again These are an oldie but goody posts!!
    Last edited by Sockmonster; Oct 22, 2017 at 06:53 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by scorch View Post
    As a challenge to myself I decided to make a very simple foundry setup for melting and casting aluminum. I have a larger more involved equipment but I thought it would be interesting to revisit some of the methods I used for my first castings. I also wanted to explore some new ideas I had for setting up a simple aluminum foundry.

    It is a lot of little tools that make up one big tool, a foundry. The sample part I cast in the video is a Gingery lathe part (compound slide).

    The project page is here: One Day Foundry - For Casting Aluminum


    Below is a picture of the parts/tools I started with and the project video.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	parts_small.jpg 
Views:	1663 
Size:	56.4 KB 
ID:	3507

    I built my foundry over 40 yrs ago,[when there was no intenet for info!] but I must say that was a fantastic one day job!! well done.


    Download plans for forging and casting tools.

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