2-13-13
2 years ago, my brother showed me this website called backyardmetalcasting.com.
Being in shop class at the time and having done some casting, I wanted
in on the action. The idea of recycling your own metal and casting
stuff in your backyard sounds all too appealing to pass up right?
Well 2 years later, all I can say is: you can't say "success" without first saying "sucks".
The
furnace turned out fine, constructed out of a water heater tank,
insulated with 3000 degree refractory cement. Welding the tank was a
whole fiasco on its own because of my terrible cutting torch abilities.
Simply put, it involved a lot of tack welding and hammering, and a lot
of filing.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_upS3LvGvSvYp1M5EQ3bYZWiMF5KYtwWAHJCcNETqmnxlYofPf7llCZ_cZo2z3orKzFDphjaecrIvvBapw0yJz_UkSZPcVN8846j-ydm7HdZCJZUtb_pnwizySkCtidhlb-=s0-d) |
Ugly welds |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfVDpYwTPoSB9vyW3rEOeBzJbLOhKsFJyQlpGsTD-laLrCWmacqUo3MfN68xFktbPhGKpRuPmjf7RwK2XP2rwj8T0GuLbFpIEWK7lOKysIgWtgmU6gVi-XytKR0fmZTtLzGVus5ffIgc/s400/PICT0563.JPG) |
Preparation to burn out the cement forms |
The burner is the problematic part. Used cooking oil
is considerably hard to ignite. I tried the burner shown on the
website, and had unsuccess. Next, I chose to build a more complicated
burner which involves compressed air to atomize the oil. To this day, I
have not sustained operation of the furnace with vegetable oil which
was my goal. I have had one successful melt running on mostly diesel. I
tried to run it again on diesel and I couldn't get it to stay lit.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_u8Qwc-VmPAXKuGOBYoKxmCs-nT18VQSLINHa-YVYtyZnt-h8obr4AG4wVlKA3oV5tMv8Bxb7HwhFSymTgtuoNKtO5viknsbZkdv6o9eRuBqVkQHhEhDUsQRj_iRzed1Vp8=s0-d)
They
say persistence always overcomes resistance which is true, this burner
situation is persisting to perplex me. I've come home after
experimenting with the furnace many times claiming I want to quit the
foundry altogether and go into basket weaving or something. But right
now my ultimatum is this: wood powered furnace, with a bicycle powered
blower for airflow. With the amount of wood I find on the side of the
road, I could probably do one firing per week. Plus, working with oil
and diesel is becoming more and more vexing. I just feel like I need to
go back to basics with something I am confident in... and wood is that
solution.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuPG5d5zsLAD6eyW2u5Isw9zwnWux2tYyUxRTzqoeRJO8BAwCS5gsgojz8VwcT7WiHof281r7nLMwrozYJJhYZSDwfBBXHfwAN64w_nLKemN54dzt4ng4a1IT71WXh6P-vpx_-R0n5xE/s640/PICT0566.JPG) |
The whole setup |
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHG1S7kei5ZHNXENKJYGVYwHvckB3O5oE2Ij3kRSYwPa4B3OqM-qXnkstWEIZ5isnvuWvAoUbgI_irCbBrM_pyeO1HNUOQ2tJrE8_F4ZdEQyxA_UDr54sZw_LjGzFWqUbAfLoKUR2iZw/s400/PICT0565.JPG) |
The new burner in position |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFKKBtooUCxr5w42lj_r7NnYJQkZnP2gU8zAVMShbd0GaaQBzaQvwMaJcFT53_ewqtEdx9cXPlVHbrn6CwYXlbqXjVtd0rrYgoY2bkjiDZz3ZP5y-IOJihI4Z9ElgZLjp2Sd623_UOf0/s400/PICT0567.JPG) |
Some foundry tools; pouring shank, ingot tray, tongs, and skimming spoon |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TbUtJ4lX1EZFly-c5igNvnpm7SVcV4ZiKYyPoNhfFvtbYkgc7hfearBld9fRuRLuJFYHYzvyTrs1lIo9sXFyjVkLdw3ocHaxNQ6zzNASVCo6rsNkSZ5M8TMqWN2Zh9oQ-J9hV0GjxYE/s400/PICT0568.JPG) |
This was only wood burning |
CONTINUE TO PART 2 -- First Success
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