[chris123]

Hello,

Does anyone know where can I buy a small electric foundry
Yes I am a newbie trying to reuse my aluminum pile of off cuts

[Kipper]

Foundry=Furnace? Try a gas one as a starter.....way way way cheaper than an induction furnace! or even charcoal as a tester?

Induction is an "in at the deep end" for a first time caster.

[chris123]

I live in australia
Where can I buy a gas furnace for aluminium?

[asuratman]

Could you show me a gas furnace website here? Right now I plan to buy induction furnace, but if gas a lot cheaper then I will see them. Thanks.

[beone]

go to lindsaybks.com get dave gingerys series. build it yourself its cheap and easy. Propane is best overall. charcoal is messy, electric is very slow. gas works great. go cheap--pound up furnace in 5 gal can-use sand and clay will work fine to get started.
Dave

[rowbare]

http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/

Read everything you can about safety before starting to melt anything.

bob

[Kipper]

I live in australia
Where can I buy a gas furnace for aluminium?

Australia!....Hard cheese old man

A furnace for melting Al is a simple enough endeavour.

[Kipper]

go to lindsaybks.com get dave gingerys series. build it yourself its cheap and easy. Propane is best overall. charcoal is messy, electric is very slow. gas works great. go cheap--pound up furnace in 5 gal can-use sand and clay will work fine to get started.
Dave

Slow? compared to what.....rubbing two pieces of Al together?

Elaborate please on the induction furnace you refer to. :cheers:

[mcphill]

http://www.dansworkshop.com/store/do...op-furnace.htm

[chris123]

Propane is best overall. charcoal is messy, electric is very slow. gas works great. go cheap--pound up furnace in 5 gal can-use sand and clay will work fine to get started.
Dave

you make it sound so simple, to me it just doesnt seem so simple. What about the burner, where do i get one? and is it just apply gas and light a match, no need to adjust anything just connect LPG and go, is it as simple as flicking an electric switch?
Some people dont mind spending a little money

[Kipper]

you make it sound so simple, to me it just doesnt seem so simple. What about the burner, where do i get one? and is it just apply gas and light a match, no need to adjust anything just connect LPG and go, is it as simple as flicking an electric switch?
Some people dont mind spending a little money

It's not about the cash.....My furnace is a £1500 flamefast CM351.....I'm due to upgrade to one to hold an A20 crucible. The new furnace will be made from the remains of my old gas oil furnace.....I originally paid £0.50p each for the firebricks around 20 yrs ago....they are in the region of £4 each now.......daylight robbery imo!


For an easy furnace get a roofing torch (Propane) and some ceramic blanket (body soluble if you can as it's safer) form a rough shape and light the torch....pretty easy?

If you have a dump nearby pay a visit and grab some radiant elements from gas fires as they are made of the right stuff.

Stack the elements so the flame flows over as many as you can and voila! a furnace.

Have fun!

[rowbare]

Chris,

Someone posted this link this morning: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106575

You should be able to get a lot of ideas from the you tube vids as well as at the backyard metal casters site that I posted earlier.

Just goes to show that is doesn't have to be complicated. You can get the refractory blanket at pretty much any shop that deals with ceramics or hot glass. They also sell kilns and might have some that would be suitable for your purposes. Any kiln capable of melting glass or firing ceramics will melt aluminum.

bob

[beone]

The electric i refer to is radiant with electric elements. worksok but is much slower than gas and the elements tend to burn out quickly. for a burner the roofing torch works well- or get Porters book or look up 'reil burner'- made from plumbing fittings easy and cheap-- the point is just build something-- then have a better ides of how to rebuild into what you need.

[chris123]

Chris,

Someone posted this link this morning: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106575

You should be able to get a lot of ideas from the you tube vids as well as at the backyard metal casters site that I posted earlier.

Just goes to show that is doesn't have to be complicated. You can get the refractory blanket at pretty much any shop that deals with ceramics or hot glass. They also sell kilns and might have some that would be suitable for your purposes. Any kiln capable of melting glass or firing ceramics will melt aluminum.

bob

Great,
That looks very simple, I even have a kitchen stove, just need the crucible and ceramic fiber blanket.

[Kipper]

The electric i refer to is radiant with electric elements. worksok but is much slower than gas and the elements tend to burn out quickly. for a burner the roofing torch works well- or get Porters book or look up 'reil burner'- made from plumbing fittings easy and cheap-- the point is just build something-- then have a better ides of how to rebuild into what you need.

Sounds like a Kiln? My idea of an electric furnace is an induction furnace.

I misunderstood maybe :cheers:

[Vermiculite]

http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/

Read everything you can about safety before starting to melt anything.

bob

I will second backyardmetalcasting. There is heaps of info there.

I built a small furnace originally planning to run it on lpg. I bought a regulator and burner for it but after giving charcoal/BBQ briquettes a go I never ended up setting up the gas. I was surprised how easy it was to melt aluminium. If you plan to use it a lot spend some time researching and get it right. I don't recommend it but there are videos on the net of people using hair dryers, charcoal and tin cans to melt aluminium.

Is there any particular reason why you want to use electric?

[chris123]

why electric?
easy of use really,
no need to buy fuel or gas,
never run out of electricity
I managed to find some local suppliers of kilns, the cheapest is over $5,000 ($4,000 US or $3,300 Euro)
I think I'll go with the stove idea
I just need a place to buy a crucible and some ceramic fiber insulation

[Kipper]

why electric?
easy of use really,
no need to buy fuel or gas,
never run out of electricity
I managed to find some local suppliers of kilns, the cheapest is over $5,000 ($4,000 US or $3,300 Euro)
I think I'll go with the stove idea
I just need a place to buy a crucible and some ceramic fiber insulation

Ahhh you should have said you were a lazy sod

Electricity is expensive in the UK.......Gas is a lot cheaper....Unless you get free electricity? gas wins

[chris123]

Whats cheap?
If I used a 2kw furnace at full power for about 125hours its about the same as refilling a 9litre LPG gas cylinder

[Kipper]

Whats cheap?
If I used a 2kw furnace at full power for about 125hours its about the same as refilling a 9litre LPG gas cylinder

Sure it is...maybe after 125 hours @ 2kw you'd have some molten metal too? Could be fun to find out eh? Once you find out you can report back with the results.