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Aluminum Copper Alloy Experiment

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bertie_bassett:

--- Quote from: vtsteam on May 28, 2015, 08:37:52 AM ---Please notice I'm drifting off into hated theory, and experimenting less...... :smart: :loco:

--- End quote ---

best get off the computer and into the workshop then!

vtsteam:
Afraid when I'm off the computer, I'm necessarily on the tractor now. Will try to sneak some experiments in if possible.

awemawson:
Sounds familiar Steve - seems I'm only in the workshop to mend something or make adaptors etc. Half way through another double run of stock fencing at the moment to allow me to plant another 70 metres of native species hedging at the back end of the year.

awemawson:
Here's the alloy that you should be shooting for Steve:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32886000

vtsteam:
Missed that one Andrew! :beer:

I took a break after attacking a really tough stump with the Ford (and axe when I couldn't cut through some of the more hidden roots with the backhoe) and cast another piece for the lathe. This time in aluminum, because it isn't heavily loaded, but does mount the stepper motor under the ways, and it always helps to give them a nice massive aluminum plate as a heat sink to mout on.

And since I'd made some aluminum/copper alloy, I decided I might as well use that. Turned out I didn't quite have enough for the part plus sprue plus a little extra, and needed another 8 oz.

Good excuse to try another experiment in dissolving the copper in aluminum.

Last time I tried to melt the copper first, and got it and the crucibe red hot before giving up and adding small amounst of aluminum letting them melt and adding more until the full charge was in the crucible. I'd flattened the copper tubing and rolled it up to reduce oxidation when I was hoping to melt it.

This time I just tossed the piece of copper tubing into the bottom of the pot (no flattening or bending), and filled up the crucible with aluminum-copper alloy ingots plus the half 6061 and half piston aluminum to make up the 8 oz additional  I thought I'd need. This was done cold,, then placed in the furnace.

There was no problem dissolving the copper at all, though I did notice that the 6061 took longer to melt than any of the other aluminum.

I didn't stir, except just before pouring to check for any undissolved copper and to skim the dross. There was no copper tube left, and little dross. The pour went normally.

So it looks to me like:

Aluminum will readily dissolve 3/8" copper tubing without stirring, and without preheating the copper. This melt took half the time of the first one.

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