The Craftmans Shop > New from Old
Resurrection of a CFEI 100 KVA Induction Furnace
awemawson:
Yesterday I took delivery of five 8.5 kg ingots of pure aluminium from a re-cycler - the analyser agrees that it's LM0 99 % aluminium, and today I've taken delivery of four Range Rover wheels weighing 80 kg so I'm all right for feed stock for a while once I've worked out how to cut the wheels up.
But what IS the alloy in Range Rover wheels ? The analyser says LM25 or 9% silicon with just a trace (0.37%) of magnesium which is fine - it machines OK but can be tough on tooling - but by adding the pure aluminium and a bit of copper I can get a really useful range of alloys and properties.
mattinker:
Hi Andrew,
Very interesting to see the analysis of the Wheels! Cutting the wheels is a real problem. The last ones I did were quite small, so I was able to cut them using the Warco mechanical hacksaw, bolted down in place of the vice and for some bits a chop saw fitted with an Al blade. I have one of those RangeRover wheels waiting, they are big! A good method, which is not always very doable, is to heat them in a pit-fire until they are "hot short" you can then tear of bits with tongs. I haven't tried using a press, that way, they might end up a shape that is easy to saw! A bugger to clap down!
Cheers Matthew
awemawson:
I'm going to see if my Hypertherm 900 plasma cutter will do anything for me. It's specified to sever 7/8" mild steel and do proper cutting on 16 mm aluminium. I've only ever used it on mild steel, but I bought it from a ship yard in Wales many year ago where they used in on aluminium plate on a daily basis.
If I can cut the spokes off then slice the rim into sectors it may be the quickest way.
Alternatives are heat up in kiln until 'hot short' (energy intensive), Squash in 60 ton press (might get interesting as bits fly about). Squash in log splitter on tractor (same issues as the press) or wait for better weather and have a bonfire (metal contamination)
NormanV:
I have placed alloy wheels on top of a good wood bonfire and as they melt the metal runs out the bottom. I have no idea what it doe to the composition of the alloy but it does reduce the unmanageable wheels down to usable pieces that will fit into a crucible and can be remelted down, skimmed to get rid of the dross, and then cast into nice clean ingots. It's a bit of a faff but at the time my fuel was free.
mattinker:
Plasma cutter should work nicely, I haven't used mine much for Al seems to cut more ragged! Needles to say mask up and if possible cut out of doors! Vaporised Al is really nasty stuff!
Hot short and log splitter would be really good!!
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