The Craftmans Shop > New from Old
Resurrection of a CFEI 100 KVA Induction Furnace
awemawson:
So I tried the Plasma Cutter - just a trial to see how it went.
It has absolutely no problem cutting the required thicknesses, but I found visibility through a welding mask quite hard due to the huge amount of glare from the cut. Also I had to stop a few times and clean the consumables as presumably 'stuff' had lodged inside, also it was quite slow.
I had hoped to be able to use my Startrite "18V10" vertical bandsaw with a suitably coarse blade, however it seems that 18V8.5 would be a truer description as the throat is indeed 18 inches, but even stripping off the swarf blower assembly the greatest depth of cut that I can set it to is 8.5" unless I remove the upper blade guide, which would not be safe. - hmmph !
So it looks like it's the Plasma Cutter when the time comes.
kayzed1:
JCB bucket i think :dremel:
vtsteam:
Andrew, I would think either a big gas welding torch or a Sawzall would do the job After all, aluminum can be welded with a gas torch -- the only problem is it's easy to melt through! Neutral flame though, not oxidizing. The other benefit is no arc re, optical filter type.
I have softened aluminum automotive bell housings outside in a wood fire and broken them up with a hammer, but it's dangerous.
vtsteam:
Thinking about it.....I think the sawzall would be my go-to for those wheels or heating over an open fire and breaking up. That last would probably be the quickest for all 4 wheels, otherwise it's a lot of cuts no matter what tool you use.
What are you thinking of casting, btw? Project(s)?
awemawson:
Steve I agree about the Sawzall - I had intended to try my old one Sunday morning before I saw your post, but I got diverted onto other tasks. However this morning I dug it out, a cheap and cheerful copy branded 'Power Devil' (Screwfix I think) that I've had for at least 15 years, it has only seen occasional use as I always found it under powered.
Anyway this morning it got it's own back on me - I thought that it smelled a bit odd as I got it out of its case, and sure enough once plugged in and fired up it erupted it a shower of sparks terminally :bugeye: OK it was still crawling round but it's bin fodder - no point in even opening it up as it was always pretty useless !
So I've splashed out on a (hopefully decent ) Bosch GSA1100-E 1100W corded job due for delivery on Wednesday. Even if it doesn't work for this task it's a useful tool in the armoury !
I don't think gas cutting would be very good - cutting steel, the steel itself is the fuel and burns intensely in the oxygen as the steel has relatively poor thermal conduction whereas cutting aluminium alloy the thermal conduction is so high that the alloy can't be maintained at burning point. I'm sure it would melt it's way slowly through but not as a proper cut.
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