The Shop > Metal Stuff
Charcoal Foundry - Few questions before I start
Artie:
Looks like you use your foundry in the shed with just the doors open, is it that clean you can do that?
Laughing as I type this..... NOT ON CHARCOAL ITS NOT! But yes on gas, as long as you have a decent ventilation you can do it indoors, its very clean. :thumbup:
guerd87:
My arm is hurting..you've twisted it pretty hard ^_^
I guess gas will be the way then, I didnt think it would last anywhere near that long. Not much benefit over charcoal, same here with local prices.
About suppliers, Do you know anywhere I could get the correct sand? Seems to be the hardest thing to find.
I visit Shepparton fairly often and wouldnt mind making a day trip out to Griffith, I think im going to be heading up there in around a month. I could contact you before hand to see if your going to be doing a session in that time frame. Even if I have mine setup by then Id still like to meet someone in the game and learn some things from them. So yes, would appreciate it alot and thank you for the offer.
Do you have a picture of your whole setup including the gas tank? Would give me a good idea of the complete size.
Thanks for all your help, looking forward to it even more now :D
Cheers
John
Artie:
Sand.... wow.... you could debate that one all day.
I have a mate in Bathurst (Hi Tel) who uses coarse brickies sand which is available everywhere and he gets very good results from it. I use very fine screened river sand from my local gardening soil man and that works well also. Fresh supplies pic here, last for ages... cost about 6 or 7 bucks.
Purists will tell you you 'need' silica sand... well, Im no purist..... get what you can, in my opinion as fine as you can and as clean as you can.
The real problem you are going to have is finding Bentonite clay (assuming you arent going the Petro way).
I had heard in past that its used in stock feed, and I must say I dismissed that rumour...... and chased a supply for ages... Tel from Bathurst had found me a supplier and was waiting for a reason to travel to the town that sells the stuff, then he found it at his local CRT (Combined Rural Traders) as a stock feed suppliment.... guess I shouldnt have dismissed THAT particular rumour...
Try that avenue, cost about $50 bucks for a 20kg bag which will last me a lifetime. Prior to that I was grinding up kitty litter. By hand. Slowly. Painfully.
guerd87:
I will need to do a bit more research on the subject of sand then. What percentage of Bentonite clay do you add to the sand?
I have seen a few methods just browsing around. One of them is to mull the sand with oil, the other is to just dampen it down with water until it holds it shape, which seems alot easier.
Clay similar to this? http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Bentonite-clay-superfine-imported-highest-quality-500g-/250650360110?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3a5becf92e
Depends on how much you need for 20kg of sand, I will experiment with it when the time comes.
Artie:
The ratio depends a bit on the sand... typically around 10 to 15% but experiment is the only way. I used to use the oil/sand but mulling by hand was a problem and it can be messy when working it.
Unless you are doing rudimentary shapes in an open mold, then just watered sand wont work. On youtube there heaps of vids about using it. Have a look and you will see why.
Some guys swear by the green sand and others by the petro. Its up to the individual. Ive used both and prefer the green sand (with the clay).
If you need about 10kg of sand to do a pour, a clay mix of 15% means 1.5kg of clay, thats $60 of that stuff (x 3 plus freight), the 20kg for $50 sounds a better bet. Thats why I chased this stuff up so hard.
Im off work today...woke up with back in spasm... thats why I can deal with this now.... in case you were wondering why I wasnt out earning.... :( :lol:
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