Author Topic: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)  (Read 19943 times)

Rob.Wilson

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Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« on: August 31, 2010, 05:03:43 PM »
Hi Lads  :wave:

One thing has always bugged me about my foundry set up and that was the moulding flasks made form wood ,, they burn when you spill molten metal on them  ::) , warp and generally fall to bits after a wile ,,,,,,,,,, so time for some steel flasks  :) ,, last week i had eight  lengths of 1/8" x 4"  steel given ,, all about 110" long ,,,,,,, just the job me thinks to make some flasks from .

Then i thought i need a bead up the lengths of steel ,so that the sand would grip to ,  as this it a one off job i knocked up a ruff and ready press tool from bit of off cuts .



dragged my shop built press into the middle of the shop and fed the lengths of steel through the press 6" at a time



When all were done ,, they were cut into 65" lengths , then all the off cuts were welded together and cut to 65" ,, this gave me enough for 6 set of flasks 12"x16".
next came the bending ,, so i removed the large vice from my welding bench and tac welded 4 lengths of round bar to it ,  for the bending jig .

The lengths were then bent round the jig ,heating the bends with oxy gear






Then after they were all bent up , the over lap was trimmed off and welded up


Due to the welding and bending they had a bit of a warp in them .

easy fix , stuck a shim under the one of the high corners , this is to allow for the bit spring back ,

plonk a bit weight on the offending corners , and heat the other to .




Next was to make sure they are truly flat , as some metal on the corners get raised due to hammering on the bends , a bit grinding took care of that using one of my ally core plates as a reference.
 


Then they were paired up ,cos they aint all the same ,,,,,,,,,,, the ones i did with a hangover are slightly different  :doh:


Handel's and pins to follow

Rob
 




« Last Edit: August 31, 2010, 05:55:48 PM by Rob.Wilson »

Offline Bluechip

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2010, 06:44:56 PM »
Strewth ....

You ain't half into grunty stuff ...  :bugeye:

Must cost a fortune in Weetabix ...

Ah well, back to me bit of 1/8" ally .... 

If I can manage it ..

Dave BC



 
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Offline dsquire

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2010, 08:43:31 PM »
Rob

When you get serious you don't mess around do you? Those flasks should last you a life time as well as pay for themselves in short order. Great job Rob and thanks for sharing it with us.  :ddb: :ddb: :ddb:

Cheers  :beer:

Don

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Offline sbwhart

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2010, 01:36:10 AM »
Give that lad a coconut

 :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:


Great bit of bashing Rob.

Stew
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Offline Gerhard Olivier

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2010, 06:25:33 AM »
Rob every time I think ive seen the extent of your talents you amaze me again!!!!!!
 :bow: :bow::bow:

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Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2010, 06:47:05 AM »
Those look very nice!!!
Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline Stilldrillin

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2010, 10:27:59 AM »
 :bow: :bow: Some nice pieces of serious metal bashing there Rob!  :clap: :clap:

Will they be having flywheels in them?    :lol:

Very nicely done mate.....  :thumbup:

David D

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Offline Jasonb

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2010, 11:36:39 AM »
They look good, I'm surprised how well they bent without distorting the profile. Does this mean we will soon be seeing some more progress on the R&B?

Jason

Rob.Wilson

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2010, 11:37:40 AM »
Cheers lads  :beer: :beer: :beer:

Dave  BC,,,,,,,,,,, have to work off the Mc Donald's some how  :D

Don ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, i hope they are the last i have to make  :lol: :lol: ,,,,,,,, so do the neighbours  ::)

David D ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:  ,,,,,,,,,,,,, they will ,,,,,,,,,, pore lots in one go  :med:


Cheers Rob

Rob.Wilson

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2010, 11:46:11 AM »
Hi Jason  :thumbup:

Its fairly  easy to keep the profile  with  a bit of heat and patience  :med: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I have some fly wheels to cast first  :coffee: ,,,,,,,, then its   back to work on the Engine  :ddb: :ddb:

Cheers Rob

Offline fatal-exception

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2010, 04:07:16 PM »
Very interesting! Thanks for posting!  :bow:

Offline Dean W

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2010, 04:31:27 PM »
Nice pictorial and writing, Rob!  I didn't realize you had put the crease down the middle of these yourself
when I saw them the other day.  Smart guy, you are.

Quote
the ones i did with a hangover are slightly different

What's this??  Don't blame it on the hangover, buddy boy!  It all went down your gullet without
a problem, I'll bet.  You were a volunteer!   
 :lol:

I was a welder for years.  Sometimes the boss would be standing nearby when one of us raised our hood,
and he'd notice the excess sweat on someone's forehead.  He'd just look 'em in the eye and ask;
"Is this job getting in the way of your drinking time, bud?"  It meant, Go home tonight and get
a good nights sleep!

These things came out great, Rob.  You're a hard worker, hangover or not!

Dean
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Offline CallMeAl

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2010, 12:55:06 AM »
Wow!  Impressive work. Those look great and quality matches you wonderful work.  I'll just have be jealous and carry on with my burnt up wooden flasks... :(
I skin cats my own way!

Rob.Wilson

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #13 on: September 07, 2010, 05:05:03 PM »
Cheers Lads  :thumbup:
 

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:  Dean ,,,,,,,, nothing like a shift welding in a confined space ,,,,, to help remove the spirit form the sole  :lol: :lol: :lol:

Made the handles from some re-bar i had scrounged ,, nice and grippy ,, my #25 vice was just the job to use as a bending jig ,,,,, heat, bend , bash






Then the pins and handles were then  welded to the flasks , using the mark one eye ball and my least squished thumb to get them in ruffly the right place  ::)





They still need a bit of tweaking here and there ,,,,,,,,,, nowt to major ,,,,,,,,,,,, well that's another job off the list .


Well then you go on the net and see this    :doh:

Looking round the shop looks like i have the gear at hand to  make one  :D


Cheers for lookin Rob  :beer:




Offline Bluechip

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #14 on: September 07, 2010, 05:23:05 PM »
Gordon Bennet ... far too grunty for the likes of me ... :bow:

What's the yellow arrow for on the vice ??

Remind you which way to face when using it ???   :lol:

OK, back to PICs .... :scratch:

Dave BC
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Offline doubleboost

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #15 on: September 07, 2010, 05:26:43 PM »
I need to get some plus gas (oxygen plus acetyline) :) :) :) :) :)
Flasks look up to your usuall standard
John

Rob.Wilson

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #16 on: September 07, 2010, 05:50:31 PM »
Dave  :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:  it is  :lol: :lol:  ,,,,,,,,,, do you want a paint pen to mark up your steppers  :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D


John ,,,,,,you will need some more casting sand  ,,,to fill the one your getting  :lol: :lol: :lol:

Rob

Offline Bluechip

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #17 on: September 07, 2010, 06:55:20 PM »
Rob


That's most unkind   :(  :(  :(      I shall slink off to sulk now ...

You know me and steppers don't get on at the moment ...  :scratch:

Dave BC



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Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #18 on: September 07, 2010, 10:50:16 PM »
Some days are just crappy until you see threads like this... Seriously... makes me smile to see work like this. Then I get mad because I can't do it!!  :bang: :bang:

J/K   :lol: :lol: :lol:

Inspiration!

Eric
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Offline Dean W

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #19 on: September 07, 2010, 11:20:24 PM »
Neat finishing up job for this project, Rob.  They look 'lifetime usable' to me.  You'll be an old coot before you wear them out!
Good thread!

Dean
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Offline Stilldrillin

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #20 on: September 08, 2010, 02:29:16 AM »
Some days are just crappy until you see threads like this... Seriously... makes me smile to see work like this. Then I get mad because I can't do it!!  :bang: :bang:

J/K   :lol: :lol: :lol:

Inspiration!

Eric

Eric,
Yer right!  :thumbup:

Was feeling down, not had me breakfast yet....... Now, sitting here with a big admiring smile......  :D

Blummin' well done Rob!  :clap: :clap: :clap:

David D
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Still modifying bits of metal... Occasionally, making an improvement!

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #21 on: September 08, 2010, 10:44:59 AM »


Well then you go on the net and see this    :doh:

Looking round the shop looks like i have the gear at hand to  make one  :D


I was going to ask what the heck it is, then I saw the picture description... 3 burner forge? What would you use it for?

Eric
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Offline PTsideshow

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #22 on: September 08, 2010, 03:29:34 PM »
Very well done,they will do nicely for any thing that you will be able to think up to cast up!
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Rob.Wilson

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #23 on: September 08, 2010, 04:19:07 PM »
THANKS LADS  :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

Sorry Dave  :lol: :lol: :lol:


Hi Eric

Could be very handy around the shop ,especially if you don't have access to oxy gear ,cheaper, safer  and more efficient ,,Uses of the top of me heed , say  if you had a hard casting or lump of steel that needs annealing  so it could be machined ,the part could be heated up and left to cool down slowly  with a fire brick blocking the  hole in the front and rear  ,, or a  job that needed heating up for hardening ,,  ,,,,,,,,, stress revealing parts ,, or you may wish to bend a length of 1"x4" bar ,,,,,,,,, would have been handy  when i bent the handles up for the flasks ,, could have heated say 10 up at once,, bent one end ,, then stuck the other end in for heating ,
Its really just the modern version of the blacksmiths hearths .cleaner , and smaller .  Don't no about the vertical burners ,, good space saving idea though .

Cheers Rob  :thumbup: 


Offline Jasonb

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Re: Beating steel into submission (moulding flasks)
« Reply #24 on: September 08, 2010, 04:51:03 PM »
Would warm up a sausage roll a treat ::)

Jason