So I finally got around to working on my foundry some 5 years afterward-took me a long time to finish projects and get them out of the way and be able to do this.
When I first started mixing refractory I miscalculated the moisture needed and rammed it in very wet it sat for 7 days before i pulled the form out. Lets just say it was evident that starting over was a good idea, but it was messy. I started a lid assist but i havent finished it yet, the cam action got me stumped for awhile
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It all started with an old propane cylinder that I found out the desert that had been shot up so it was empty plus a few slugs and holes and dents. That was less than fun to repair but it all worked out. A liquid axe was used to make holes for a drain, air hole, and vent hole. For the air blast inlet I used a short piece of small diameter fence post which was also found in the desert and that was welded in place.
Handles are old exhaust clamps U bolts with the nuts, I know I threw it out probably 13 years ago to rust-its a habit. Refractory is the one suggested in Gingery's first book with perlite mixed in I forget the mixture I used but refractory specific clay was ungodly expensive. It was fired a week after ramming the lining in, I got it up to an orange flame and called it quits, the next day, a look at the lining showed no visible cracks and no blow outs. Firing the lid was a chore it was done outside in a pit for 4 hours with an hair dryer and EMT tubing which melted in the hot fire. I subsequently burned my first riddle after poking a long wire thru my finger that had broken loose from the grid.
the sides of my fire pit are covered to keep the flying debris at bay, I cut a truck bed for scrap and kept the one piece the other is from a range oven hood that I used to keep the rain off the fire the first night.
Every thing else was added after firing, the lid assist, vent tube, followed by a dedicated air tube and wiring in a dimmer switch for the hair dryer and weather proofing it all since it sits outside. Air tube will be press fit with a bolt securing it so it doesn't come out unless I want it to, haven't figured out how to add a diversion gate yet, not sure I need one unless the dimmer switch fails and I need to add one then.
For the lawn mower deck the only thing I did was reuse a bicycle fork for 2 front mounts and another bar of steel that was also found in the desert, come to think of it most of the stuff I used to build this thing was either found, given to me or removed from one my companies rental houses.
I found the stool at the road a few nights ago, needs a cover but the cushion is fine my butt will like that instead of the lawn chair.
I found (at the local welding supply shop) some 4" thin wall pipe for crucibles and cut out 2) 1/4" plate for bottoms and burned those on, next was lifting lugs and yet to be added is an eye for pouring and a spout of sort.
Not done yet though, still working on flasks, riddle and other things.
