O/T Metal Casting

Hey everyone,

I"d like to teach myself how to cast metal (iron) so I can reproduce some obsolete parts I need. Do you all know of any good websites or books I can read up on?

Christos

You will have to become a wood pattern maker first.

You will have to make wood patterns and core boxes plus take into account the amount of shrink.

There is alot involved in this. You might do better to have someone make the patters for you and take them to a iron foundry.

Patters can be tuff because the shrink has to be figured into the size.

You might check your local or city college to see if they offer a course.

It's taken me twenty years to understand it all and how to do it.

Lindsay's books has a whole series of how to make foundries and cast, aluminum, iron as well as machine tool usage. You'll enjoy what they have to offer. Dave Gingery wrote many of these books. They also have reprints of vintage machine shop books.

I don't know of any sites, but I sure do wish you luck. Never know how these things might turn out if you get good at the craft. I knew a couple of brothers that had their own small foundry that grew over the years, nothing to stand the world on end, but grew over the years and kept their bills paid and them and their families fed and clothed. Took up a lot of their time, but they loved it. Gotta kind of be an artist to cause someone's gotta make them molds, and that's going to be you. You're going to be attending auctions too to pickup good used stuff like ovens, coolers, maybe forges, and a whole lot of stuff no different than an independent machine shop that builds over the years and hopefully generations. I've got friends, three generations in a machine shop they've built over the years, father, 5 sons, and now a couple of grandsons, and not to forget a couple of daughters and daughter-in-laws in the office. I don't know if you'll ever get rich, but when your day job starts getting in the way of making better money in your side job (foundry), then you'll have crossed the threshold into self employment, make it or break it of your own desire and free will. That'll be a great place for you to be too, if you're honest and good at what you do.

Much good luck, the best, and it has to start somewhere...from within.

Mark

See if there is a foundry in your area. They might let you see how they do it. We have one here in Wichita Falls and they go to several educational shows with examples.

I worked at a foundry while in college. Setting up a furnace to cast iron would be a big undertaking. An induction furnace or arc furnace would be out of the question. You may be able to build a cupala furnace. The furnace itself would be easy enough to build. I'm sure uou could buy the refractory to line it with. You would need a source for coke, propane and air to fire it with. Handeling molten iron would be a big pain without all the proper equipment. You would be way money ahead to have a small local foundry make a pattern from an origional part and have them cast it. The University of Northern Iowa has a foundry which may be of some help to you. I'd suggest you start with aluminum, brass or copper, they are a chinch compared to iron. Check out backyardmetalcasting.com

For books try Lindsay's Technical Books. He recommends getting a catalog but I believe you can get a feel from the website. Order something and you will get more catalogs.

I see backyard casting was mentioned and I haven't looked in while but he was interesting. He was always looking for a cheap solution.

RT
Lindsays Technical Books

Better get a job in a small foundry.I used to buy stove grates from a small foundry.When the foundry burned the clean air nuts stopped rebuilding be cause they used coke in the furnace.Many small foundrys were shut down because of this.Owner died a few years later.he told me about getting hot iron in his shoes, ears and nose even with protective gear.I saw a bit on tv about a chinese foundry.The fellow was running to molds with molten iron,wearing shorts and sandals.No OSHA there.