So, I've done some learning since my first post about melting metals, and I was able to fund this project using the money I made from posting here. Thanks for the crypto currency all you Anarchists and Libertarians!
I was able to use GYFT to get some giftcards for home depot and amazon, and this is what I did with them.
This is the first post I made about this foundry:
I've found some great online references, did a whole lot of research, talked a lot to folks around town, and found a buddy who wanted in on the project.
Here's the results thus far:
This is the torch we made.
The supplies:
I found these cans on craigslist for super cheap. They're 16 gallon steel drums, which are somewhat hard to find, and when you do, people are trying to sell them for waaay too much. but I found this dude who sells them for 10 bucks each, and you have to pull around back and hide from his boss to buy them. GOOD DEAL! I bought two
I really wasn't a huge fan of using coal to heat the foundry, and saw a few different torch designs. We figured this would be an easy and effective option.
So we drilled a little hole in a cap that could fit over the end of this roofing torch thing.
And then I drilled and tapped some holes in a pipe so I could put some screws in it to hold the torch inside, while allowing plenty of air to get in there and make it hot.
It worked.
Then we got Kaowool, which is this nutty fiberglass insulator stuff. its suuuuper effective. It can withstand temperatures over 2000 degrees, while keeping the material on the other side from getting too hot.
Cutting a hole to accept the torch pipe:
Then we tested it.
I was so god damn hungover and completely out of it, I probably shouldn't have been fucking around with all this stuff, and I'm surprised the whole thing worked out and that I didn't get hurt or nothing.
But all the hair on my arm got burnt off. HAH!
I suffer from a form of chronic good luck. Where I almost never get injured, and generally the things I do seem to work out just fine, and good shit just falls right into my lap
Anyway, here's this. It worked.
Then we tried welding the pipe right too the barrel, but the metal walls were too thin, and the pipe was too thick, and even when we were testing it, the welds just burnt right through the barrel.
So we made a little stand to prop up the torch:
Then I coated the Kaowool with this refractory cement. Its like some clay type stuff thats also super heat resistant and helps keep the kaowool from degrading.
ON TO THE LID!
The supplies:
I cut out a small ring from the barrel, and drilled big ol holes all over it, cut up some steel rod, and ran it through.
COOOOOOOOOOOL!
Then I did the whole sand/plaster thing, and tossed some stainless scrubbies in there and used a coffee can for the vent hole.
4
All my roommates tell me to throw away all my old used coffee cans, and to stop collecting junk, but I've been using the hell out of them lately. A friend of mine called me a hoarder once, so now whenever I make good use of old "junk" I rub it in his face.
I LOVE not buying new disposable garbage, so it gives me great joy whenever I get to use all my old indispensable garbage. Like this damn coffee can.
I left it like this overnight to get it nice and dry.
Then this morning I got it outta there.
Goodbye old friend, you served me well Mr. Coffee can. I will always love you.
Next Step: Getting a crucible, making casting sand, and making some god forsaken Motorcycle parts!
Upvote for pt.2
I cant do it without all ya crypto!
Help me out!