TheBackShed.com

Forum Index : Other Stuff : Casting Aluminium

Author

Message

grub
Senior Member

Joined: 27/11/2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 169

Posted: 09:12pm 07 Feb 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

How difficult would it be for a DIY'er to make their own aluminium castings using scrap aluminium?
What things do they need to consider?

Tinker

Guru

Joined: 07/11/2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 1904

Posted: 01:58pm 08 Feb 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

grub said How difficult would it be for a DIY'er to make their own aluminium castings using scrap aluminium?
What things do they need to consider?

Its doable, I've done it BUT you need a proper furnace. Its much hotter than casting lead (twice as hot I think) and therefore more dangerous too.
My little furnace is just a 200 litre drum cut down to 2/3 size and lined with kiln bricks. The lid is also lined with kiln bricks.
The heat comes from a home made propane burner which sounds like a small jet engine when its going.

All the info is on the net, there are even home casting newsgroups where it may be better to ask this question.

With regard to using scrap aluminium - forget drink cans unless you have access to a 100ton press to convert them into a solid lump first - I used mostly electronic chassis bits and some extrusions. The result is a rather soft alloy, suitable for what I wanted but maybe not for what you want to cast. You need to separate the scrap bits carefully into their respective alloy composition if you want a predictable casting.

So, its not a simple job, even after you organised a furnace you need to consider whether its going to be wood molds in petro bond casting sand, lost foam casting or any other casting method.
You need proper protective clothing too.
I suggest you spend some time with Google and read up on the subject.

Klaus

grub
Senior Member

Joined: 27/11/2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 169

Posted: 07:43pm 08 Feb 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

So its not as easy as I imagined. Guess I will have to further research it. My supply is castings from washing machines, the Simpson Delta 10 and similar have a good supply of such castings.

allsinew

Newbie

Joined: 09/02/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 1

Posted: 09:08pm 08 Feb 2009

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Try this site...scary but intriguing
http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/index.html

"Necessity, who is the mother of invention."
Plato (427 BC - 347 BC)

Print this page

To reply to this topic, you need to log in.