Thanks for all the advice on whether or not to use PayPay.  Many of you have
had good experiences using PayPal.  But after reading the posts by Jim Clary
and MASS (Charles Brooks), I've decided to NOT use PayPal.  You may wish to
take a look at the links provided in Jim and Charles' messages.  There are
enough horror stories to give me cold feet.

I'm cranking out copies of the casting video and will start shipping 3 Jan
02 in the order requests were received.  Es will be sent when your video is
shipped.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Best,  Jerry/foundryman1940/ in Missouri, USA
Custom Castings by Twaddell
foundryman@...
http://members.igateway.net/~jtwad/

It is not clear in Gingery's book, but does the steel for the burner
hole in the refractory stay in place or is it removed?
Thanks! - Ray in FLA

Ray
If you don't remove the steel first, the burner will remove it the hard way,
I think.
Mikey.

Ray,

I have purchased my high pressure regulator from www.cajunshoppe.com
for around $22 and change. I am pleased with it. They sell an American
and an import model. For reasons unknow to me I choose the import and
am very pleased with it.

--- In hobbicast@y..., Ray Brandes <rvb@r...> wrote:
> Someone posted a link to a supplier of propane regulators a while
back
> and I thought I bookmarked it, but now I can't find. Would that
person
> be so kind to re-post the link?
> Thanks!
> Ray in FLA

Terry,

After thinking about it for a while, I have the following
comments/suggestions.  First as you may know from other posts, Lyle and I
don't agree on the use of flux and degasser tablets.  He feels you don't
need them and judging from his web posts and different stuff I have to say
he certainly is one of the more knowledgeable people on hobbicast.  The fact
that he and Fred both say you don't need flux gave me reason to pause and
think.  However, I concluded that first, the flux may not be as important as
I thought it was, and second if you are not careful with how you use it, you
might do more harm than good.  My reason for still thinking flux can be good
if used correctly are as follows:

1.  There are sound technical reasons for it to work.  In this case I am
thinking of a cover flux that prevents the absorption of hydrogen.  Since
water is a product of combustion, any crucible furnace is going to have a
fair amount of superheated water vapor in it.  A cover flux will reduce the
amount of hydrogen absorbed, but a film of oxide will also reduce the
hydrogen if it isn't disturbed.

A flux that also does some cleaning may also be helpful.  Ideally our metal
is clean to begin with but for many of us who melt mainly scrap that isn't
always the real world.  What you don't want to do is a lot of stirring and
mixing, particularly mixing the flux into the melt.

2.  ALL of my technical books discuss flux at length and although to be
honest they never say you have to use it, they also never say that you don't
have to.  My interpretation is that they simply assume that you will use it.

3.  All of the commercial foundries I have been in used flux as least as far
as I can recall.  We use it at school.

4.  All of the foundry supply places sell it and so I cannot be the only one
who thinks it useful.

5. I almost always use it and have good results.  This is of course the same
argument Lyle uses and I admit it's the weakest.  The problem is what do we
mean by good results?  Few if any hobby casters are measuring the amount of
hydrogen absorbed, although it's easy to do.  Few if any hobby casters
measure the mechanical properties of their castings, such as hardness,
tensile strength, or elongation.  So what we mean by good is that the
castings are bright and clean, machine well, and don't have any obvious
porosity.

So,  I concluded that flux and degassing are a good thing if done well but
you can achieve acceptable results without it.  I still plan to use them,
although some day if time permits I might try a few experiments.

Having said all that, what about your problem?  First I am not sure it has
anything to do with flux.  I wonder if the larger casting is actually less
brittle than the small ones?  Since it's larger and stronger the fact that
it might be brittle would be hard to establish without some kind of test.
The poor surface finish on the small parts is something I want to think
about more.

Brittleness can come from many causes, but you might consider the following:

Brittleness and coarse grain structure are often caused by iron
contamination.  Over heating the melt could make this problem worse.

Magnesium contamination in aluminum- copper alloys will cause brittleness.

Iron, silicon, and copper will cause brittleness in aluminum-magnesium
alloys.

Hydrogen porosity can be invisible to the naked eye.  You might have a great
deal of micro porosity.  People often confuse shrinkage and porosity,
although they are really two different problems.  Hydrogen absorption is
very temperature dependent, another reason to avoid overheating.

So, my suggestions are to keep using flux and degas.  I would sprinkle the
cover flux over the melt and leave it alone until you are ready to pour.
Pour as cold as you can and not get misruns.  Degas by wrapping the degasser
in aluminum foil and then plunge it in using a tool like that described on
the BCS web site.  Skim the top of the melt and pour.  Try coating your
tools and crucible with a wash.  I have heard that a good wash can be made
from limestone ground very fine mixed with water and a little sodium
silicate.  I haven't used it but it might be worth a try if you don't want
to buy a wash.

Be careful what you melt.  Try to keep the melt all the same thing, that is
don't mix a lot of different kinds of scrap together.  Avoid remelting the
metal again and again, don't use too much material like sprues and risers
from previous castings.  Keep your scrap clean and dry, and preheat it
before it goes into the melt.

Above all, keep at it.  There are lots of little details that affect how
your castings come out, and they all matter.  Consider keeping a notebook
and taking notes on every pour.  In time you will learn what works best for
you.

Good Luck

Joe
----- Original Message -----
From: Terry Alexander <mercdogxx@...>
To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2001 11:33 PM
Subject: [hobbicast] different finish


> Hello All,
> I poured my bed (24"x1.5"x1.5" x.25" wall ), a handle and swivel base for
my
> Gingery lathe this morning.  The bed came out good with the finish I
> expected, the same all my parts have, but the other two (which were in a
> single flask) have a rougher finish, and are more brittle and weak.  While
> cutting off the runners I noticed how brittle they are, and the handle I
can
> break with my hands, and I've poured two or three of the same handle, and
> can't break them.  The runners, gates and spru spout were rough, but the
top
> of the spru was smoother.
> I poured all parts from one crucible fill (6lbs total Al), the bed then
the
> other two.  I use 90 mesh green sand, a steel crucible, 356 Aluminum, and
> use flux and degasser.
> I've posted a few pictures, not sure if you'll be able to see the
difference
> or not.  They're in the photos section under Terry's Albums->bed and
swivel
> castings.
> -Terry A
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:
> http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
>
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

Just another 2 cents from me to thank you for raising the
question and especially to Charles Brooks! Charles I had several
"PayPal warning sites" but not some of the GREAT ones on your
list. Thanks for making my list more complete! I believe that
PayPal is so mis-managed that the bubble will eventually burst.
That's what's happened to every company PayPal's owner has had.
PayPal is his last one. The fact that he is attempting to go
public may be a tip he is about to cash out.

Jim Clary

----- Original Message -----
From: "foundryman" <foundryman@...>
To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2002 4:45 AM
Subject: Re: [hobbicast] PayPal


> Thanks for all the advice on whether or not to use PayPay.
Many of you have
> had good experiences using PayPal.  But after reading the posts
by Jim Clary
> and MASS (Charles Brooks), I've decided to NOT use PayPal.  You
may wish to
> take a look at the links provided in Jim and Charles' messages.
There are
> enough horror stories to give me cold feet.
>
> I'm cranking out copies of the casting video and will start
shipping 3 Jan
> 02 in the order requests were received.  Es will be sent when
your video is
> shipped.
>
> HAPPY NEW YEAR
>
> Best,  Jerry/foundryman1940/ in Missouri, USA
> Custom Castings by Twaddell
> foundryman@...
> http://members.igateway.net/~jtwad/
>
>
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>

Scott,
             I have taken a photo of the soft starter and put a description
with it.  It can be viewed on my
Web Site on the foundry section under Muller.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/cmckeown/

Cheers
             Cameron


> I'm curious about this soft starter.  I have a Marathon 2 hp motor and the
> thing also kicks like a mule.  Sugar cubes didn't help either.  I found a
> brief description on your web page about a timer and resistor but is there
> more?
>
> Scott
> Denton TX
> http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/hite/

Rex Price <rprice@...>  put my new T-Rex burner in the mail
on Dec 28th. By Dec 31st when I got home, It was in the mailbox.!
Well packed, it came in a box along with  a one page sheet with tips for
setup and operation.  Everything was clean and nicely machined.

It only took a few minutes this morning to swing by the local Home Depot
and pick up an adaptor to hook up the burner.  I adjusted the Fisher
regulator I got from Jay Hayes to 5 pounds, lit up the burner and ran
through all the adjustments.  I slid the gas tube with it's Tweco tip in
and out, adjusted the choke, and slid the Stainless steel flare back and
forth looking for the sweet spot. It only took a few minutes to set it
up.  Very well behaved burner.

I wasn't set up to do a foundry run, so I popped it into the Forge.  Its a
piece of heavy wall pipe, lined with 3 inches of Kaowool.   It took just
about 6 minutes to get up to welding heat.  I bent the tip of a bar of mild
steel back and welded it to itself, leaving an open loop on the end. Quick
and easy. I think I'm going to like this burner.

For now, you can see this burner at hybridburners.com    I'll be taking
pictures later this week, when I hope to do a few castings, and I'll post
to my web site.

As I said in my last message, I started the New Year off right with a new
T-Rex Burner.  I spent most of the day building a molding bench and a
couple more flasks.

I built the molding bench around a plaster mixing tub,  17"x24".  I built a
frame into which it drops, mounted legs to the frame, and set it up so I
can either set rails across it, or a 5/8" thick  molding board that doubles
as a cat keeper outer!   This setup holds about 50 pounds of petrobond.  If
I get into doing a lot of casting I'll have to re-think this but for now
it'll do fine.  After all, I do live in an apartment!

Ray,

I used products by Wesco Refractories.  They manufacture it locally so it
was the easist and cheapest for me to get.  I have a spreadsheet on my
webpage I made to calculate the volume needed.  Since you are using a two
layer system it may work for you as well.  It has the product name, price,
weight, volume and other junk.  It is at:

http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/hite/downloads/refractorycalculator.xls


>From: Ray Brandes <rvb@...>
>Reply-To: hobbicast@yahoogroups.com
>To: hobbicast@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [hobbicast] Multilayer refactory?
>Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2001 05:15:34 -0600
>
>Scott,
>What is the name of stuff you used? I am looking at Kaocrete 3200 for
>$28/50lbs and 2000 at $18/50lbs.
>I will need two bags of each.
>-Ray
>

_________________________________________________________________
Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail.
http://www.hotmail.com

Jim Clary, Charles Brooks, all,

Thanks for the advice on PayPal.  It is obviously a bummer and on the way
out.  Do you have any recommendations on other pay by wire systems such as
Microsoft/Citibank's c2it?

Best,  Jerry/foundryman1940/ in Missouri, USA
Custom Castings by Twaddell
foundryman@...
http://members.igateway.net/~jtwad/

Jerry!

I've been using c2it for several months and although it is
probably the best service out there, signing up is so
frustrating, slow and difficult that it pisses people off. I'm
going to drop it for that reason. Internet buyers are impatient
people and won't put up with the hassle. I just got my own
merchant account and am now able to take credit cards on the net
directly in real time. That's how I solved the problem for me.

Jim Clary



----- Original Message -----
From: "foundryman" <foundryman@...>
To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2002 5:40 AM
Subject: Re: [hobbicast] Options to PayPal?


> Jim Clary, Charles Brooks, all,
>
> Thanks for the advice on PayPal.  It is obviously a bummer and
on the way
> out.  Do you have any recommendations on other pay by wire
systems such as
> Microsoft/Citibank's c2it?
>
> Best,  Jerry/foundryman1940/ in Missouri, USA
> Custom Castings by Twaddell
> foundryman@...
> http://members.igateway.net/~jtwad/
>
>
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>

I was wondering if any of you are currently using lost foam for your
castings? If so would you mind giving a description of your methods?
i.e. What type of foam/glue do you use, do you vibrate the sand to
pack it tighter? etc...

Also, do any of you have links to pics of lst foam castings done by
hobbyists?

Charles Brooks

So Michael,  you're doing foundry work in your apartment?????

Reminds me of a guy I knew who built an entire race car in his apartment
living room.  He had to take it out in pieces.  It was a single seat open
wheel SCCA racer, formula A (which was a few years ago)  Bet his landlord
loved him!

Joe H

----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Horgan <lughaid@...>
To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2002 8:16 PM
Subject: [hobbicast] Happy New Year


> As I said in my last message, I started the New Year off right with a new
> T-Rex Burner.  I spent most of the day building a molding bench and a
> couple more flasks.
>
> I built the molding bench around a plaster mixing tub,  17"x24".  I built
a
> frame into which it drops, mounted legs to the frame, and set it up so I
> can either set rails across it, or a 5/8" thick  molding board that
doubles
> as a cat keeper outer!   This setup holds about 50 pounds of petrobond.
If
> I get into doing a lot of casting I'll have to re-think this but for now
> it'll do fine.  After all, I do live in an apartment!
>
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

I'll be shipping the casting videos tomorrow morning to all open orders.  If
you have placed an order and don't receive a video in about five days,
please reorder.  My damn computer crashed while I was transferring Es to a
folder and it may have lost a few orders.

Best,  Jerry/foundryman1940/ in Missouri, USA
Custom Castings by Twaddell
foundryman@...
http://members.igateway.net/~jtwad/

Jerry
I don't know if I ordered one or not but I would like one.
My mailing address is:
Keith Kinney
8525 Greendale Drive
Evansville, IN 47711

Thanks.
Keith



At 02:40 PM 1/2/2002 -0600, you wrote:
>I'll be shipping the casting videos tomorrow morning to all open orders.  If
>you have placed an order and don't receive a video in about five days,
>please reorder.  My damn computer crashed while I was transferring Es to a
>folder and it may have lost a few orders.
>
>Best,  Jerry/foundryman1940/ in Missouri, USA
>Custom Castings by Twaddell
>foundryman@...
>http://members.igateway.net/~jtwad/
>
>
>
>Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
>http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
>The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found
>here:   http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
>It includes member project pages & links
>
>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Keith Kinney
Evansville, Indiana USA
Keith@...
WWW.HerculesEngines.com

To join the Hercules Engines e-mail list send an email to:
          HerculesEnginesGroup-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Charles,
Have you looked in the photo section?
http://www.ray-vin.com/casting/
Regards, Ray in FLA

daq_dude wrote:
>
> I was wondering if any of you are currently using lost foam for your
> castings? If so would you mind giving a description of your methods?
> i.e. What type of foam/glue do you use, do you vibrate the sand to
> pack it tighter? etc...
>
> Also, do any of you have links to pics of lst foam castings done by
> hobbyists?
>
> Charles Brooks
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:  
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

When I was still in high school I rebuilt a Ducatti 160 in my beadroom.
Cleaned parts with gasoline, used paint stripper and spray paint. I only
got caught when we were rolling the thing down the stairs when it was
all done!
Just keep a window open, work quietly, don't start any fires, pay-off
your brothers and sisters...
Ray in FLA

Joe and Betty Harralson wrote:
>
> So Michael,  you're doing foundry work in your apartment?????
>
> Reminds me of a guy I knew who built an entire race car in his apartment
> living room.  He had to take it out in pieces.  It was a single seat open
> wheel SCCA racer, formula A (which was a few years ago)  Bet his landlord
> loved him!
>
> Joe H

I think overheating is the biggest cause.  And fact the two molds were
different is because of the sizes, and how they were fed.  And as Joe
pointed out, without realing testing the parts I don't know how different
they really are.  Looking through my notes... and this pour's superheating
time was 2min. longer then other "good" pours.
Anyway thanks for the replies.  I'll try and to do experiments with usage of
flux and degass, it would be nice to have a better undersanding of what they
are or arn't doing for me.
-Terry A

_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com

Terry, I recall there were some earlier discussions on surface finish with
lots of good ideas about what causes rough finish.  You might want to go
back and check these out.

My muller is almost done.  I have tested it and there were a few problems
that I needed to fix.  It is now working very well.  I still need to make a
chute for the sand as it doesn't quite fall into the tub like I had
expected.  Painting will have to wait until it warms up/dries up around
here.  Almost constant rain for the last month.

Joe
----- Original Message -----
From: Terry Alexander <mercdogxx@...>
To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2002 1:09 PM
Subject: Re: [hobbicast] Re: different finish


> I think overheating is the biggest cause.  And fact the two molds were
> different is because of the sizes, and how they were fed.  And as Joe
> pointed out, without realing testing the parts I don't know how different
> they really are.  Looking through my notes... and this pour's superheating
> time was 2min. longer then other "good" pours.
> Anyway thanks for the replies.  I'll try and to do experiments with usage
of
> flux and degass, it would be nice to have a better undersanding of what
they
> are or arn't doing for me.
> -Terry A
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
>
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

Hi Jerry, I've taken to sending postal moneyorders via certified mail
with delivery verification. It costs an extra 3-5 dollars but well worth
the extra protection.

I would stay away from ANY of the services that aren't offered by a
legitimate bank even eBay's own service. Banks have to follow very
strict guidelines to protect both you and your money where these
financial service providers do not.

Charles Brooks




----- Original Message -----
From: foundryman <foundryman@...>
To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2002 8:40 AM
Subject: Re: [hobbicast] Options to PayPal?


> Jim Clary, Charles Brooks, all,
>
> Thanks for the advice on PayPal.  It is obviously a bummer and on the
way
> out.  Do you have any recommendations on other pay by wire systems
such as
> Microsoft/Citibank's c2it?
>
> Best,  Jerry/foundryman1940/ in Missouri, USA
> Custom Castings by Twaddell
> foundryman@...
> http://members.igateway.net/~jtwad/
>
>
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>

Shoot yeah, the pics on your page are the big reason I want to give it a
try!

Charles Brooks



----- Original Message -----
From: Ray Brandes <rvb@...>
To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2002 3:50 PM
Subject: [hobbicast] Re: foam at home is not lost!


> Charles,
> Have you looked in the photo section?
> http://www.ray-vin.com/casting/
> Regards, Ray in FLA
>
> daq_dude wrote:
> >
> > I was wondering if any of you are currently using lost foam for your
> > castings? If so would you mind giving a description of your methods?
> > i.e. What type of foam/glue do you use, do you vibrate the sand to
> > pack it tighter? etc...
> >
> > Also, do any of you have links to pics of lst foam castings done by
> > hobbyists?
> >
> > Charles Brooks
> >
> > Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> > http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
> >
> > The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> > It includes member project pages & links
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>

The thing that always seemed to work best for me was small, unmarked bills,
brown paper bag, Face directly east from Brown's culvert and go three
hundred yards into the woods. You will see a big dead Oak. Eighty paces to
the left of the oak is a hollow stump.....

Hey that sounds like the language used to describe my property in the
deed to my land!!!

Charles Brooks



----- Original Message -----
From: Dale Smith <mediasmith@...>
To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2002 6:05 PM
Subject: Re: [hobbicast] Options to PayPal?


> The thing that always seemed to work best for me was small, unmarked
bills,
> brown paper bag, Face directly east from Brown's culvert and go three
> hundred yards into the woods. You will see a big dead Oak. Eighty
paces to
> the left of the oak is a hollow stump.....
>
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>

Well, Charles what can I say? Thanks for the compliment! It is fairly
easy, but there is a learning curve.
I pour aluminum at 1375F and bronze at 2000F. Use a generous feed
system. If you try the loose sand route, just a little moisture in the
sand is said to keep it from falling in especally the sprue. In fact,
loose is better. Ramming sand on foam compresses the foam and you will
get a smaller part than your pattern.
As for patterns, did you look at my hot wire? I print my paper patterns
on card stock and cut them out. These get pinned to the foam and the
wire just guides along the edge of the paper. I use low temp glue gun to
join the foam. You will have cracks in the foam where pieces are joined.
You can use glue gun to fillet corners and tape to cover seams in flat
areas. Just about anything that burns is OK to use. Make sure there is
no water in your foam!
Regards, Ray in FLA

MASS wrote:
>
> Shoot yeah, the pics on your page are the big reason I want to give it a
> try!
>
> Charles Brooks
>

Is payable to "Custom Castings" ok? I also looked up your zip code as 63701

Doug Freeland

----- Original Message -----
From: "foundryman" <foundryman@...>
To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2001 3:39 PM
Subject: Re: [hobbicast] Metal Casting Video by Foundryman


> To all members:
>
> I just finished my promised video on metal casting and will start
> duplicating copies shortly.  The video runs over 1.5 hours and is in VHS
> format.  It is rated PG----I got frustrated at one point and said
> SHIT----grin!  Please don't expect a totally professional video.  I didn't
> hire a professional photographer and it gets a bit noisy in the casting
> segment with the roar of the furnace.
>
> Topics covered:  Intro of me and my son, disclaimer, recommended basic
> books, tools and use, molding, casting, and finishing.  As I had some tape
> left after covering  planned topics, I included some verbiage and video on
> patinas, lost wax, sand, alloy properties, etc.  The video is about how we
> cast metal and is intended to give ideas and a basic 'how to' for the
> inexperienced metal caster.  For the experienced caster, I think you will
> find some worthwhile ideas and hopefully benefit from some of our methods.
> For all, the video simply shows how we cast metal.  It is not the only way
> nor necessarily the best way.  It works for us!
>
> Apologies in advance to the non USA members.  I spoke in terms of USA
> archaic inches and pounds!!!!  I doubt that we will ever go metric.
>
> Many of you have already expressed interest in the video so now I need you
> to send me an E with your mailing address.  (my E mail address is hot
linked
> below)  The cost will be $25 US dollars plus shipping.  I'll ship first
> class unless you request otherwise.  I will send you an E with the bill on
> the day that I ship the video.  Payment will be due on receipt of the
video.
> Please pay by personal check or money order in US dollars.  I'm not
equipped
> to handle credit cards, but if needed I could join Pay Pal----does anyone
> have experience or recommendations regarding Pay Pal?
>
> After you have viewed the video, I would appreciate some feedback (good or
> bad) on Hobbicast.
>
> Best,  Jerry/foundryman1940/ in Missouri, USA
> Custom Castings by Twaddell
> foundryman@...
> http://members.igateway.net/~jtwad/
>
>
>
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

--- In hobbicast@y..., Michael Horgan <lughaid@e...> wrote:
> It only took a few minutes this morning to swing by the local Home
Depot
> and pick up an adaptor to hook up the burner.  I adjusted the
Fisher
> regulator I got from Jay Hayes to 5 pounds,
=========
I've been having bad luck with my(modified Reil-type) burner, in that
I don't have enough propane pressure....I couldn't find that Fisher
regulator anywhere, but I have ordered a regulator from Centaur
Forge, today.  Hope it's the right one, as they didn't know what
brand it was.

Who is Jay Hayes?  He have a business or website?

I've decided that huffing and flashbacks into the burner are a sign
of lean mixture/not enough propane flow...am I on the right track?

Thanks for the info about getting adaptors at Home Despots.

Tom
(operating on the patio in 8-12F weather probably didn't help the
propane pressure either)

Which refactory is better, Furance cement and pearlight mix or
fireclay and sand mix.
need to know for melting brass and AL.
Thanks,
George

He only uses the burner to cover up the ring of his anvil :o)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe and Betty Harralson" <jbharr@...>
To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2002 12:25 PM
Subject: Re: [hobbicast] Happy New Year


> So Michael,  you're doing foundry work in your apartment?????
>
> Reminds me of a guy I knew who built an entire race car in his apartment
> living room.  He had to take it out in pieces.  It was a single seat open
> wheel SCCA racer, formula A (which was a few years ago)  Bet his landlord
> loved him!
>
> Joe H
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Michael Horgan <lughaid@...>
> To: <hobbicast@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2002 8:16 PM
> Subject: [hobbicast] Happy New Year
>
>
> > As I said in my last message, I started the New Year off right with a
new
> > T-Rex Burner.  I spent most of the day building a molding bench and a
> > couple more flasks.
> >
> > I built the molding bench around a plaster mixing tub,  17"x24".  I
built
> a
> > frame into which it drops, mounted legs to the frame, and set it up so I
> > can either set rails across it, or a 5/8" thick  molding board that
> doubles
> > as a cat keeper outer!   This setup holds about 50 pounds of petrobond.
> If
> > I get into doing a lot of casting I'll have to re-think this but for now
> > it'll do fine.  After all, I do live in an apartment!
> >
> >
> > Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> > http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
> >
> > The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
> http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> > It includes member project pages & links
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
>
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

Tom,

I have a company, C. J. Products Inc., that manufacturers specialized equipment
for commercial
foundries, blacksmiths, and glass manufactures. We also offer an extensive line
of forge and foundry
building supplies as well as kits for the serious home builder.  I  will be glad
to email you our
price list if you contact me off list.

Jay Hayes


bummer462001 wrote:

> --- In hobbicast@y..., Michael Horgan <lughaid@e...> wrote:
> > It only took a few minutes this morning to swing by the local Home
> Depot
> > and pick up an adaptor to hook up the burner.  I adjusted the
> Fisher
> > regulator I got from Jay Hayes to 5 pounds,
> =========
> I've been having bad luck with my(modified Reil-type) burner, in that
> I don't have enough propane pressure....I couldn't find that Fisher
> regulator anywhere, but I have ordered a regulator from Centaur
> Forge, today.  Hope it's the right one, as they didn't know what
> brand it was.
>
> Who is Jay Hayes?  He have a business or website?
>
> I've decided that huffing and flashbacks into the burner are a sign
> of lean mixture/not enough propane flow...am I on the right track?
>
> Thanks for the info about getting adaptors at Home Despots.
>
> Tom
> (operating on the patio in 8-12F weather probably didn't help the
> propane pressure either)
>
> Please visit our sponsor: Budget Casting Supply
> http://budgetcastingsupply.com/
>
> The Home Foundrymen's Association website may be found here:  
http://members.nbci.com/HWilkinson/
> It includes member project pages & links
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> hobbicast-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/