Aluminium Lost Foam Casting Experiments and Tips

[@bashkillswitch]

First off, just wanted to say good to see someone getting into skills like this at your age. I won't rehash all the other suggestions about lost wax and greensand casting as you've obviously been considering all that and good on you. I'm 31 now and have a charcoal fueled furnace I've used to cast multiple items in aluminum and done some forge work with. Gonna move to waste oil this summer with luck. I've been at casting and forging since I was 10 and helped my dad make jigs, sinkers, and ball bullets for shooting blackpowder using lead in a lee electric melt pot and I'm still learning new things. Would like to impart a little wisdom on the "why" of using formerly cast aluminum works better though. It's not that there's left over flux (though I suppose there might be some) but rather the actual differences in composition of the two major alloys of aluminum found in consumer products. Also, just because something has obvious cast markings does not necessarily mean it was made with the ideal alloy for your type of casting and this may be impacting your result to a certain extent, I'll get to the detail on that later. While both are eutectic alloys (meaning they have a clearly defined temperature at which they transition from solid to liquid phase) their physical properties in both the solid and liquid state differ somewhat. The first and more common is what you find in soda cans, siding, etc. It is often referred to as extrusion alloy. It's found in pretty much anything that is stamped, pressed, or die extruded. This aluminum is alloyed with a small percentage of copper. This makes it easier to use in those processes because it has a higher ductillity (the abillity to stretch and deform without breaking) it also transmits heat better than the other common alloy. However for casting it is less ideal because it has a slightly higher viscosity in liquid state, and I believe possibly surface tension as well. Heres the catch - those eletronics parts you've been using. They're likely injection molded, aka Die Cast. In electronics the thermodynamic properties are more important than wear resistance so they mold them for them in this alloy frequently (HDD's, heatsinks, supporting structures) because it transmits heat slightly better. Injection molding, much like it is done in the plastics industry combines aspects of both extrusion and casting though unlike die extrusion (not to be confused with die casting) it is carried out with liquid metal (theres also SSM which is a whole nother ball of wax that I'm not going to get into as it's largely impractical in anything but an industrial scale setup). The physically less desirable properties are overcome by the pressures at which the molten metal is introduced to the mold. The second and less common is what you'll find in products that are traditionally cast. Things like lawnmower engines, dutch ovens, some open frame motors, various other things. This alloy replaces the copper found in extrusion alloy with sillicon. This offers a much high wear resistance but at the cost of ductillity. This is what you should be looking for in order to get the best results, but it is not immediately identifiable by appearance as many items are die cast because of a better finish quality. If it's rough on the outside it likely is the second alloy but if it's smooth it might be either. The way to identify is in the lay name for this alloy - it's often called breakable aluminum. Therein lies the definitive test of what type of alloy you've got your hands on. Remember what I said about ductillity? This stuff has next to none. Give it a firm whack with a heavy hammer and you *might* bend a thinner piece somewhat maybe crack it slightly, or leave a mark in heavier pieces but there will be very little deformation to be seen, it'll be hard, almost enough to ring from the strike. Really haul on that hammer and the stuff is going to crack, bust or flat out shatter. If you can break the piece, then you've got the type you're looking for, if you can almost turn it into a metal pancake before it starts to split you got the first type. Sorry for the EXTREMELY long comment but as no one else here has brought it up I figured you might get some use out of the info and I like to be comprehensive about things. Keep at what you're doing, you'll eventually be a skilled craftsman if you put your mind to it.

[@MorganAustinC]

Just a few things that I learned was using a thicker foam might help with the wrinkles or dents in the cast. Ive never done this kind of stuff but I have poured several sockets for cables and we use zinc. So when we melt it down and take the slag off use like a spoon welded to a rod to scoop just the top layer off. It looked like you were going pretty deep and scooping up pure aluminum with slag. Or a coat hanger twisted in a circle works well too. Thanks for the video! I learn some cool stuff.

[@makerj101]

MorganAustinC Yeah I was probably mixing in a lot of air and wasting some aluminum when I got the slag off. I want to try zinc sometime. Thank you!

[@williamgazca963]

before I even finish this vid...thanks for taking the time to make this and share ..cheers!

[@ltjakekhan]

Thank you for including both imperial and metric units :)

[@aarondcmedia9585]

Keep experimenting, dude. Love your work. The final one looked brilliant, well done.

[@Biokemist-o3k]

That is really exciting!! I am going to start building my version of the Gingery machine shop equipment..Thanks for sharing. I know it was a long time ago but really awesome.

[@evanlambson7189]

im going to be casting some copper/aluminium soon AND YOUR VIDEO HELPED ME SO MUCH! Thanks!

[@Rich_ard]

Thanks for making these videos I am going to start playing with aluminum casting for fun sometime this year, mainly to cast some fire ant hills but I also want to make a stock for a very old .22 rifle of mine. Thanks again look forward to more experiments.

[@makerj101]

Richard Wheatley That would be cool! I want to cast an ant hill really bad but I couldn't find a good one this year! Thanks!

[@iiianydayiii]

You're off to a good start. I envy you on scoring that that little furnace. It's nice. I'd advise using drinking straws as vents as the foam produces a lot of gas. That should reduce your porosity/abnormalities. Also, you have your sprues attached so that the aluminum has to flow horizontally to fill the part. The aluminum "wants" to flow down vertically so you may have better luck with the part filling if you glue your sprues to run vertically along the plate with several in gates running to the part. Also, an empty soup can placed over the sprues. Pouring and filling those will give you head pressure and act as a syringe pushing the aluminum down through the mold. Be careful of the vents at this point though as sometimes aluminum wants to shoot out of them. I angle mine slightly so the shoot away from me. Once you get this down more, you might want to try using styrofoam insulation board. It works great and you can still use the cheap white stuff for sprues. Also, it helps to heat up a rod with a torch or something and use that to melt a hole down through your sprue. This helps to direct the aluminum flow (less resistance). Once poured, if your sprues were reasonably square, you can cut off any irregularities and then use them for stock. Good luck and good job on your pouring tools.

[@chipwright6193]

Wow, you are really sharp. I'm looking forward to doing similar things with my oven. My boss gave me a heat treat oven of the same brand that is about double the size. Three of the elements are burnt out in it and I'm working on making new elements for it. My elements are in the clay bricks as are yours which adds a bit of difficulty to replacing them. You have some really cool experiments!

[@makerj101]

Chip Wright Thank you! Yeah I was looking at mine and it does look like replacing the elements would be hard. Best of luck to you.

[@chipwright6193]

Thanks. The elements are not bad to take out of the oven. I looked at mine and made the hasty assumption that it was probably obsolete with no chance of finding replacement parts. The first thing I saw when I went on the Thermolyne site was a picture of an oven just like yours. They even have support! I still want to try making my own replacements for the fun of it. Element wire is pretty cheap.

[@makerj101]

Chip Wright Cool! That's good to know! That's good that the element wire it cheap. I actually have a bunch of heating element from a furnace. But I don't think it would work if I needed to replace the element in my furnace. It would probably melt. It makes nice high power resistors! Good luck!

[@chipwright6193]

Thanks. Yes, the resistance wire has to be able to tolerate high temperatures. I'm using 15 AWG Kanthal A1 resistance wire. It cost about $25 for 100ft. The length of the resistance wire is important. If the wire is too long then it will not get hot enough. If it is too short the wire will not last. They have good formulas to figure it out on some of the forums. My oven is 220V so the formula calls for 45-47 feet worth of wire per series circuit.

[@makerj101]

Chip Wright Sounds good. You could also probably measure the resistance with an ohm meter and decide the length that way. Although you would need to know how the resistance changes with the temperature... Anyway best of luck to you.

[@edheide7229]

Your very informative. I learned a lot for my own project. Thanks.

[@mike60510]

Glad to see you have upgraded your safety equipment and procedures.

[@makerj101]

Mike Choffin Yeah me too! Thanks!

[@allangaus9761]

Great video! Thanks for all the tips!

[@makerj101]

Allan Gaus Thank you!

[@MalonzeProductionsGaming]

Hi so is there a kind of glue i can use that is weak enough that the aluminum wont be stopped by it, but it'll hold the foam? Cause i ned thick pieces, then go to carve what shape i need.

[@rexczi6299]

Weapon Smith, Brynjar school glue

[@jasonqss2661]

You go young fella ! Out here being creative instead of glued to a gaming remote, great vid 👏🏾🔥💯

[@PVS3]

First off - Kudos to you for experimenting. Too many folks spend time on line arguing in theory instead of just trying things to see if they work. A thought - have you considered preheating the sand a bit to prevent the metal from solidifying too quickly?

[@jondoes8222]

From trial and error I have finally been able to cast bells. Largest so far is 14 inches wide. They ring pretty good.

[@sixdsix5028]

+Ron Delby Congrats, mate

[@rlewis1946]

Please tell use about the metal/alloy you have developed for your bell casting. Thanks, RL

[@jondoes8222]

Trial and error..I use to not weight the molds enough and have a stream of metal at my feet. I have found out that zinc is a good mix. It makes the metal ring better combined with aluminum. I developed a fool prof mold. Its called a sand trap mold. I invert the box and sit the lip part of the bell pattern over a tin wood panel or the like and trace the round part of the bottom of the bell pattern and cut it out with jigsaw. The panel will last awhile but burns on the edges. That's ok....When its used a lot I just replace it.

[@rogerguinn4619]

Ok, so this is old stuff, but I am impressed with your systematic approach to this. I hope it has paid off!

[@ckennedy73]

Flawed or not, I think you're on the right track. Great video.

[@makerj101]

Chris Kennedy Thank you!

[@ilikebatscowshatsandfatpeo7705]

Wow man, your amazing. This video is really informative, to me it seems like you put tons of effort into them. Keep up the good work dude!

[@NineToes821]

One way - that I've noticed from watching all these videos about casting - is that you need to use more packy sand (like green sand, or play sand with some oil in it to help it clump), then you need to use TWO holes; one to pour your metal into, and the other is a vent to allow the metal to flow all the way through the cast.

[@FlashinthePan82]

dude, you're my kind of nerd. love your videos!

[@makerj101]

Gunlover82 Thank you!

[@mopedman666]

That's true. Key chucks don't take sideways force like those found on mills and even dremels. I'll have to research this some more.

[@richlantz2864]

like the lost foam experiment very good stuff

[@joedogg707]

Pressure release vent bro. It allows the air inside to escape and the pour to completely fill void. Also if you put oil in the sand it packs better and keeps shape.

[@sanfordwood1803]

just thought id say great job, really enjoy your videos and def looking forward to more. keep up the good work. i love the test and trial video not something many people do and its awesome to watch the trial and error videos so people that are gonna try actually know. the king of random has some videos and uses a fire extinguisher bottom for his melting can

[@makerj101]

Michael Wood Thank you! Some people crisis me for wasting my time posting test or fail videos. But I feel it's more helpful in some ways because then people know what doesn't work. I'm glad you like it! :) I have two newer videos which I use a propane tank bottom for my crucible. It works great! Sadly I still don't have my casting down pat. I might try moistening the sand.

[@sanfordwood1803]

ive never tried it and i might never but your videos are def good and educational rather then people bulshitting and saying they know why things are done certain ways i love the fact you post the actual trial and error and tal about how certain things did work. screw anyone that says your wasting your time. i mean your doing it anyways and anyone wanting to try these things that watches your video may be able to acomplish more in less time knowing why certain things should be done they way they are, real good job buddy, props from eastern canada my friend. keep up the good work Eh! lol

[@makerj101]

Michael Wood Thank you! Huge encouragement. :) The weather is nice now! I gotta get back out there and do some more casting!

[@MawoDuffer]

This taught me a lot about the casting process and I might try it. I will say you could easily blacksmith as well.

[@wifal6874]

i am just starting to melt, and i learned alot from this, thanks!

[@nathanalaneller]

you have any videos using clay molds or wax models instead of foam?

[@makerj101]

nathanalaneller No, not yet. But I sure want to try that when I get the chance!

[@MrShagwell73]

Great videos! I have tried a little casting before. Id suggest moisten yr sand a bit. Also build up your sand funnel a bit more with moist sand,helps the pour and puts that much more pressure down your mold. Keep up the good work and keep up the videos!

[@liamfoxy]

I'm thinking about trying a lost foam aluminum sword cast myself for a summer project. I was wondering if anyone knows if the hilt an pommel can be cast in one piece with the blade or if they should be cast separately and affixed on later.

[@jstryker22]

You can also try utilizing a second post on the opposite side of the pouring post to try to vent the cavity and allow the molten AL to flow. Worth a try.

[@makerj101]

Josh and Lyndsey Thanks! I did try using a soda straw.

[@logannobles]

While different sprues/spriggots can sometimes help, I figured out what was really wrong with your castings, and you probably already know this by now, but I'll mention it. When the aluminum takes the form of the foam, it hits the play sand near instantly. If the sand is around room temperature-150 degrees Fahrenheit, then the aluminum solidifies against the sand very quickly. Most extreme hobbyist smelters heat their molds up first with a propane torch. I HIGHLY recommend heating your sand up before- hand. I do a lot of aluminum lost foam casting too, and just learned this. It's helped me a lot. Also, sprues that big and wide are a hassle and waste of metal if the sand is hot. Just get a little 1/3in. by 3" piece and you'll be fine depending on the piece. Have fun casting metal! It's stinking awesome that you got a free electric furnace!

[@zigzigzig]

Dude what a great video. Thank you for making this

[@TriangleStirling]

Very cool ! I really like your furnace! wish i had something like that. Also very nice ingots! I didn't heat the muffin tin, and it doesn't stick! I had some blue color on my ingots from the heat, but it definitely didn't stick. your ingots are a bit smoother though. Looking forward to the next video's!

[@makerj101]

Triangle_DIY Yeah I'm not sure! I read somewhere that you should heat them up so the rust so the aluminium does not stick. Sounds like it is not necessary. Thank you!

[@buzby1952]

Hi there, Great little set up, I'm an oldie with years in injection moulding and sand casting, a couple of tips, again as said from below get some casting sand and make some air vents it will work better keep on casting you’ve got an old head on young shoulders, nice buz

[@makerj101]

buzby Thank you! I'll see what I can do! I'll look for bentonite clay kitty litter to make some green sand.

[@DasEtwas]

Should you place some small styrofoam pillars in the corners to let the fumes be compressed there?

[@ThompsonJosh98]

Thank you for the educational video

[@Tableaux15]

Very impressive. Have you thought about using green sand. Might make it easier to cast. In any case, glad to see you experimenting.

[@makerj101]

Thank you! Yeah I tried to make green sand out of kitty litter and sand but it didn't work. Maybe i'll try again if I can find the right kind of kitty litter.

[@dadrules714]

Cool Dude ! I've always wanted to cast a brass snake head for my walking stick. I'm re-inspired off to carve some foam. thanks for the Vid

[@plnmech]

try a shorter sprrue with a larger cross section and place it centrally on the piece you want cast. in an irregular casting put the sprrue over the thickest part of the casting

[@makerj101]

John McKenna Thank you!

[@ryanyoak1017]

I was wondering if, to make the surface more smooth, you could say spray paint it to fill in the holes of the Styrofoam?

[@makerj101]

Hmm that might work. Some people suggested putting wax on the surface.

[@ryanyoak1017]

Makerj101 I wasn't sure, I am thinking about trying this stuff over the summer and it was the first idea that poped in my head to fix that problem.

[@makerj101]

Ryan Yoak That would be cool. I plan to do more once the weather gets nicer. Snow on the ground right now... This is just a thought, but spray paint my not melt at a low enough temperature to burn off fast enough. Not sure tho. Even wax might not work because it's a lot more dense than Styrofoam. Styrofoam is something like 98% air so when the metal hits it it basically turns into air which seeps through the sand. If you used wax it might cool the aluminum too much. I'd have to try it to know for sure. Thanks!

[@Darwinpasta]

The trouble with spray paint is that it tends to attack styrofoam. It's meant to chemically bond to the plastic, but when the plastic is mostly air, the paint attacks the surface something awful. Maybe, for a flat surface anyway, you could cover it with a sheet of paper to keep the sand out of the foam's pock marks?

[@makerj101]

Darwinpasta Never thought of that! Thanks! Paper is a good idea. I've seen people use masking tape before. Similar idea really.

[@r3l3v4nz]

Nice work. Learnt something new today. :) maybe try having the rectangular pieces at a slight downward angle from the sprue rather than flat. This might help the flow to the far corner... Be safe.

[@makerj101]

I didn't think of that! And it might help! Thank you! I'll be safe!

[@antho12345100]

Does it work same on wax with sand on it???

[@makerj101]

anthony swamy I don't think it would. But I've never tried it.

[@LeJalapenos]

Makerj101 There is someting called "lost wax method" as well. I don't know how it works.

[@blankdsk]

anthony swamy no it doesn't work with wax & sand. i've tried it a half a dozen different ways with wax & sand all unsuccessful. when you do lost wax , you use a plaster like stuff called investment. then you melt the wax out of the mold before casting. then with a spin caster, you do the casting

[@blankdsk]

i think your right it's to dense. because the high density foam doesn't seem to work neither

[@blankdsk]

Satan i haven't either, but i've watched a cpl peeps try it here on youtube and it doesn't melt away fast enough. In all my attempts with wax, the metal went solid as soon as it touched the wax. not only is it density but i think it has something to do with the gases the wax creates as well. with the high density foam it would at least start to fill the mold, it just didn't make it vary far.

[@miguelcastaneda7236]

on another u tube site they using a can also...melted through hit concrete....started poping from moisture..just wonder ing if old cast iron dutch oven would work for melting

[@coughdropderp8061]

Hey man just wanted to say as i am an amatuer blacksmith and for my casting i use crucibles made of graphite and i usually buy them off of ebay or amazon so good luck and good going

[@CruelCrusader90]

I think that loose sand is your worst enemy. Especially with the small imperfections. Add just enough moisture to make the sand clumpy. Also washing soda is a good degasser and will contribute to the quality of the finish casting. I could be wrong but i think the degassing chemical was sodium carbonate. I use oxyclean as a degasser and salt as a flux. U can add the flux ontop of the dross and it will pull more aluminum out. Above all thanks for the vid, that taperd edge of the insulation foam helped clear some similar questions for me. Good luck and happy casting :)

[@makerj101]

Cruel Crusader Thank you! I will try moistening the sand next time I cast! I will see about getting some washing soda and stuff like that.

[@alkischristoforou9899]

How did he stick the sprue and the styrofoam together? Would any of PVA, UHU tube glue or glue stick for glue gun be ok? Would any of these burn and evaporate when they come in contact with the molten aluminum? I know that the UHU tube glue causes slight damage to the styrofoam as it is a solvent and may cause worn out but I could still use it without damaging my piece. However I would like to know if it would work and if no what else could I use ? (I need a fast drying material)

[@torque63]

I watched a video where they poured a mixture 50/50 plaster of paris and playsand mixed up around the mold, allowed to harden the fired the dried mold in the kiln to burn up the insides before casting, they blew out the ashes with compressed air and then placed the plaster mold in a bed of sand to hold it together while pouring the molten aluminum. I think I wll try this method to make an aluminum intake for a single carb manifold for a motorcycle (or a fuel injected manifold).

[@bufordmcnairy8175]

Could you use maybe a old cast iron skillet as a crucible ?

[@makerj101]

***** Yeah you could differently do that. I'm not sure I could find one that would fit in my furnace though.

[@liamfoxy]

If you are going to try greensand, try looking for it at a local greenhouse nursery. The usually have it on hand as a way to loosen hard soil.

[@MrCryptler69]

Would having two sprues make a difference? Like air convection, the aluminum forced in has an outlet to flow out and that might fill some of those air pockets? Just wondering?

[@Rouverius]

Wow, really impressive stuff. I wonder vents on the outside of your mold would help.

[@makerj101]

Rouverius Thank you! Yeah I may try using some straws to let gasses out faster.

[@mr.dr.kaiser4912]

What exactly did you use for a crucible? It looked like a paint can or something.

[@makerj101]

Mr.Dr.Kaiser Just a normal soup can.

[@dc2008242]

Oh, it's a Kiln! No wonder why I didn't recognize it, I never thought about it being a kiln XD, nice video

[@makerj101]

dc2008242 Yeah Kilin! It says furnace right on the front. So IDK!!! Same thing I guess! Thank you!

[@makerj101]

dc2008242 Ahh so there is a difference! A kilin is normally loaded up with the items(glass, pottery, etc) then turned on and aloud to heat to the final temperature and then turned off and cooled before the items removed. A furnace is normally brought up to temperature and then the items inserted and removed when it is hot. So because a kilin only needs to be opened when cool it does not need to be as easy to open. So because this is so easy to open when hot it is technically a furnace. Thanks! I just learned something! :D

[@dc2008242]

Makerj101 I like how you say thanks to me for learning something when you taught it to yourself XD

[@makerj101]

dc2008242 Hahaha yeah I do that! =D Thanks!

[@ikasfabrika4754]

Great Video! You should try candle wax coating on the styrofoam and a cement or plaster dip to preserve the finish! I'm trying to set up a system for melting aluminum as well so far only have one video though haha keep it up!!

[@drewbransby4600]

Hay great improvement! I always used hi density foam. It is insulpink I got mine at homedepot in 2 foot by 2 foot by 1 inch boards.

[@makerj101]

Drew Bransby Yeah! It's great stuff! Thank you!

[@joshd8654]

hi i was wondering if greatstuff foam can work for lost foam casting

[@makerj101]

j05h man It might! I never tried it! Try it and see!

[@joshd8654]

Makerj101 i don't have a home foundry yet. if anyone could try this out and let me know if great-stuff works as lost foam or even better make a video that would be great an much appreciated. my plan is to make a mold out of wood, grease the mold and fill with great-stuff to get the foam in the shape i want then use the lost foam method to create my final product.

[@makerj101]

j05h man That is a great idea. I may just try that out next time I get the furnace out. I think we have a can of Great-stuff. I'll have to see. Thanks!

[@Slayer553826]

There's a lot of great research already out there for mold design for casting but some of the basics are that: 1) you want the spruce to freeze last (aka be the thickest) because that way as the metal shrinks while freezing, molten metal from the spruce will still flow and fill in the pockets (reduces the risk of porosity). 2) you need air vent holes. otherwise the air will become trapped and you will never get a full cast. 3) You need to use packed sand, otherwise as you can see in the video, the molten AL lifts and flows out instead of following the mold pattern. Look up a DIY recipe for green sand mix. Very cheap and will greatly improve your results.

[@RODALCO2007]

Great video, very informative. Never done casting myself but great to see you experimenting with different set ups.

[@makerj101]

RODALCO2007 Thank you! It's really fun!

[@eucalyptux]

is it possible to sand the cheap foam to smooth it ?

[@makerj101]

eucalyptux Yeah I guess you could. But I'm not really sure how much it would help because the hold are all though it. It's like Swiss cheese.

[@hopefuldave]

better to coat it with wax to fill the surface? (and wax-fillet the corners so a) the metal flows through better b) doesn't allow so many sand inclusions). The wax will burn off with the foam - I've tried this before I graduated to making wooden patterns for green sand moulds. The blue foam does give a much better result though, if you wax it it almost looks finished straight from the sand :D

[@makerj101]

Dave H Cool, I'll try wax! That sounds like it works really nice! Thanks!

[@MithradatesMegas]

There is also Greensand casting - not sure if you have done this already, but myfordboy has a great series of himself doing a ton of Greensand casts. Also, I'm going to be experimenting with some materials for making crucibles - if I were to make a nice one in the next couple of months, would you be adverse to me sending you one for your channel? Thanks for the videos, and keep up the Amazing Science!

[@makerj101]

Mithradates Megas Yeah I want to do green sand casting. I need bentonite clay. I've actually watched a ton of myfordboy! He's awesome! That would be awesome if you made me a crucible! Thank you!

[@makerj101]

***** Interesting! I never heard of that stuff before! And yeah a lot of kids just sit around and play videos games. I guess I'm a little different. Thank you!

[@Darwinpasta]

Makerj101 Very cool video! A friend and I are slowly amassing parts to build a propane-powered melting rig and it's great to watch someone else show how it's done. I picked up a 50lb bag of bentonite from a contractor's supply yard near where I live (they sell gas pipe and culverts and air ducts and stuff like that) and it was even pretty cheap IIRC.

[@makerj101]

Darwinpasta Sweet! Sounds like you got a good deal! Best wishes, keep experimenting

[@jdfish6969]

Thanks for sharing. I like your pouring handle. Skip the white foam, the finish is always rough. I know this was just a demo but when you do a real pour make sure you get as good a finish of the model as possible because it is a lot easier to shape foam than aluminum, You can improve the surface quality by coating your model with several coats of plaster of paris or dry wall mud before casting. Make sure it is good and dry before pouring. Depending on what you are casting, you may have to add additional vent risers to allow the metal to flow completely. Keep casting and sharing.

[@makerj101]

jdfish6969 Thank you! I will give that plaster method a try! And I will definitely not use the white Styrofoam anymore.

[@Metallocity]

what did you do to attatch the spure to the foam at the bottom? i tried hot glue and tape and both failed on me.

[@SteveCreasy]

Where did you get/how did you make your crucible lifter?

[@makerj101]

+Steve Creasy It's just a wooden broom stick with a steel rod inserted into the end. There is a piece of coat hanger with that goes through a hole in the steel rod and that catches on the bolt that sticks out of the crucible. Just something I came up with that actually works surprisingly well.

[@nathanalaneller]

I jut had an idea, I wanted to make aluminum coins in bulk. Would it be possible to mold foam coins & use your method to make them in bulk? How that process is done, I don't know yet.

[@makerj101]

+nathanalaneller IDK. Im sure there's a way. I really want to try this way of casting coins: www.instructables.com/id/Pewter-Cast-Coins-From-Laser-Cut-Molds/

[@Manuel_Z_Kayaks]

Sounds like something illegal to me! DON'T GET CAUGHT COMMITTING A FEDERAL CRIME!

[@nathanalaneller]

phartattack just making prop coins, like pirate treasure :)

[@Vandallheim]

Hey there, i really like your videos, they are pretty well done. I am looking forward to more casting with aluminum, but one tip, from caster to caster, if you sprinkle some water into the sand , the sand will stick to its form and wont collaple on your mold that you made with foam, so then you get a really well done cast!!

[@makerj101]

MOJANG LP I'm going to try wetting the sand a little on my next casting. Thank you!

[@aerobyrdable]

MOJANG LP Have you tried this? I've heard elsewhere that anything wet should be avoided like the plague when casting, due to rapid-even explosive- steam generation. I believe this is why they don't cast steel in concrete.

[@aerobyrdable]

MOJANG LP Have you tried this? I've heard elsewhere that anything wet should be avoided like the plague when casting, due to rapid-even explosive- steam generation. I believe this is why they don't cast steel in concrete.

[@Vandallheim]

When i mean sprinkle some water on sand, i mean "sprinkle" some water, i know that steam can build up pressure real quick with this molten metal, but only put some water in just enough to get the sand a little thick, not runny nor sandy, best thing to use to do it, a spray bottle, pour some sand in, sprinkle some water, pour some more then repeat the process.

[@jansefcik6770]

What are you using as flux, degasing the molt etc.? Thanks

[@mopedman666]

Kentucky, not sure if cast aluminum can be milled though

[@makerj101]

Brandon Brewer Yeah it can be. I might try milling some in my drill press some time! I guess I would have to ship it to you. Might be expensive.

[@mopedman666]

If you construct an X/Y table using threaded rods and block it would essentially convert a drill press into a mill. I have some end mills if you need some.

[@makerj101]

Brandon Brewer I would love to do that! It's a really good idea! The only problem is that drill presses are not made for milling things. I have tried machining some blocks of wood with router bits and using my drill press as a lath. After a couple minutes the chuck popes off! Drill press chucks are only held on with friction. I mean I guess I could glue it on... But I'd hate to do that because if I ever had to take it off... But I could make a nice drill press vise... Maybe even cast it out of aluminium. Thank you for the idea!

[@yarbles_]

So does the air in the foam just go thru the sand? Should there be chimneys for it?

[@floop_the_pigs2840]

Would a steel soup can work as a crucible for aluminium?

[@bodhemon]

I want to cast a sledge hammer out of aluminum for a costume, but I am worried that the foundry I am making and crucible will be too small for the size I want to make. Is it a impossible to do this if it would require two pours? my crucibles hold a about 750 mL and I think it will require two nearly full pours to fill the mold I am planning.

[@makerj101]

bodhemon Hmm... I've thought about that myself. If you are using the lost foam method with sand you will not be able to do two pours. The first pour will melt the Styrofoam and because there will be nothing holding the sand back it will cave in. If you make a mold out of plaster it's possible however the seem between the two pour will be very weak and probably not look very nice. One solution would be to make the hammer in two pieces and pour them separately and then attach them together.

[@bodhemon]

Makerj101 does this mean that I might have a cave-in even if I am able to fill in one pour? If the foam is vaporized nearly instantly but it takes a few seconds for the liquid aluminum to fill the void wouldn't there be a risk of cave-in? does size play any role in whether or not there is a cave-in?

[@makerj101]

bodhemon No, if you can fill the mold in one pour with no gasps then it is unlikely for a cave in. When the foam vaporizes the gasses seep through the sand and sort of temporarily glue the sand partials around the mold together. I'm not really sure how long the sand remains glued together like this for. I've cast about 10 things using lost foam and I've never really had a cave in. I've had the metal cool too much before it fully fills fine details but that's about it. I've also never tried pouring twice. So really all I can say is give it a try. This is new ground for me. Sorry I can't help more.

[@jwfordracing]

bodhemon You could do 2 pours but it would not turn out right nor look good. You want to pour in 1 pour and as fast as possible to reduce the possibility of the metal freezing off.

[@cookrileyw]

What type of foam are you using because some contains benzene which is deadly poison

[@trainfever1]

Did you try making a pour with the spruce in the center of the sheet of foam?

[@walterlevin2833]

What company is your kiln/furnace. I'm thinking of getting one. My mom is concerned about how old you are because she wants to compare to me to see if I can doo it. Thank you!

[@makerj101]

walter levin I'm 19. Well the exact model is: Sybron Thermolyne 10500 furnace. But I'm not sure that's going to help you because I don't think they make them any more. You don't have to go an fork over cash for a furnace. Have you seen The King of Randoms aluminium casting videos? He does it in a homemade foundry. Heck you can melt aluminum on a hot campfire. Best of luck to you.

[@paulwilliams2875]

Makerj101 would wax work as mold with Aluminium when casting in the way your casting can you tell me if you know at all i do not know any thing.

[@raypsi1]

you might want to try a riser that lets the foam and air out, the riser sort of like a second sprew

[@makerj101]

N8ZU Yeah I was thinking about trying that. Thank you!

[@moking1761]

Hi, I think you have some interesting results from your tests. If you can get rid of the inclusions then it's a goer. Unfortunately the inclusions are a result of gases produced from the hot metal on the poly foam. It might be possible to eliminate a lot of the gas by putting in about 10 vents from the bottom plate to the top of the sand so that the gases can escape. For this you will need good casting sand so that the vents will stay clear. Still a good experiment with lots of possibilities. Keep up the experiments. MoK

[@makerj101]

Thanks! I'm going to try some plastic straws for vents in my next castings.

[@williamgazca963]

I've seen suggestions here that state to dampen the top of your sand to "hold in place", but researcHing other vids (Grant Thompson myfordboy and others) it's stated to avoid moisture in your cans as it can explode violently, couldn't this occur when pouring into your top layer of sand? thanks again

[@joaoLucasProtocoloJ]

Great video, very usefull information. thanks

[@MarioJuggie]

pls i want to start casting but where would i find all this alluminum?

[@MaruAdventurer]

Good experiment. Observations -- * Temps are critical, especially for thin detail. * Head pressure on the pour is useful. However having really long sprues can lead to collapse and shorts. (has for me) A way around that is to use a shorter sprue and a metal can riser around the sprue. * Melt, remove, dredge for slag, flux, reheat to bring the temp up, then pour. I find it helps eliminate cold pours.

[@makerj101]

***** Thank you! I use some of these processes in my newer casting videos. What do you use for flux? Thank you!

[@MaruAdventurer]

Makerj101 Take a look here www.substech.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=fluxes_for_melting_aluminum&DokuWiki=3443c32a3e20a67f104528770d29d177#degassing_fluxes

[@shaadydog1]

Just wonderint here maybe fill the cheap foam imperfections with wax? Bore out the sprue and and somehow round the sprue into the actual form or at least use some small pieces to make a 45 degree entry so it can flow.

[@dwightgordon9354]

Just a thought, not sure if it's sound or not since I'm still in the researching phase of my project. It seems like from what I've seen, the sprue length is not so important. The vids of people making actual objects always point the foam original length-down rather than flat across like you are doing with your platform experiments, and they use short sprues with stellar results. I think that might possibly be the key, along with temperature.

[@makerj101]

Dwight Gordon Interesting. Thank you for the tips!

[@ldwithrow08]

Is there a size limit to lost foam? I'm thinking of casting a pair of 25 inch (a bit under a meter) bandsaw wheels this way.

[@makerj101]

+Lawrence Withrow I would not try something that big with lost foam. Especially since you will need two wheels. I would make a wooden pattern and then use green sand. It's a much more tried and true method and is a lot more reliable.

[@ldwithrow08]

Thanks.

[@unknownmass5077]

What did you put into the aluminum to de-gas it?

[@jasonclements1978]

Thanks for the upload

[@vicktorgunandar3726]

what was the foam that you use to replace the styrofoam ?? and what's the name of that powder you were adding to the molten aluminium ??

[@xXTheBroVentureXx]

what kind of kiln is it?

[@makerj101]

It's like for pottery and stuff like that.

[@andythompson3716]

how u get the ingot to pop out the muffin pan easy??

[@mopedman666]

Hey makerj, I have a small metal lathe. If you cast some aluminum dowels I could try to machine some parts.

[@makerj101]

Brandon Brewer That would be cool! Where do you live?

[@TriangleStirling]

What is was wondering, if you cast a nice big round block of aluminum, can you just machine it, does it machine like normal aluminium? Would be cool to machine a aluminum cooling block, or a crankshaft of some sort.

[@makerj101]

Triangle_DIY Well I did make a fly wheel but I didn't do any machining. I want to try machining some. I guess I could just stick it on the end of a motor. I've tried machining things in my drill press but it makes the chuck fall off!!!

[@TriangleStirling]

drill press isn't going to work that well i guess. Also, i heard a drill press has bearings for vertical pressure, and isn't meant to be used for such things. You can also fit router bits etc. in in it, but the sideways strain destroys the bearings i'm told. You could also save up for a lathe. There are small chinese lathes being sold, that are quite good enough for hobby purpose. Or you could ask someone in your neighborhood, for example someone with a small company?

[@makerj101]

Triangle_DIY Yeah that's totally possible. I've tried router bits in it! And yeah it makes the chuck pop off! :P Yeah I may get a lath eventually! Thank you!

[@sebterry8994]

Great video!

[@Flamingfurnace]

Cool video thanks for sharing.

[@Random-yj2tr]

I always use the cheap Styrofoam but I smooth the surface with sand paper so that there are no holes on the surface. Works awesome! Don't need the higher density stuff

[@makerj101]

Random123 I need to try sanding it. Makes a mess though...

[@RantingFury]

I've cast lead for twenty years, while it is a different material... The principles are the same. Pour extra material into the sprue to compensate for shrinkage as the metal cools in the mold. A cast iron lead pot for bullet casting is less that twenty dollars and not much bigger than a coffee cup, it will last a bit longer. Venting the mold to aid in pouring will help.

[@makerj101]

RantingFury Good to know! I use a propane tank in my latest videos. Thank you!

[@shalala4571]

What is slag made of?

[@asadssss1234]

TheMatrixBot I believe it's CaSiO3 so... part sand part limestone?

[@trippcostello937]

nice cast dude good job make more vids!!!

[@kikepalma2008]

Few hints: Use coarse salt to clean the molten aluminium, the sodium in it creates the chemical reaction to purify it. The sand mix you use i will not recommend, use red dirt, pack it when damp so it solidifies and helps the flow (smooth surface will create less drag) The vent hole is a perfect idea for long and skinny pieces, like those int he experiment. Cut the excess foam that stick out of the dirt or sand, that creates a barrier for a cleaner pour, make a funnel hole for more accuracy. Mixing oil with sand I will not recommend due to the flammability of it, water and dirt will do better. by the way, my father made a living out of aluminium foundry, we use to cast rotors, fans, for refrigeration and cases for street lighting, back on the 70s and 80s aluminium was the way to go. Using a electric melting device is not a bad idea, but if you want to go more pro, build your own melting furnace out of refracting bricks and sand, you can fuel it with recycled car oil, mixed with kerosene and a force air supply, ppl use a hair dryer, but i will get a shop vac or similar. Good video, really enjoyed the fact you tried different approaches to get the results you were looking for

[@TiTuwiyanKanWin]

your doing everything right, although i would suggest using dirt, good clean dirt and make sure its a bit moist so the rigidity will keep it from collapsing and also also to inscribe letters and other detail and show on the cast.

[@olq59]

Does this work with eva foam?

[@makerj101]

$afire Humm it might. You'd have to try it and find out as I have not tried it.