DIY Vacuum Casting Set-up/Build, Modified.

This was the original video which gives a few more details on the pump used.
I’ve been using this vacuum casting set up and it’s been producing great results. The original failed when I the flask had a crack and molten bronze hit the aluminum.
The laser cut flange ring was purchased at
www.coremarkmetals.com
Steel pipe is expensive but I found this piece in their scrap metal bin. It was still $3.00 a lb
The pump is an 8cfm 2 stage vacuum pump.
It cost $160

[@tobhomott]

Big money saver compared to a factory made vacuum casting machine! Good job.

[@castingtechnology3338]

Just fantastic! I did use your furnace build, now I'll be borrowing your vacuum chamber build too.

[@cindylundgren1924]

Love this ... like that you are working safely!

[@JohnJones-oy3md]

6:12 - Mind blowing detail.

[@ralphmourik]

This is definitely something I want to get into now that I have been sand casting for a number of years. I'll be keeping an eye on your work. 👍👊

[@mevk1]

Did some two part plaster casting years ago -similar to sand casting. Love watching these videos. Kid's got skill, passion and determination - already producing many great bronzes here on KZbin. Agree, always a treat to see the next one. 👌

[@vicstansell1840]

love the videos keep up the amazing work. My first systems was a saw blade as the casting plate.

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

Oh that’s smart!

[@tribologist]

Clever with the silicone-weld combo! Thanks!!

[@bubbadoom1837]

This is the game changer I have been looking for. I've been thinking about getting a setup like Vegetable Oil Guy. They're spendy though. This is right up my alley.

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

Much cheaper this way. I am on my second pump though. So a recommendation would be to filter the air. A lot of smoke is produced and goes into the pump.

[@Laotzsa]

I almost dropped a grand on a vacuum caster until I found out all they are is basically a metal cube with a refrigerator pump inside. I get buying quality materials, but when something only costs a few hundred bucks to manufacture I don’t feel like it’s fair for me to buy for a x4 + markup. That’s the life of a jeweler though, anything for jewelry instantly has a higher markup, I mean look how cheap “ceramic” kilns are compared to “jewelry” burnout ovens. They do the exact same thing and either will work for the other; and one is half the cost.

[@samiam7]

Another great video brother 👍

[@matthewbaker2573]

inside the secondary protector, it's also a good idea to cut a small piece of mesh to cover the "exit hole" from the chamber it gives better protection from a build up tiny bits that can cause problems over time

[@larrykent196]

Great job, thanks for sharing. Cheers!

[@blaykjord6171]

You may friend have just saved me hundreds of dollars

[@Rdav1]

I know I've missed the train by this point, But If you want extra safety for the pump, if you put a wad of steel wool/sponge in your trap, it will let the vacuum pass unimpeded through it but if molten metal comes through at high velocity it catches it slows it and cools it rapidly, I used one of these in a pipe as a safeguard and it saved my ass quite a few times when I was first casting on a DIY vac table and had a lot of issues with blowouts,

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

I never thought of that. That sounds like a simple and effective solution! Thanks!

[@jamesgriffith1008]

Well, after watching your videos, I decided it was time to pull the trigger and buy some gear for lost wax casting. Got a lot of ideas, hopefully I'll be able to make a lot of cool stuff like you do

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

Glad to hear it! Don’t be afraid to fail!

[@jamesgriffith1008]

@@lundgrenbronzestudios that's probably exactly what I needed to hear, I'm definitely a little worried. Mostly because of my melting setup, I built it about as large as yours, with sand casting in mind. But with the vacuum caster I got, I'm going to be casting significantly smaller pieces, and I'm not sure if I should go for a smaller forge to match (don't particularly want to be holding such a massive crucible over the vacuum casting machine)

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

@@jamesgriffith1008 if you have the room for another furnace it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a smaller one. It’s more fuel efficient and heats up a lot faster, if all your doing is small melts.

[@jamesgriffith1008]

@@lundgrenbronzestudios yeah, that's kinda the way I was thinking. At this point, I only bought a little 3"x4" flask, since I'm just planning on doing little DnD mini type items, nothing too crazy (yet). The flask fits inside my crucible, with some room to spare, so it's definitely way overkill for the actual casting. But I did just get 40 pounds of free brass today (and have a line on another 100+), so maybe I should upscale my plans...

[@Nagas4]

Thanks alot!

[@tv3fy]

thanks a lot for this video

[@franklingomez5311]

You can use silicon bronze tig rod to join steel to aluminum

[@franklingomez5311]

Also, if you apply the sealant to the inside threads you'll get a better seal.

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

That’s good to know! I always learn things from people leaving comments.

[@franklingomez5311]

@@lundgrenbronzestudios love your videos!

[@martinkubinec3512]

hi, nice work. I see you have a vevor vacuum pump. what is the maximum negative pressure exactly? thank you

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

My gage only goes to -30 psi and it maxes that out so with a perfect seal I know it goes more but I’m not sure how much more.

[@NickMeisher]

Hi! What burner do you use? Any recommendations where I can buy a pre assembled one?

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

I bought mine on Amazon. A 1” stainless steel burner. Mine is a propane burner. Some people use waste oil or diesel burners which I’ve never used but I hear get hotter. But I’m really don’t know a lot about burners.

[@3bdlmjidchamakh996]

What is the role of this suction or vacuum machine in the work? Thank you

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

It pulls the metal into the small detailed areas and draws out any bubbles that may get trapped.

[@jonasneumann5915]

I think the reason you got liquid metal in your hose was, because the hose was attached at the bottom. Professional Casting systems (Kaya Cast) have the vacuum intake in the middle or upper part of the chamber.

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

You might be right. I would have put it higher if I had room to fit the fitting and the flask in the pipe.

[@blaykjord6171]

@@lundgrenbronzestudios this works as long as it works. If you do a v3 you could do this inside of another larger pipe. Might not even need to be steel since you would already have one steel wall. But might as well be steel.

[@joshlintula9457]

Nice

[@LeonardoAppItalia]

Great video, I like how you improved the project. Sorry for the question, but does the plaster have to be hot before casting or can it also be at room temperature?

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

It helps if it is hot. It allows the metal to stay liquid longer.

[@user-ny4ph3cm8e]

What is his job at work? Does it have anything to do with the results?

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

I’m a geologist

[@sarawatechnology7070]

Great vid, thanks! Where do you get the gaskets to seal the hot flask?

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

I use 100% silicone calk. Every time I try a gasket it just burns up and I just use calk each time now.

[@sarawatechnology7070]

@@lundgrenbronzestudios Thank you, that makes sense. We can get the red gasket silicone here, I assume that is what you are using. Thank you

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

I don’t even use the red silicone anymore. Just regular house calk is what I use now.

[@sarawatechnology7070]

@@lundgrenbronzestudios Wow! That's a lot cheaper, thank you

[@sarawatechnology7070]

@@lundgrenbronzestudios Wow! That's a lot cheaper. Thank you

[@somostodospereira]

Great video and great tips. I am trying to learn about metal vacuum cast and still don't get how vacuum works in the investment. Is the investment is porous and them the vacuum suck the air and help the metal goes down ? Greetings from Brazil.

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

Yep. Air flows through the investment and sucks the metal into the small places.

[@somostodospereira]

@@lundgrenbronzestudios thanks 😉👍

[@marcusboyd8197]

What kind of liquid silicone is that?

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

The red silicone is high temperature silicone found in automotive stores. But for the seal of the flask I’ve started using plain hardware store silicone. Nothing special about it.

[@tobuyornottobuy2319]

You need to have filter between pump and vacuum chamber. There are so much dust sucking the pump will be dead in no time.

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

Hmm. I never thought of that. Maybe that’s why my oil gets so dirty so fast.

[@tobuyornottobuy2319]

@@lundgrenbronzestudios I did my casting chamber myself as well. But I don't do big stuff like you, my flasks mostly are 4cm in diameter and 10-15 cm in height. I used just metal container for food drilled a hole and poured heat resistant silicone on top (firstly I put my flask in the hole so the silicone only fill up around it.). So I created something like neck for flask to put in. So far worked fine. Haven't burned or anything and I don't need to do nothing with lack of vacuum as everything sealed. But I don't use perforated ones, just pure solid pipes. Also when you use not perforated is better if you put some straws in the flask, so it will have like holes nearby walls, that's way the vacuum will be better as you increase the area for vacuum, I saw your flasks have barely any area for vacuum (I personally bent few 2mm rods in U shape and putting 3-5 rods on top when the plaster is filled and then when it is hard I remove them. It's U shape so that it can tightly hold to the wall of flask)

[@becabeeby8322]

​@@tobuyornottobuy2319 I'm curious about this... Not 100 sure what you mean though, can you explain a little more please?

[@pinokio514]

Hello, Lundgren, again =) I never melted metal, so my question and advice are based only on logic. At the 4:05 you say that the rubber melts and each time you smear a high -temperature sealant. Question: Will the sealant harden with time if you leave it for a day? If the answer is yes! Then why not try to print a large ring with a recess on a 3D printer, pour a sealant there and create a gasket for a vacuum pipe from it? p.s. I'm used goggle-translate, sorry.

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

It will harden but it will burn up each time I use it. So I replace the seal each time with new rubber. Now I don’t even use high temperature rubber. I use regular calk.

[@jackwilliamson1929]

Great video, speaking of money saving are you familiar with luckygen 1001 KZbin channel? If not check it out lots of great information on casting, he uses a waste oil burner but it works with diesel fuel much cheaper then propane. I see you splurged on a burn out kiln, I'm going into this business but plan to make my own on the cheap similar to the one shown on lunaburn studio KZbin channel anyway, keep the videos coming really enjoyed all of them.

[@jackfntwist]

1:04 That's what she said. 🤣

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

🤣 your the first one to go there.

[@heinzji4693]

真酷！

[@limebulls]

What do you think? Is this version better: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKeWpYyIabeCeNU or your version?

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

His is just a vacuum chamber here. That would need to be modified for casting. I wouldn’t want molten metal to spill on a plywood box or you would be looking at re building it. I think my design here is a lot more durable.

[@wowyummyyy]

👍👍👍 👍 👍👍👍 😻😻 😻 😻 😻😻 💯💯💯 💖 💖 👏👏👏👏

[@BengtRosini13]

More easier is kinda redundant.

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

Did I really say that? I never say that.