Inside Britain's Oldest Running IRON FOUNDRY!!!

[@Mike__B]

Man that was a guy who didn't mess around, he seemed to be answering most questions before Alec finished asking them.

[@JosephMcPhail]

That's almost 40 years of experience.

[@abrenos3744]

that's why English are still impressive, their craftsman are amongst the best on the planet

[@Mtbambeno]

I would say he is a very busy guy that is used to answering questions from employees as well. He knows his business in more ways than one.

[@greymoonz1]

Yep, a show runned by 2 persons who got a incredible passion for their work... Damn that was enjoyable.

[@GlenStokes-w4u]

37 years buy then ur broke in, I know I've been in it for 38 years

[@jamsand3]

I love his passion, even 3 generations in you can see how much he lives for what he does. Also RIP his inbox after saying he needs more people to work in the foundry XD

[@eastcoastcastings]

Thank You 🇬🇧

[@sathos]

Haha one day of apprenticing will filter a lot of that - foundry is good, honest but really hot and hard work, I have every respect for these guys and the work they do!

[@DesertFernweh]

@@sathos for real. I have mad respect. Business that size you know they are averaging 12 hours days and those are hard hours. You have to be passionate and a little crazy. Still I wouldn't mind giving it a try. My middle age body might have some objections.

[@timhyatt9185]

it's definitely "blue collar work".....the kind of job you need a shower when you get home. but it's the kind of work that BUILDS things...it's a foundation trade that lets all the rest of industry do it's thing. Definately a job to be proud of. If the pay is decent, and all that, it would be a good trade to have...

[@Dr_Monitor]

Yeah, I'll work there if I can get a work visa to live and work in the UK.

[@swimspud]

Very cool, I bet these guys were stoked to have someone touring who actually knows a bit about their trade. Keep em coming!

[@rattymahatty8456]

It was nice to see some mutual appreciation.. 😃

[@lordsathariel4384]

my grandfather was a engineer for 50 years a bit more round about but when i was getting in to small scale casting and smithing he said most committed people he has worked with are foundry workers and smiths who make and repair tools like he knew a guy who would cast all the replacement parts and tools for his whole workplace which means he casted from what i can gather lathe parts standard handheld tools motor's and all sorts it's insane what some of these people can make I can cast a ring they can cast a goddam bottom half of a car and wind turbine it's a mad difference in scale gotta respect them cus if i make a mistake al burn a workshop down or myself if they do well danm i wouldn't wanna get touched by that 60kilo molten metal gotta have nerves for a job like that

[@MakeNCreate]

Amazing video! Would love to see more like this.

[@kacperp1036]

Yoo make and create my guy Love the stuff you make

[@AndiNewtonian]

Agreed!

[@Jamz306]

I could have easily have watched an hour long video of this place. Really fascinating! That guy really knew his stuff!

[@TomFerguson1]

Would love more Videos like this but he will split it up into a 10 video series 😆

[@goldcd]

Agreed. Seemed odd that a foundry would have instagram - but then I've been happily watching blacksmithing on youtube. I guess next week it'll be ship building on TikTok - I look forward to it.

[@alexgaskin8375]

If you're making a series out of this kind of thing, you should come and visit the John Taylor bell foundry in loughborough, working from the Loughborough site since 1859, its the oldest bell foundry that still operates to this day! They've cast some of the largest bells in the UK, inculding the 'Great Paul', the heaviest chruch bell in the UK. They also do a great tour of the site for general public! Would be good for them to get a bit more publicity as they’re having to restore some of the building as it’s started deteriorating, and as it’s a grade 2 building, it’s going to be a difficult and costly repair.

[@strafehelix]

well he said episode i'm sure they'll be more also vie been to the John Taylor Bell foundry Unfortunately didn't think of them until now for work experience

[@natsterjam]

Would love to see that! Sounds brilliant.

[@Ben-uj6qk]

I was just going to say that! I'm a bell ringer myself. It's clever how they do it with clay and a alloy of tin and bronze. Everything is also super size so the crucibles are massive, the furnaces are massive. They often cast bells over 300kg up to 3 tons to it's pretty big stuff!

[@joelaw728]

I live less that 2hr from Loughborough, definitely going to go there

[@markchisholm2657]

And of course even more famously the 'Hells Bell' for ACDC.

[@denniswhite166]

BIG Thank You to East Coast Casting Co. or allowing us to take a virtual tour of their facility.

[@eastcoastcastings]

Thank You

[@eastcoastcastings]

@@Press1for Your welcome’ Hopefully more to come 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@ToraKwai]

I'll bet Alec was also a very rewarding person to show around as he's just as keen. The passion and interest from both of them was so clear. Great to see two people so invested in their field

[@Jisbill98]

Thanks for coming to our foundry Alec, it was great to meet you.

[@Jisbill98]

@Yo ming That's my Dad. Very passionate about the industry :)

[@SoulDelSol]

@@Jisbill98 your dad seems like a good man! 👍

[@victoriaeads6126]

You guys have an amazing setup! If I lived in the UK I would absolutely ask to come visit. Maybe one day......

[@ARejectedInjuredHowlingLimping]

@@Jisbill98 start a channel. I subbed to your channels

[@AlumiTube]

Welcome to my workshop 😜

[@Hellsong89]

Not bad series really, going trough all the old school trades like casting etc and see how those have been modernized and what it takes. Really surprised they didnt have full protective gear, but guess they pre heat their molds and dont have problem with steam exploding molds.

[@LordGrift]

I love how Alec is kind of in front of the man showing him stuff and he's touching things and opening door and just barely able to contain himself. It's like he got his own golden ticket to Wanka's chocolate factory... Lucky bastard 🤤

[@timhyatt9185]

if you're blacksmith, there are few things you'dlikely find more interesting than foundry work. pile a bunch of different bits of metal, melt them down, then make something useful out of it; it really is almost like alchemy in a way.

[@alexanderreich9086]

This is a wonderful episode. My grandfather used to own a large tool and die shop in Wisconsin. This episode brings me back to my childhood. Metal has been in our blood for three generations. It is stuff like this that excites and motivates myself to continue the practice in the media I have come to respect and cherish. Thank you Mr. Steele

[@johnhobson9165]

Many years ago, I worked at a small foundry in Oshkosh. This video brought me right back there.

[@josephgarza8062]

Having metal in your blood has to be incredibly painful.

[@eastcoastcastings]

👍🏻🇬🇧

[@samuelmartin865]

As a Wisconsin born, third gen handcraft hobbyist, this comment brought me great joy.

[@meanderriver347]

Feels great seeing this stuff around, just about to finish college in a couple months and I'm on the lookout for jobs in the casting industry in Wisconsin/ Midwest. Sounds like I'm the fresh blood they're looking for to keep this amazing industry strong!

[@ryanbarlet1265]

I work at a aluminum foundry I’m showing my girlfriend this to show her what I do

[@archangelspythons]

I love the older guys enthusiasm even after 37 years doing it

[@jerod5636]

You want to see any crusty bastard on any job light up? Show a genuine interest in their work and an appreciation for what they do. It might take a while but in my experience they always come around, no matter the trade.

[@TheFriendOfLucifer]

Me: wonders why Alec visits a foundry Also me: Ah he's wanting a custom made anvil How long will it take for Alec to make a pattern and have it cast?

[@fredvanbuskirk7096]

Or maybe a vise

[@Broadpaw_Fox]

You must be sorta new here... He did the run of Alec Steele anvils last year. They sold out very quickly... 😀 **edited because autoderp** why it thought 'sorta' should have been "sleepy' I'll never know...

[@rx323bug]

36 part series 😂

[@hanelyp1]

@@fredvanbuskirk7096 An anvil with attached vice. :)

[@Bridgercraft]

Perhaps a UK based source of the Alec Steele Anvils? So those of us in the UK can actually buy them? Nudge nudge, wink wink.

[@McBeanTIO]

I'm not a tradesperson by any stretch of the imagination, nor a maker, but these videos are awesome!

[@Illure]

Hear hear You need to do more interview/visit of other people's business or shops. It's really cool to see people talk about their work and passion. You can tell the guy was really happy to talk to someone that is a business owner and works with metal.

[@Kris_Hagen]

I worked at an aluminium factory some years back. Made car parts for Mercedes, Ferrari, Rolls and others. I was in the sand core mold department, so unfortunately I never actually got to witness the pouring of the alu. Made the sand cores, sent them off to casting, got them back later in the day and put them in "The Vibrator" to shake out the sand before sending them off to grinding. Was hella work. Mad restecp to these lads!

[@YGPMBDD]

I pour metal for a living as well. Different alloys but I love seeing how other places melt and pour.

[@tyduschl5976]

This is one of the many reasons why I like watching your channel Alec. I am very interested in blacksmithing but I work in a foundry. I work at Charter Steel in the USA, we make high quality steel mostly for automotive, aircraft and more. Our mill does 60 tons an hour through the melting division.

[@garyevans5335]

Love it Love it Love it We need more of this. It's so desperately sad that we losing so much of these skills in the UK. East Coast casting are to be congratulated for getting new blood into the industry.

[@codyclaxton7271]

I feel the owner was excited cause Alec was able to have intelligent conversations about all situations and showings. This makes for good content, it shows the connections between two people that enjoy the same things, great video

[@matthewmartin5599]

A power factor correction unit is more about maintaining the power quality that they are pulling from the grid not about storing energy... this is needed to protect all their equipment and keep their grid safe

[@ShalomBrother]

It also saves a hell of a lot of money on the electric bill!

[@asdqwe4468]

It's about them having inductive loads. Industrial customers are usually charged for the reactive power they draw from the grid. Reactive power is necessary. In a way he's right in saying they store the energy. But it's stored for a short time. Because reactive power doesn't get converted to heat, it's flowing back and forth between the load and the grid during every cycle. To keep stress from the grid you add a capacitor bank (that's variable according to your load). This way the grid provides the real power while the reactive power oscillates between your capacitor and your inductor.

[@johnnycahill8283]

Sorry just posted above .ya pf is for the energy supplier as if they have poor pf then it costs the supplier more to produce it

[@bryanduchane2371]

Your hair is out of control!!

[@justincarpenter8866]

This is absolutely one of the coolest videos I've seen on your channel. I do I.T. work for an Iron mine in southern Utah, so its really cool to see how all the materials are mined from the ground, crushed into a powder and then shipped off by train to foundry's and refineries like this to be made into actual metal. (: Neat stuff!

[@goodluck2522]

I love how excited he got when Alec knew answers he didn't expect Alec to know lol

[@adrianreyes3864]

The guy seemed thrilled that Alec answered correctly on why is there a sand on the floor. Lol

[@frankierzucekjr]

Such a nice humble guy that's excited about what he does. Love it. You can tell he loves what he does. Very cool fellas

[@eastcoastcastings]

Thank You

[@martinsmith1447]

Been driving past this amazing place for 15 years and never new what an amazing place it was. Massive respect to them and Alec for showing it to the world!

[@eastcoastcastings]

Thank You 🇬🇧

[@flubber6667]

That is definitely one kick ass foundry it’s not very big and they do some really good work and like always you keep up the good work and stay safe love this video like to see more like the same👍👍🇺🇸

[@johankorff9461]

Foundries might be "old school", but where would we be without them... We often look past the starting point and focus on the end. Like Alec said, everybody drives a car, but nobody realizes the effort that goes into something like the casting, nor the machining...

[@Nonaps512]

Here from Tom Scott's channel. Here to help the algorithm. Love the content. Making a collaborative video brought me in.

[@haza7486]

Was waiting for them to make Alec a Anvil

[@ashleyking3961]

Or a vice. he did make a hit about the vice casting.

[@onyx8899]

"We work hard, we play hard." *Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) plays*

[@manythingslefttobuild]

Great tour Alec, thanks for sharing. Cool kettle bells in the back ground at 4:00.

[@anthonyhendrikx6175]

This type of compagnies makes Great Britain Great!!

[@forgotn42]

This was so dang cool! It's always incredible getting to watch someone who has been practicing a trade for decades talk about what they do, but my favorite thing was definitely how excited he got every time Alec figured out how/why something was done.

[@jamesdodson5554]

Need to get a tv show going, similar to dirty jobs but focused on makers! Make it happen man!

[@smev4341]

Promoting a British steel foundry, this is what built Britain in the industrial revolution, and now, it will rebuild Britain again. Thanks, great vid.

[@TomOConnor-BlobOpera]

Good traditional british engineering! Any chance of some Alec Steele Anvils cast and made in the UK? :D

[@Larry-325]

Alec awesome content. I understood the process before I watched this but didn’t know the process with the scale of production he is doing. Incredible! Real interesting 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 Jamie excellent camera work! Caught it all!

[@thommyvahasalo2879]

so cool to see people who know what they're doing. greetings from Sweden

[@chrisvos2721]

My high school had a foundry and have made many a thing or two. Made a brass billet and turned it into a cannon with a 3/8 bore that shot a steel ball bearing about 1/4 of a mile. Great fun!!!!!

[@je97ns59]

1. Thanks for keeping up the nice work

[@joshuagibson2520]

Giggity gay, but congrats.

[@SciNonFi]

no views/34 likes/10 comments yeah makes sense

[@jeff1176]

True craftsman in that company. Very few foundries left here in the US and probably in the world, except for maybe China.

[@robinvanlier]

Love how that guy just casually mentions the parts they make for Rolls Royce like it's no big deal

[@frankierzucekjr]

I would love to see some aluminum casting done. This stuff so interesting. I recently watched a guy and his son making anvils in Australia. It's just like this shop, and also family run

[@beautifulsmall]

Love the casting process, and its all here, waterglass and co2 moulds, pattern making, thats what my grandad did, , draft, sand on the floor, dont pour over bare concrete it can pop. de-gassing aluminium,What an amazing libary of patterns. . Lived near Keighley in W Yorkshire for a while, Metcalfe Castings cast my clock bob with type metal from a local scrapyard after my attempt split the mould, didn't weight it enough. That was a real pleasure to see around East Coast Castings, a UK company making high end precision parts. Wind turbine gear boxes ?

[@aeonsaix666]

It was great to see what some of us do as a hobby but on a mass industrial scale 👍👍

[@ractorc91]

I think that was Blacksheep's vice pattern! Only person I know who has stuff that large cast in the UK!

[@Uhthis]

That is so awesome, looking into the behind the scenes of such an old industry is an incredible opportunity!

[@bubmer]

Shout out

[@dancross1968]

Fascinating place! Dominic Chinea made a video here too, casting parts for his Ranalah wheeling machines

[@cluelesscleric]

Fascinating video! Nice one Alec.

[@chrisdconant85]

As someone who has worked in the iron foundry business for over a decade, it's always interesting to see other foundries. There are a few differences, but a lot of similarities in what we do. Keep up the good work!

[@mattc3152]

Where do you work?

[@HumanAction76]

They need a youtube channel. It would be amazing recruiting tool to show how awesome their field is.

[@cluelesscleric]

Definitely! I could easily watch a weekly show on the workings of this foundry. I love the way Chris casually dropped in, "that's a manifold for a Roll-Royce Phantom". So cool.

[@eastcoastcastings]

I’m on it & thanks for your kind words. Rgds, Chris

[@geek9642]

Like you say at the end, casting is ancient technology that's still used to make the latest technology...

[@TreasureFiend]

Great video guys, very interesting, I would love to get lost looking at all the old patterns! Hello from Chicago.

[@JackboMack]

Shop tours are so cool!! What other shops will Alec wind up in next?? 🤔😁

[@Sam_995]

You know it’s serious when it uses the power of a small village

[@joshuagibson2520]

Thank god for young men like Alec.

[@UkDave3856]

I'd rather thank his parents for doing a great job in raising him

[@joshuagibson2520]

@@UkDave3856 very good point.

[@BassMatt1972]

My Grandpa was a Master Mould Maker in Birmingham, during WW!!. He finished work then fought fires at night and rescued people from the Blitz.

[@christopherhatch5469]

Great video and what a tour guide! Loved his personality and obvious love for what he does. Pride in one’s work is a vanishing art.

[@eastcoastcastings]

Thank You 🙏🏻

[@bertboy13]

This was fantastic to see! Glad you went literally to the route of your craft

[@iwb70]

Extra points if you can spot Dominic's Ranalah.

[@lukasparo194]

A message to everyone. Go use your skills to make a business like this continue. You can be what the world needs.

[@terrancemiller8350]

East Coast Casting, thank you for introducing us, I enjoyed the video immensely, I do miss your old way videos but I realize you've become so busy.

[@rgoodwinau]

A fascinating, engaging walk through of a really interesting technology. Would certainly watch more like this.

[@pauldixon2305]

do more of these like way more... this is a show id watch on tv everyday.

[@scottpowell8426]

Awesome content! Didn't understand half of what they said, but it was all very cool! 😝😂

[@daveadams4128]

Great content, next place Sheffield Forgemasters for the really big forgings! You really sounded upper class on this one

[@dr0psy]

"who keeps track of..." "WE KNOW." that's how you know when a place runs like a top.

[@crusherbarny]

I work at british steels BOS plant at scunthorpe making 300T of steel at once and its mesmerising!

[@EMvanLoon]

Brings me back to my internship for my bachelor of materials engineering, just in a similar size foundry. Great to see the passion and craftsmanship going on there!

[@muHkUh2k6]

Do the different processing methods of metal have an impact on the materials properties? For example if you were to create a hammer from the same base material would there be a difference between milling, smithing and casting like the hardness, flexibility, durability of the final tool?

[@ammelr]

Yes. Quickly cooling hot steel makes it hard but also brittle, tempering it makes it tough. Hammered metals get work-hardened, and heating relieves those stresses. There are at least a few trees devoted to the subject. Not small ones, either!

[@tylerholleman1247]

Honestly probably my favorite video on your channel. The amount of living history there is incredible.

[@74G__]

Love the content Alec!!! Keep up the fantastic work!!

[@Robc509]

This foundry and that guy were both amazing! Great to still this is still going going on in Britain 🇬🇧

[@DanE-ew1yt]

I've been pouring metal for almost a decade now and still am taken aback by how mesmerizingly beautiful it can be. Seeing metal being poured should be on a lot of bucket lists.

[@benshallcross2677]

That was proper. A couple decent hard working chaps talking heavy engineering. Plus flying the flag for Norfolk. Well done

[@franki1990]

I enjoy your choice of words so much.

[@stephenrobertson1892]

Looking at the size of what they're able to do, anyone else think that you could get them to make you all the castings required to build a steam engine? (Ignoring the machining and fabricated components of course)

[@Monuments_to_Good_Intentions]

Looks like you are in the works to produce your own power hammer brand! 👊🏻😂 DO IT!

[@ashleyking3961]

That's cool🤩. Also nice to see the UK still made stuff wish we made more.

[@chrisphillips1130]

Don’t we all lol

[@dawsy20069]

The fact they do castings for Cosworth is incredible, They would only use the best of the best!

[@jcota2003]

Wait what... Cosworth V8 coolant passage core pattern... That's pretty awesome!

[@clivelamb4072]

They are actually for 4cyl Ford cosworth engines, I know the customer!

[@TheWolfster001]

Awesome video, looks like you got the talent to be a news caster, you got the interviewing down.. I very much enjoyed it..

[@abnormallynormal8823]

Damn, this was a really cool watch. I’d love to see you colab with them and do a start to finish casting where you get to take home the mold

[@michaelhearn3831]

What a great bloke and fantastic work place...

[@dipgrizzly25]

It's only 3 generations? You'd think with the age of Britain and the industrial revolution it would be way older...

[@eastcoastcastings]

I agree’ We now have my son’s leaning the trade which is 4th Gen. The foundry business is shrinking and we need more youth to get involved 🇬🇧👊🏼💪🏼

[@McA_1987]

I’m sure you have a lot more footage you should post a longer version this was really interesting

[@simonmorris4226]

I’m an engineer, my father was an engineer, my grandad was a stone mason and my great grandad was a farrier and blacksmith. Four generations of making stuff!

[@michaeltilly6208]

"Thats it"... Seems like a phrase I haven't heard to much but he sure did like to say it

[@victoriaeads6126]

This gentleman not only knows his STUFF, his well-earned family pride also shows clearly. I love learning about places like this. I truly hope that his descendants are still giving tours like this in another 100 or 200 years!

[@dakota-joel7590]

Really cool! Its incredible that the business is still going after all this time. I think he nailed it when he spoke on bringing younger people in to the business. Unfortunately we are truly part of a dying trade, however it also makes it that much more rewarding to teach younger people about metalworking. I think it is important that we try to pass on these skills in every way we can.

[@HDSalvage]

What an amazing company, he was also a lovely guy very knowledgeable and professional.

[@eastcoastcastings]

Thank You 🔥🇬🇧

[@TimothyHall13]

Oh yeah!!! Thanks Alec!!!

[@aquilaaudax6033]

✋🏼🇦🇺👍🏼 Liked, good to see the old trades and skills under a broad… spotlight..

[@jeff5597]

This is what I do for a living minus the iron... its cool to see inside a foundry on the other side of the pond.

[@Arsenic71]

This can't be the UK, it's not raining! Very interesting video, I wasn't aware that casting like that still takes place in Europe. I mean automatic casting, fine, but manually pouring metal.... I had no idea. Can't wait for the second part!

[@spamcannon5917]

Amazing foundry, I loved this tour. You sometimes forget we still have these fantastic skills in this country.

[@annacourter5744]

Yooo first!!! Love your stuff Alec!

[@georgemullens]

Really cool video Alec. Would be awesome to see you maybe see some more historical techniques?