Is a $200 Forge Kit Worth It?

[@terradoncasting2248]

11:28 - Stuff some of the furnace glass fiber around the torch once installed to avoid all the heat escaping.

[@JustinTopp]

The refractory coating isn’t usually factory applied even on high end forges. To prevent it from breaking in shipping. Usually they send some product and instructions though

[@angrydragonslayer]

I have had a forge come with the refractory installed but it was hand-delivered by the company that made it (and at a price tag to justify delivery and install being baked into said price)

[@gregdawson1909]

liquids under pressure like propane, freon. or CO2, as long as there is a single ounce of liquid, the pressure only denotes the vapor pressure, not an indication of liquid remaining, you will see a drop while you are using it because the phase change cooling as the liquid propane boils off will cool the tank. if its a humid day you will see a frost / condensation line on the tank at the level (ish) of the liquid within. the only real value to a dual gauge regulator is it will tell you if you are over utilizing your propane source, IE drawing propane faster than it can boil off, small tank and cold weather you may experience this, but the pressure you see means nothing more than the temperature of the tank. better way to track usage is to weigh it before and after.

[@artisanmakes]

Yes, I did misread this, I believe its going to be more on an indicator in the pressure of the tank as the tank temperature drops. It probably wont be relevant to me unless I do a long casting session. Cheers

[@Ordog213]

I bought a Devil Forge witha n coupon from BigStacked, and it was about 216€. Even on thouse models you must apply the rigidizer yourself, but you get the powder with instructions in your set. The don´t Pre-Apply the coating because it can easyly crack while in transit ;)

[@beemergb]

Simple honest video but with all the right tips thank you

[@dunno6442]

In my experience if you just want to do a few melts and learn the hobby it is a good deal, but if you want to get into it properly it’s more cost effective to build one yourself with insulation fire bricks (few tutorials on here), I’ve used plaster of Paris, refractory cement and Kao wool foundry’s and everytime they start decaying after a few melts, if your serious I’d say fork up the cash and make one that’ll last instead wasting money like I have on cement and Kao wool repairing them.

[@RebelCowboysRVs]

I would weigh your propane tank if you want to keep up with usage. Its also worth weighing them to know which supplier is giving you a better deal. Here in the US anyway, the tank swap places hide the rise in cost by just filling the tanks less full.

[@BeachsideHank]

In their defense though, Blue Rhino and Amerigas recertify the older out of date tanks which prohibit them from putting more than 15 pounds of propane vs, the 20 pounds one would get with a freshly manufactured tank.

[@RebelCowboysRVs]

​@@BeachsideHank Sounds like an excuse to me.15 pounds of propane exerts the exact same amount of pressure on the tank as 20 pounds of propane. Vapor pressure remains the same. If its safe for one, its safe for the other, if its not safe one one, its not safe for the other. I have had lots of pressure vessals recertified and they either pass the test or they leak or explode in the test chamber. Not a lot of space for a middle ground. Looking on the DOT website, it only shows a 5-year recertification for visual inspections and a 10-year recertification after being tested at twice its rated pressure load. I cant find anything about filling them less. Just pass or fail.

[@BeachsideHank]

@@RebelCowboysRVs I don't disagree with anything you say, but I believe their policies are derived from an insurer's stipulation. Once upon a time I managed a dental chair manufacturing facility, we used flammable- based contact cement safely for years with no issues, then 3M came up with a really shitty latex- based non- flammable cement and we had to use it or nobody would underwrite our insurance anymore. The stuff really sucked, we had delamination problems with the early formulations but the insurers didn't give a damn about "our problems" with the stuff.

[@artisanmakes]

Yes I think mislead myself on this bit. As it turns out the dial will just indicate the pressure of the tank as it cools. Cheers guys

[@lloydrmc]

@@RebelCowboysRVs It's a government regulation. They aren't allowed to fill propane exchange tanks as full. I guess some full ones pressure released on trucks and it caused some real problems. Refills at rental places can be all the way full, and they're much cheaper than tank exchanges, anyway

[@j.dietrich]

I've bought quite a lot of cheap import stuff from Vevor. They have a local warehouse, so they're a good choice for heavy and bulky stuff that would be prohibitive to get directly from China. I've got really mixed feelings - I'm perfectly satisfied, but I couldn't in good conscience recommend it. Stefan Gotteswinter tends to describe Chinese import tooling as a kit of parts, which certainly applies to Vevor stuff. Everything I've bought has required some amount of fixing, but I've never received anything that I couldn't fix. Your average punter would be stuffed, but it's no big deal if you're a halfway competent machinist. It does puzzle me slightly that their manufacturers can grind to very good standards of flatness and squareness, but can't seem to turn a thread or drill a hole straight. Still, I couldn't buy the raw materials for those prices.

[@threegreencharms]

---Guy in department A, machining: ***Carefully precision-grinds lathe ways to a flatness within a ten-thousandth of an inch*** ---Guy in department B, assembly: ***Over-torques and strips out 40% of the screws he tightens*** ---Quality auditor: ***Wastes their time hanging out with the quality inspectors, who are hanging out with the machinists***

[@cda32]

the stuff I've gotten from Vevor isn't the typical Aliexpress type stuff in my experience, it's cheap like Harbour Freight and such but at least not total lucky dip. So despite getting a bag of parts you have some more confidence that those parts will assemble into a working thing.

[@angrydragonslayer]

I feel the raw materials part I recently bought a cast iron surface plate from china and having no expectations on accuracy was the right thing to do But it was ¢40/kg and even after shipping, just ¢65/kg

[@benaresq]

White vinegar dissolves the galvanised coating from those pipes very easily, just let them soak overnight and it just washes off.

[@scottwillis5434]

For those in more of a hurry, muriatic acid from the hardware store. Though: - acid handling precautions - don't store it anywhere near tools you value - neutralize with baking soda before dumping

[@henrydando]

for what you got $200 is an absolutely amazing deal. ild say that normally for $200 you could get just the forge and maybe the burner. Also as many others have said, it is standard for the forge not to ship with regidiser and refactory installed. I bought a forge for $800 and it didn't come with it installed although it was supplied with it

[@artisanmakes]

Glad to hear it and thanks for the advice. Cheers

[@jackdawg4579]

That is excellent value for that kit. a kit for a blacksmiths forge here in Australia is about 450 dollars and you have to supply your own own 9kg gas bottle to become the body of the forge. There is a lot of talk about ceramic fibre being a health issue on the good old interweb, but no where have I actually seen any data from air monitoring that actually shows it is a problem. It is however prudent to take precautions, lining material is relatively cheap, so I line my forge. Pro tip for the lining material - I use satanite, and you stick it in a big plastic bottle, add the water, screw lid on and shake, easiest way to mix it. The dual gauge isn't much use for propane, as it is a liquid fuel source which boils off until the cylinder pressure reaches the point where no more gas boils off, so whilst there is still liquid in the bottle, the pressure should not change appreciably. But a regulator that shows the pressure behind the venturi is definitely a must. Otherwise it is all just guess work and you get inferior results. I get about 9 hours of forging from that size gas bottle, and my burner is bigger than yours.

[@martinstreasurehunting]

I just bought the same one. they are on clearance for 125.99 Canadian.

[@Timeonabike]

Was starting to worry there for a minute, but you managed to get some #hacksaw in there regardless. Nicely done.

[@SadhanaTyler]

Really appreciate your video. Wanted to be safe and careful before burning. This was very helpful !

[@adiem1653]

So glad I saw this as I was looking at a very very similar one on fleabay for about £140 uk.

[@backporchfoundryandforgeus900]

All the diy refractory recipes will not hold up to the heat of melting brass, copper, ect. It may last a little while longer with just doing aluminum and lower heat metals but not brass heat and higher. Ive done over 20 on line diy recipes of diy refractory and they never held up. I use kaowool and/or manufactured refractory cement. The only way i got the diy recipes to last as long as they did for me was to coat them with Girtech contact 40 or green patch 421. Even then, when the coatings would crack some as they will, the diy stuff would start to fall out like sand in an hour glass. I build all my forges and furnaces using kaowool now and coat them with Girtech contact 40 which is great stuff, up to 3180’f, and is fire cured versus the green patch 421 which is air cured. Much faster with Girtech.

[@Azmodon]

The one I picked up is almost identical (as most will be), but without the dialed regulator, just a 0-30 psi pin reg. but the output orifice uses mig tips so changing sizes is super easy. Used fumed silica to rigidize the wool, then coated it in several layers of a mix of zirconium / aluminum / strontium oxides, and silicon carbide. First full fire test got it up to 1380C in a little over 15 minutes. They're definitely a nice way to get an intro to it without the need for any real fabricating.

[@JustinTopp]

I would build a forced air burner for this. It will help a ton. Both with fuel efficiency, heating times, and how hot it can get. They are also in my opinion, easier burners to build since there’s no worry about having to get the perfect Venturi effect

[@artisanmakes]

This is certainly on the cards, depending on how much use I intend to get out of it.

[@TheGoldeyFamily]

I spent the extra money and got a Devil Forge. Doing the refractory coating tomorrow!

[@artisanmakes]

Definitely a good choice. All the best

[@mostlysane77]

I purchased the same forge after your review. Seems they have made some updates. The ceramic blankets in the lid are held in place but some steel tags. The container itself is 1.4mm thick so May be made more heavily that the one shown here. I did however also order ridgidizer and added a third layer of insulation to the lid. Looks great now and hope it works. Thanks for your review.

[@filopat67]

I've done bronze casting for 25+ years with a furnace/forge that has bare ceramic wool insulation against the flame, no coatings what so ever, never had any problems with it. The wool is a consumable and I need to change it yearly, but that's the same with any refractory material if it sees a lot of use. Ceramic wools are body soluble these days and have been for a long time, obviously it's still not recommended to eat or inhale them.

[@artisanmakes]

Glad to hear it. I'm definitely no authority on this matter, but there is definitely some concencus on this issue. I'll have to keep an eye on the refractory and check it for wear. Stay safe :)

[@nickhlas4092]

I bought a cheap one to learn on. Ruined it, sorta, after several uses. Learned what i needed to learn and got a better one.

[@davidg2233]

good to see An Aussie doing this as well !! Making youtube videos and metal casting from a forge .. Goo work mate.. :)

[@stephanedenis5394]

Interesting video, VEVOR seems to be a supplier full of products... of variable quality. With this foundry you will be able to compete with your compatriot who wants to reach a ton of molten metals to recover.

[@artisanmakes]

Yeah they seem to be. I doubt that they make many of their products, from the few that I have used, they seem to be rebranded off the shelf products.

[@ego73]

I see that there're already suggestions about visiting BigstackD's n Myfordboy's channel. ArtbyAdrock n Veg Oil Guy have regular three-way melts with BigstackD. I would imagine you'd already heard of these channels since you mentioned that you had been interested in foundry work for some time. The tongs look like those of a blacksmith. Foundry tongs and pouring shanks are what a droog needs for melting. The above mentioned BigstackD n Myfordboy have designs and step-by-step to make some serviceable pouring shanks. I hope to see casting/machining adventures on your channel soon, mate. I love your delivery, nice n crisp; to the point. ALSO! You could visit "Makercise" for some inspiration. There are video playlists for making Dave Gingery's lathe and shaper from melted aluminium cans using LOST FOAM casting technique. You DEFO want to check out that method-it's VERY effective!

[@lloydrmc]

1) CeraMaterials has a refractory coating that they claim is reflective. It appears it is applied directly to the refractory wool. 2) Flowering Elbow has a video onhear treating aluminum ingots. It's a surprisingly simple process.

[@iguanapete3809]

I was at a flea market about 15 years ago and picked up an electric pottery kiln for 35 USD. It sat in my shed for 10 years and then I got into hobby machining. I was surprised it melts aluminium very well. I also have a Lincoln buzz box and the hardware store had some carbon arc rods that looked like they had been there since the 1950s. I bought all they had for half price. The arc coming of them can melt rocks in a few seconds.

[@michiganprospectors]

I just got a Vevor propane furnace to test out and review. I am looking at videos before I get started myself. Yours is very well explained and detailed. Mine is stainless steel and also comes with a bag of refractory cement. No gloves or molds tho so I ordered a mold on Amazon. Waiting for it to arrive so I can try this awesome forge out.

[@landonhillyard]

your videos are pure gold!! keep it up!! Not enough people reviewing these entry level equipment and giving an honest review. Lets see you machine some aluminum cans and let us know how it goes.

[@ChristopherGoggans]

Nice job and a good first setup! If you really wanna go deep on forge designs Keith Rucker has a series where he builds a propane forge as well. It's about 6 years old or so, and something like 12-13 videos, but he includes a ton of very thorough and detailed descriptions of what he's doing and why, which I feel is especially helpful when planning and working on a diy project like this. As for a burner, Keith has one really good design, but I think the best overall burner design is the one by Brian Oltrogee of Grunblau designs (I think I got the channel name correct lol) and it's the third part of his beer drum foundry forge. Anyway, hope this helps you and others watching to continue to improve your forges and their designs!

[@anmafab]

Looks like an ok kit! As someone who's been looking at doing some foundry work for years but haven't gotten around to making it yet it looks like a good option. For anyone interested, Christoph Lehner has made a diesel fuelled foundry recently for cast iron. Worth checking out

[@jeffwalsh9434]

I did a lot of research when i got one few months ago and decided to go with the Devel Forge top notch for just a little more money and did not have to buy anything extra like gloves and Rigidizing and Refractory Coating mine came with tongs made to fit the crucible. good instructions too.. Thank you for your videos Artisan Makes I really like the C.N.C. ones to

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers mate, after looking at a few devil forges, that really do seem to be the better buy

[@oldkingcrow777]

There's a crap shoot factor when trying a seller who is pricing at cost essentially to build up reviews, but I just got a big 16kg capacity one for $300 shipped. We will see what I need to adjust/replace. I have welder gloves and am waiting to see the tong quality. I'm pretty optimistic though. I don't recall Devil Forge having an equivalent to that size but based on their pricing of smaller kits it would have been like $1000 for this size and I can't see much different at a glance that would justify thst for me. It looks like they're so well known now that they raised their prices. Good for them, but I don't pay extra just for the brand name security when if this one is bad I can return it for free via Amazon. Even if I do have to replace sh&tty tongs, maybe shi*ty crucible, it will save me like $600+ versus had I bought the Devil forge. Their cost has already gone up like $400 in a year or 2 for the one good model so to each their own but I'm feeling good about the $300 attempt 😂

[@8power0]

GREAT VIDEO HOPE TO SEE MANY MORE ,,, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME

[@macromage]

I saw the name of the valve and i cracked up, what a name for a company.

[@clydebalcom3679]

What an interesting name for a vital element of your new smelting furnace.

[@nickcarter9538]

Bought one and found it's great. only problem was the lid insulation, had to rivet some retainers to stop it falling into the main forge.

[@antman3869]

If you provide a vent for the volume displaced by the aluminum you will find there are less air bubbles in your castings.

[@leonlansdowne2748]

looks quite good for the price i made mine from an old 9kg gas bottle and made water glass for the high temp binder with sand and vermiculite as the insulation but to start off $200 is great

[@Paullyb79]

Looking forward to some lost foam pours

[@geoffmathieson2643]

Very informative, thank you. No matter what the vendor says, I don't think that meets the definition of a forge. "Furnace" is more like it.

[@omygodtwo]

I received a vevor 6Kg forge for $159.99 (lol) Similar to yours but unpainted SS casing and it came with the dry refractory as well. As I'm only melting Aluminium (Machining offcuts :) ) it will do for me.

[@fairstnaimelastenaime1346]

so the coated blanket won't fracture apart in eventual chunks, esp. if dropped, like solid mix ? I guess that's the singular upside... here we have a clear 'glaze' for the blanket, but yours looks more functional

[@jaro6985]

wow didn't know about ceramic fibers: "The fibres themselves can irritate the skin, eyes and upper respiratory tract but the main concern is that the individual fibres are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and possibly lead to the development of lung cancer and mesothelioma."

[@terradoncasting2248]

A “Forge” is used to Forge metal for Blacksmithing like with an Anvil and a Hammer. A Foundry is a building where metal work is done. What you have there is called a furnace. Good video for sure, but if we’re going to do videos on this, let’s get the terminology right! 😅

[@cooperised]

LOL at the Shyt valve. Absolute gold.

[@tasror]

Really enjoying the content mate. I'm looking for a forge in the coming months so looking forward to your further thoughts.

[@glennooz]

where is the best place to get the sodium silicate? is the powder best or liquid? What brand do you recommend? Great video .Thank you.

[@artisanmakes]

EBay probably. That’s where I bought it

[@mikemcdonough1793]

My Devil Forge came with a Bag of it ready to Mix up and apply. Looks like Satanite to me.

[@IndrasenaBandara]

❤❤❤

[@AlexanderBurgers]

You could heat-treat the part after casting to make it a lot nicer for machining. :)

[@scottwillis5434]

Any suggestions on the temperature vs. time profile for annealing?

[@ianbertenshaw4350]

Can’t beat the price if you are only going to use it every so often or to melt aluminium into ingots or round bar for lathe fodder . Maybe the gassing was from the galvanising burning off?

[@chrisl2656]

16:22 Isn’t the pressure constant until you run out of liquid? So not an indication of how much is remaining.

[@artisanmakes]

Yes, I did misread this, I believe its going to be more on an indicator in the pressure of the tank as the tank temperature drops. It probably wont be relevant to me unless I do a long casting session. Cheers

[@an2thea514]

Funny how you will buy and import anything that is not a powersaw

[@tune3garage]

He has a power saw, it's arm powered.

[@classicbandgeek]

If you've watched this channel for any amount of time, he has mentioned time and again that a hacksaw is acceptable for the size of work that he does and there just isn't enough room in his shop for a powered saw.

[@HorizonMakes]

at this point the hacksaw is part of the brand lol

[@an2thea514]

@@classicbandgeek 1. Exactly, but he said that before buying this, before the die filer and I can even remember a comment from him saying the same before the Mill. 2. If you have watched his channel for any amount of time, you would know that he has used an angle grinder at least 3 times, so my joke would be obvious.

[@an2thea514]

@@tune3garage and when you bought my lathe, it came foot powered. What's the joke?

[@lars8221]

Hi, A recommendation is to use salamander crucibles. They are a bit expensive but worth every penny. Also if you Are looking for a better burner I would like to recommend devil forges burners

[@timeofthenick]

Just got a vevor portaband... Loving it now

[@chickenman297]

I suspect your first cast failed because the mold had some moisture on it. Heat it in the furnace for a bit while the metal is melting before casting with it should take care of that issue and it makes it a lot safer because steam explosions are a thing. Also preheat your skimmers to remove moisture.

[@artisanmakes]

We can really only speculate on that. My best guess would be the galvanizing, since the pour stripped it. I did give the tube a quick blast with the propane but it might not have been enough. Cheers

[@allenhanford]

I bought and the regulator required a lot of machining to fit an American propane tank.

[@austindavis8528]

How many runs did it take before you ran out of gas?

[@artisanmakes]

I think I got 20 hours from one 8.5kg gas bottle

[@hamheaven8978]

Great video bought one today off ebay (same brand)...good to know it needs that refractory coating I would of had no clue otherwise.

[@poormansclaim9131]

You can use borax on the inside of your crucible when you temper it to essentially form a nonstick coating on the inside and it can also make your crucible last a little bit longer

[@artisanmakes]

Interesting suggestion. I have read some conflicting literature on this topic, some sources say not to use borax in graphite clay crucibles. I will have to do more reading on the topic, but if it does make.the crucibles last longer that would be great.

[@MrSnakobe]

fz knives shows how to make crucibles and with a few ingredients, thirty usd may go a bit further.

[@jonathanshelton2137]

I wonder if you could file in a spot on the crucible for pouring ease

[@securi-t]

I just got mine (it's a Vevor brand) and mine had retaining tabs on the lid to hold the fiber blankets.

[@mordacahwinston7504]

Yes refractory plaster they don't tell us, but video's like this keeps us safe I run a business melting metal we must make this important black smithing law for safety only

[@ElizabethGreene]

Here's the magic search keywords I WISH I'd known for my Aluminum castings.... "Artificial Aging". Bake your castings in your oven for 18 hours at the same temperature you'd bake a cake, then drop them in room temperature water to quench. The difference in machinability is HUGE. Without it fresh castings machine like bubble gum. With it they actually turn pretty good.

[@ca1492bob]

TY for the video it helps take the mystery out using these forges. One question though. How much sodium silicate did you need for the inside? seems like a big swing in prices last I checked, want to purchase the right amount. Thanks again!

[@duffenough81]

What do you mean spray the silicate? Like with a spray bottle?

[@artisanmakes]

Yeah that’s what most people do

[@jeffreyhallam5517]

It’s probably not a right-a-way project but how about casting new frame pieces for your $200 CNC machine? Replace the weird mystery plastic parts with machinable rigid aluminum parts. Go old school and cast them to look like an old metal planer.

[@dieselwelds8645]

In manufacturing aluminum engine blocks the aluminum isn't poured into a mold, but rather pushed in from the bottom of the mold up to prevent air pockets in the casting. Not sure how you could perform that procedure at home, but just a food for thought. Also, are you going to try melting in zinc in the future?

[@toneault7499]

hi... you put spout were you need it. when you put the pot in your tool holders the way you like it ok.. plain and simmpel.

[@me5768]

it was probably some oil left over from the milling process inside your pipe. Just a thought.

[@musikjunx]

Is it possible to use this foundry to melt steel?

[@artisanmakes]

not with this forge

[@rickpalechuk4411]

Bigstackd just posted showing tempering new crucible.

[@billdavies6463]

Very nice demo. I hope to see you casting into sand moulds. I take issue with it being called a forge, I would call it a furnace, since it is being used to melt metal, and not heating metal prior to forging (hammering) it into shape.

[@artisanmakes]

yeah I understand, I was more thinking that it should be called a foundry possibly, but they seem to be universally called forge and forge kits, whether that is correct or not.

[@HoldtSteen]

@@artisanmakes It's a furnace. A foundry is the building or area you keep the furnace and other metal casting equipment in. There is good definitions in the dictionary for most of these terms.

[@TEXAS-SMITH]

I have always used furnace.

[@hattster1818]

That list of safety gears a bit much aint it? Ive just watched alot of indian casting vids and all i need is sandles and my pyjamas ! 😂

[@erok268]

That ball valve lol

[@tonycstech]

I did cast iron in this. You gonna need to buy a small air turbine to get enough oxygen to get to the temperature.

[@singaporesling6112]

This by far is one of the best informative video I've seen. Concise and intelligent. He answered the questions I had while watching. You could do yourself a favor and follow him.

[@lukeamato2348]

In spite of the name it actually feels pretty good lmao

[@ljprep6250]

Time to upgrade your hacksaw blade, sir. I couldn't believe the difference when I got some Starrett blades for mine ($6.39USD pair). They cut in a tenth the time. Those look like decent little forges. A friend made his and had spent the better part of a month getting it right, and spent an equal amount after all, so the kits seem well priced to save you the hassle. Love the brand name of the ball valve. LOL

[@artisanmakes]

I use suttons cobalt or hss blades, can't get starret here but suttons are probably the top brand in Aus

[@ljprep6250]

@@artisanmakes It seemed the one you used wasn't up to the job. Are they bimetal?

[@bo5600]

Just discovered your channel through this video. Very helpful. I'm looking at this exact kit as I have 2x44gal drums of aluminium bits & swarf to make usefull (or at least smaller). Where did you source the stuff you used to treat the insulating material (rigediser & refractory?) from & what was the rough cost? (I'm in Aus, central Vic).

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers, I bought it all off eBay. The rigidizer is sodium silicate and the refractory is a high temp refractory. A popular one, though expensive is ITC 100.

[@entity9742]

Well for me its not so much as a investment as it is a hobby I would prefer to really get into large scale smelting but i cant so this is the next best thing i can do and its on my own time so i can spend as long as i need making something perfect And the forges are relatively long lasting if you take care of them

[@Heneling]

I’m just gonna buy a desktop kiln

[@ethanblinkhorn8396]

can you melt bronze with this?

[@artisanmakes]

Yes, pretty much anything but iron

[@dennisyoung4631]

Use the supplied tongs for *adding* bits of alumin(i)um to the pot when it’s under blast….

[@prowled]

Hey, the best forge you have is the one you have in your hands. Next time you will DIY a forge from electromagnetic principles. Hell you can make a forge from a microwave if you want! 😁

[@partyalldaypartyallnight1057]

when i seen the name "vevor" on the burner i was wondering what corners they cut. im sad i overpaid for my lathe from them. my xy table i bought for milling ops has bent screws, no bearings on the ends and the gibs look like afterthoughts ground on friday deep into overtime. if VEVOR has their name on the product its probably dangerous and/or needs some work before you can use it....

[@artisanmakes]

Sorry to hear that, vevor is quite a new brand to me and I'm not even sure how much stuff they make in house. I'm always pretty cautious with any Import hardware. Cheers

[@jannykambatuku341]

Full kit please

[@alphadog6970]

I think the bubbles are from hydrogen absorption from the air. Its very difficult to cast al without porosity.

[@artisanmakes]

Maybe, I didn't get it the second time and that seems like a lot of bubbles to be hydrogen.

[@jirvin4505]

What was coating and where did you get it to stabilise the wool?

[@slartimus]

Regarding the crucible not having a pour spout, would it be possible/feasible to take a Dremel or something to sort of carve out a little spout-ish channel? Or is it likely that that'd just cause the crucible to outright break?

[@artisanmakes]

it did occur to me, but its probably better to just buy a crucible with a spout molded in. its made from a graphite clay and I believe that it would end up cracking or chipping,

[@scottwillis5434]

Considering the heat cycling, anything that causes a stress concentration is more likely to break.

[@ncktbs]

myford boy his set up

[@thalanoth]

2:30 what is this counter clockwise threading? screams garbage to me lol, who and how was that piece threaded?

[@artisanmakes]

All POL fittings are left handed

[@thalanoth]

@@artisanmakes interesting, the regulator on my propane tank doesn't live in upside down world. Guess you're either wrong or we're living in different universes

[@artisanmakes]

Well maybe they use a different standard where you live. Here in Aus we use POL en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/POL_valve

[@stumpy31952]

I had to buy my green patch 21 separate

[@piccilos]

If you run very low on propane is there any chance of the flame pulling back to the tank?

[@SiliconeSword]

Not in all my years has that been an issue, as regulators have one way valves to protect against that. You'd need to have a bunch of oxygen mixed with the propane too, which they make sure does not happen when the tanks are filled.

[@glennooz]

I am wondering what you feel about the toxic carcinogenic melting of aluminium

[@artisanmakes]

I always wear a respirator just to be on the safe side

[@toneault7499]

pre heat all ali ( metals ) on top of your FURNACE so as not to put any damp or cold metal in your pot .. so it will not explode.. big safty tip.. ps... keep pot in centre so as to keep heat on move ..( or will end up with hot spot or broken pot .. take care please .. atb ToneUK

[@UnitSe7en]

Does that make it the shyte pipe?

[@SQLException]

CAUTION. Please include a warning about preheating the Mould. This is mandatory. Before pouring you should preheat it to >100° (Celsius) to evaporate water thats in your Mould (moisture from the air is enough to be a problem when pouring). Last year a friend of mine wanted to make some alu bars, he was pouring in my preheated (100+105°) bar-style mould. We were dumb and in a rush and it ended up... Bad for him. Apparently the preheating was not enough (measured it with one of those cheap yellow IR meters), when he poured, shit literally exploded right in his face (yes, the melted aluminium). Luckily not in his eyes, but below and above it, did hurt for months (although no permanent damage has been done, again: it was just pure luck for him, this could have ended much much worse). I'm afraid now of using this thing again.

[@artisanmakes]

Sorry to hear about that. Was the crucible tempered before use?

[@SQLException]

​@@artisanmakes ​ Sorry I mixed things up, didn't mean the crucible at all (there is nothing to preheat, I mean it's inside the forge lol). I meant the MOULD, like the one you have at 05:30. Thats the thing that *immediatly* draws tiny bits of moisture when its cold (with cold I mean below the temp. water will evaporate... so 100°c). Even when you can't see it, theres always a bit of it in the mould, and that can be dangerous. Because now you pour the really hot stuff in your "wet" mould, heats up the moist in a fraction of a second and here we go... edit: there's lots of videos showing this is a "myth" by pouring molten Alu into a pool and shit like that. Well that's no problem. The problem is pouring it into small moulds, because then a layer of hot alu will cover the moisture that sits in the mould, heating it (the water/moisture) up, and then it will evaporate and boom. Beend there, done that. I would not just wear safety googles. Next time I will use my Forge I will use a face shield, thats for sure.

[@Oldtanktapper]

Yeah, I’ve had steam explosions occur working with jewellery. Open type moulds are mostly ok, but those two part closed ones can easily blow back on you if they aren’t heated up enough. Lost a few grams of 18 carat gold once, expensive mistake!

[@kaptein1247]

lesson learned. Spend the 40 extra euro's for a devils forge