Metal Casting at Home Part 129. Failed Brass Casting Part 2

Previously I showed how the casting had defects. This time with a change of pattern design a succesful casting is made.

[@inspector1794]

I have got some more life out of a heating element that was broken like that by just hooking the broken ends together, no crimp, no fastener, just hook one end to the other. The wire is too brittle to manipulate. Has worked for me in the past. I enjoy watching you work. Thanks for sharing.

[@robertoswalt319]

Once again, you have demonstrated that more can be communicated by not saying a word than people who talk without end for 30 minutes.

[@walkerd73]

thank you for your videos, the step by step and precise ness are what bring me back .

[@Hedgehog_in_the_Fog]

You have new box. Look professional!

[@SilverScorpion]

Great video. I need some boxes like you have!

[@Preso58]

For a while I thought you weren't going to use a core. Surprised you can get a spare element for those furnaces.

[@sanches2]

In Bulgaria we have such heating elements in almost every electric/hw shop. We have this pepper baking appliance which our grandmas and grandpas love to use to bake peppers and then preserve them in jars for the winter. One spare 4kW element costs about 15EUR :) My father used to melt bronze in these for his scultures:)

[@sanches2]

Look up "Chushkopek" :)

[@spudnickuk]

Glad you explained what happened as can learn from this, Bad news about you element breaking , but glad you managed to get another one quick. Well the cost for having a small furnace running inside instead of having the big burner furnace running outside is worth it, But now the better weather and daylight is coming I guess we will be seeing the big boy running soon.

[@edparadis1578]

Unfortunately, at the temperature of brass, it takes quite a toll on the heating elements. Primarily why I stick to Aluminum or lower temp metals in my electric furnace. Excellent work sir!

[@jef____4054]

Up most respect.. You achieved ypur goal 👍🏼

[@lornablewettandlee504]

Ah, the downside to electric foundries. Mine have broken at the most awkward times. I fixed them by getting the two broken halves together and switching the power back on. (Always switch the power OFF when working on the elements!) But because I wind my own elements it's an easy and fairly cheap repair. Broken elements is one reason I like zl12 so much, less strain on them. Would it be easier to 3d print the gate and glue it to the pattern?

[@MrGazz56]

brass for sand casting 70%copper 2% lead 1% tin remainder zinc. brass suitable for valves,boiler feed couplings .presure tight castings,up to200lbs psi plumbers fittings and ornamental castings,

[@davidmilway7886]

I am on my third electric furnace. The first 2 trip the RCD when they get to about 600 degrees. The third has just blown the controller, a fizz and a pop when I last turned it on. I'm now arguing with the supplier about warranty. Keep up the good work.

[@PatGilliland]

Nice work

[@BrassLock]

We have instant hot shower heaters in my country, and they break at inconvenient times too (after you're covered in soap suds)🙄

[@janosnagyj.9540]

Sorry for the heating element 😪 It did not lasted too much anyhow! How long do you have this electric furnace? Only a couple of years I recon!

[@myfordboy]

2 years.

[@janosnagyj.9540]

@@myfordboy Warranty period plus 1 minute? 😅

[@CP200S]

@myfordboy One thing I question myself since I was a kid: how such detailed metal injection molds for plastic objects were made from clay sculpures before cnc and 3d printing happened? What sand they used? How they made the "negative" exactly? What kind of chemical post-processing was used for the molds (if any)?

[@myfordboy]

I know moulds lost wax casting were milled to shape by a skilled machinist.

[@CP200S]

@@myfordboy Thanks!

[@notsonominal]

How many hours would you guesstimate you got out of the heater element before it failed?

[@myfordboy]

Possibly 50 hours. I think you would get longer if only melting aluminium.

[@machinist_matt]

I don't do casting, so forgive me if I'm talking out of my ass, but is there any reason you wouldn't cast this as a solid lump with the sprew in the middle. Then just bore it on the lathe. Any holes would be removed with the boring process.

[@myfordboy]

It could be done that way or machined from a solid bar if you can afford one. Casting a large solid part would give more problems with shinkage, the feed would be much larger than the part, use more metal so greater cost.There would be a lot of waste and more time spent boring it out.

[@andrewmawson6897]

Phil Whitely had exactly the same element failure with his little Chinese electric furnace casting copper. Are the elements perhaps only NiChrome and not Kanthal?

[@myfordboy]

Not sure what material they are.

[@BruceRobinson-tz8cj]

Sorry to hear of the problem, are the replacements expensive?

[@myfordboy]

I ordered one from here. www.aliexpress.com/store/910452?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.2.21ef1802ob0B06 £38.91 with shipping and tax £56.92.

[@garymucher4082]

Nice retry, but what is the actual part you finally cast correct? How is it used? Thumbs Up!

[@myfordboy]

It's a ferrule that goes on the leg of a grand piano. I have 2 more to make.

[@garymucher4082]

@@myfordboy Okay, thanks for the reply. I guess once there are polished, they will make the panio look amazing...

[@myfordboy]

@@garymucher4082 They will be turned to size. The casting is basically a blank for matching.

[@wktodd]

Just as a matter of interest. Would it not the best practice to avoid 'features' (like the dual radius) when selecting where to put the hate?

[@myfordboy]

You need to feed into the thickest part of the mould as that cools last.

[@wktodd]

@@myfordboy I see thanks BTW that should have read, as you guessed, 'put the gate ' , no hate here 8⁠-⁠)

[@madladpjl]

what type of heating element dose it use? want to get a spair just in case mine brakes

[@myfordboy]

I ordered one from here. www.aliexpress.com/store/910452?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.2.21ef1802ob0B06 £38.91 with shipping and tax £56.92

[@madladpjl]

@@myfordboy whats the part number ? and thanks

[@myfordboy]

@@madladpjl They showed it on their website but there was no price or order details. I sent them a message via the contact details and they came back with a price and created a link to purchase. They were very polite and helpful.

[@myfordboy]

They listed the element and ceramic but not the element on its own although it said it was available separately.

[@RavenRaven-se6lr]

Always I joy the watching stuff being made. Is it all being replaced by the milling robots!

[@MrGazz56]

make better brass B.S.1400-b6 83.o%_87.0% copper remainder zinc it is also good for brazing. tell me what your part is for and i can give you the correct BS spec and composition. from the british bronze and brass ingot manufacturers association.

[@3v1Bunny]

Dare I say that the gas or Kerosine burners don't suffer these issues ;)

[@f.demascio1857]

He knows. This is not his first rodeo.

[@sergiydy2820]

A good tip is to try silicon carbide heaters. They have a longer life and the oven heats up faster.