It's supposed to be copper, but it looks gold plated. Anyone know what this might be?

https://youtu.be/6QG5BRSsTUE?si=sdtAVDxAvLbCqQGo

New video up. If you find it informative, interesting, or entertaining please let me know. I enjoy spreading knowledge throughout the universe.

Cheers, JTleaf

Okay, figured you good folks might have some ideas. Basically if like to make the worst, most brittle aluminum alloy possible. I'm going to try ball milling some aluminum for various hobby pyro reasons, so I figured maybe the most porous, brittle garbage possible might help atomize the aluminum fasterpre effectively. I've thought some iron powder in the melt, maybe a little dampness for hydrogen embrittlement, even thought of adding some gallium but I think that would be cost prohibitive. I'd like stuff that won't be much more than half a percent or so since much alloying agents would throw off recipes. Probably.

So I'm asking for your wisdom in casting absolute filth aluminum. Thanks!

So I just started working in a foundry, and there's obviously a lot of graphite powder (im a laborer) I've come to notice I've touched the walls ALOT and there's mand marks all over

What is the best way to remove the marks without re-painting sections?

Hello,

I am trying to find a foundry based somewhere in the mid-Atlantic region that either specializes in working with artists, or one that will accommodate making one off pieces. I want to make sand cast aluminum sculptures that are between 3-5 feet long, so I fear this is probably too large for a home forge.

Or if anyone knows of a home forge setup that can fit enough material to make large-ish castings, send me the link!

Thanks

Here is my text. I’m new to this process and I tried pouring aluminum bronze which I did successfully I have ingots in the picture. However after pouring I was left with this large mass in the crucible that has taken I think a lot of metal and a lot of space. It is unmeltable and very hard. I am thinking it could be borax reacting with the crucible since I added about 1/4 -1/3 cup of it to about 4 pounds of metal. The metal was scrap wire and an aluminum tube. I can’t get it out so now I’m thinking I need a new crucible to pour again. What is it and how do I avoid this again? Did the copper wire have some enamel on it that I didn’t see? Did I use too much borax? The dross rod has some I think borax shards on it after I removed some dross from the end of it which you can see in one of the pictures. I’m just not sure because it is also grey similar to the crucible color.

Out of curiosity has anyone ever turned their ingots into sheets? I have not done any foundry work but I am curious if this is possible to do.

Hi, can anyone tell me about (or recommend reading on) core making for grey iron casting? Specifically things like the coolant passages in cylinder heads and the inside of exhaust manifolds?

I have some obsolete parts that are too complicated for just greensand.

Second time heating it up idk if it's supposed to burn like that

I've bought 2 before but I've completely forgot where I bought them from.

Metal spheres in my slag?

Silver/Gold refining

1:1:1 borax, soda ash, silica sand + 50g lead

I’m still getting metal spheres in my slag. And I’m not experienced enough to know how to fix this issue.

I'm still experimenting with lost resin casting and so far my results have improved from previous ones. I use Siraya Tech purple cast and I think I nailed down the printing and curing method all right. As for the investment I use prestige optima, mix it in a 40-60 ratio with distilled water and burnout all the way to 750°C as per the suggested burnout schedule.

From the pictures one can see that what seems to be determining the quality of my castings is the sprue/runner tree arrangement. My best result came with the sprue filling the ring from a corner and not directly in the center behind the engraved letters. Still, one latter ('Y') didn't cast properly.

How do you think I should mount my pieces in the wax tree, specially for capturing detail like letters?

Thanks!

Best one, sprue was mounted in a corner

Left to right: center sprue, center sprue in Y tree, corner sprue in Y tree

Y tree with one sprue feeding through a corner and the other through the center

center sprue mounted on top of the tree

Please house where can i sell aluminum cast dust

What I think is happening is the hinge has warped from the heat but I have no idea truly what it wrong or how to fix it

So I just kinda got into this stuff and honestly it seems fun and I would love to do more. Ive heard about casting sand and I don't really know what would be good to get, preferably get reusable. I've been possibly wanting to make rings, handle's, anything I can in the casting sand and I don't really know what else I may need equipment wise. Any help would be great since I don't want to spend a lot of money on screw ups or things I didn't need.

Wondering if anyone happens to have a model of this specimen runner system within the ASTM B26 standards before I sit down and try to figure out how to model it. Thanks!

https://preview.redd.it/ja45lgzongde1.png?width=1507&format=png&auto=webp&s=26a3cb13b714114f656f0472e3d41246e6c3b15b

Dyed the rigidizer blue!

I live in the Waterloo area, and was told I only have very specific areas I can pursue blacksmithing & smelting as a hobby. And they're all plaza's & industrial zones from what I can tell. Defeating the point of my pursuing the hobby, as it was supposed to be a way for me to decompress after a long week, & relax in my garage. And worrying about needing additional rent money in order to pursue a hobby to decompress seems to be counter-productive.

So, anyone on this subreddit in Southern Ontario(or really anywhere in Canada) able to DM me & tell me where I could pursue this hobby from my own home?

Thanks to all for the assist.

I've always used whatever scrap I could find to cast with but have a chance to get al 356 ingots. Is it worth driving 6 hours for as much 356 ingots as I can afford or just search out for automotive scrap which I understand is mostly 356.