RE: [ATM] casting aluminum

["Thomas" <tomjan@ozemail.com.au>]

Jerry, you might find it helpful to join the hobby cast group at yahoo.
More info than you can or would want to poke a stick at, and a it's a
real friendly group to boot.

Some points, a propane torch will do, you will need some sort of furnace
to contain the heat while the metal melts though. A cast iron pot will
work quite well, just bear in mind that some of the iron will disolve
into the Al, not a real problem unless you remelt the same batch of
metal many times.

For a furnace get a metal tin/trash can and line it with some sort of
refractory material (90% 80grit sand and 10% fire clay will work rather
well for a short life furnace) fire clay can be had from your local
fireplace repairer/supplier. You will also need some green sand for mold
making, if you have a foundry locally you might be able to pick up some
from them for very little cost, if not you might have to make some your
self, or better yet buy some "petro-bond" from a foundry supplier,
usually comes in 50lb sacks. If you want more info just let me know.

Clear skies,
Thomas Janstrom
http://www.tjanstrom.com
http://www.norsewines.com.au
"Your nobody untill you've been ignored by your seventh cranio-facial
nerve."


-----Original Message-----
From: atm-bounces@atmlist.net [mailto:atm-bounces@atmlist.net] On Behalf
Of Jerry B. Hillman
Sent: Monday, 9 August 2004 6:35 AM
To: The Amateur Telescope Makers List
Subject: [ATM] casting aluminum


Hi All,
I need to fabricate some small aluminum parts for a diagonal/spider
design I am working on. Is it possible to melt aluminum in a small cast
iron skillet using a propane torch as a heat source.  I have a damaged
aluminum automobile oil pan that I can cut up for scrap aluminum. The
parts I need are not large but are original design. I'll will have to
make them. If I can cast the basic form, I can machine the rest with the
tools I have. Clear skies, Jerry




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