Re: ATM - Casting Aluminum

[Dale Carlson <drc@oz.net>]

At 11:49 PM 1/13/99 +1100, Paul Hettrick wrote:
>I dare say that this was due to the localised heating of the concrete with
>the stresses induced by local expansion and possibly vaporisation of water
>within the slab causing the explosion.  Or maybe that's what you were
>implying anyway??

No, I just assumed it was the aluminum. There was quite a chunk 
blown out of it as well. I suppose it was the aluminum conducting 
the heat to the slab very efficiently that caused the local 
heating of the concrete (it happened very quickly).  Someone else 
wrote to say essentially the same thing (expansion of the concrete, 
not the AL), so I'm sure you're both right. I'll transfer my phobia 
from unevenly heated aluminum to unevenly heated concrete, then :)

I'd like to get the recommended books and try some aluminum casting,
but please forgive me if I keep my distance from the furnace, at
least at first!!

Thanks,
Dale