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Hi heat cement

George

Member
I’ve decommissioned my homemade propane foundry, and have acquired a 50ltr stainless steel beer keg, I’ve noted the ITC100, and now for the wool? Best place please, Amazon? Also do i need to coat it in refractory cement? Or can it be just the wool with a ITC coating? LOL my propane foundry was a playsand plaster of Paris construction, it worked but brakes down after a cpl of years and it was bloody heavy
Any info would be appreciated.
Thanx in advance.
 

Tom O

Ultra Member
A beer keg works great I used 2 wraps of kaowool painted with ITC I used sodium silicate to glue it in place.
( it’s cheap and can be used for any core making ) For the bottom I used fireclay/sand that cracked as it dried out so I leveled it with sand and used a round shelf for a kiln that works well. I use a blower on mine with a regulator for propane and have had no problem with brass, I still have to try cast iron. I got my components from Ceramics Canada.
C5C7728E-826A-4630-BA36-F0B3321821D3.jpeg 1F265C79-A56C-4900-A2FF-8E0ABFAC7466.jpeg

Tongs for #6 clay graphite crucible.
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Tongs for 6x6” steel tubing with a bolt at each corner the nut is radiused to fit. They work quite well because lifting on the bottom naturally pulls them together giving you freedom to use the other hand to control the pour. C94F7918-7E7A-4EB6-8666-5C40E87C6EDC.jpeg

Here are the Princess Auto prices I’ve only used the ITC100 so far I’d like to try some of the coating stuff ( skimming ) for higher temps but I haven’t had the need yet.
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Tom O

Ultra Member
One thing I should point out is we cut the top a bit too high so we drilled some holes and wired it in place with nichrome wire the vent hole is 4”.
 

JuanH

Active Member
that's the setting i am aiming for. i won't mind swinging by and check it out. have you tried to melt tin bronze or silicone bronze?
 

Proxule

Ultra Member
No refractory over your kaowool, Only ITC.
I make my own sodium silicate ( water glass ) from sodium hydroxide and silica gel ( kitty litter ) crystals
 

George

Member
@Proxule thats interesting could you tell me/ the pundits the formula please, also I picked up a nice bit of aluminum to smelt next spring, need to go buy a few blades for my reciprocating saw now lol 22.5 inch wheel off a semi, has a cracked rim friend works for a truck repair shop
 

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Tom O

Ultra Member
When I made the furnace I just coated the inside of the keg to hold the kaowool in place this doesn’t require any c02 to harden it. When you are ready for more complex castings using cores you will need c02 to harden them unless you go the route of Myfordboy who adds resin to make his cores with good success .
 

kevin.decelles

Jack of all trades -- Master of none
Premium Member
The books I read on it said you could use the co2/argon gas from a mig welder to harden it.

With a 3d printer it should be fairly easy to print core boxes with venting holes and a hose barb

I bought a gallon of the liquid silicate but have not ventured into cores yes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Tom O

Ultra Member
Here is luckygen1001 video on a furnace build for iron using propane .
For my burner the gas tube slides into the tube about 3” seeing as it is attached to the blower.
 

kevin.decelles

Jack of all trades -- Master of none
Premium Member
Similar to the one by artful bodger. I bought his book and am collecting parts


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

JuanH

Active Member
for sodium silicate, can I use the ones from Amazon?
cal you get away with out it?
 

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Johnwa

Ultra Member
I got some sodium silicate from Ceramics Canada, way too long ago to remember the price. They’re prices tend to be on the high side but they are local and their store is well worth the visit.
 
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