I started to melt some Cast Iron today

[dallen]

make a reminder to not screw up like this again, the crucible will be ok I think. the way I see it is that the crucible can't shrink faster then the iron cools off. I've had some pretty heavy buildup in that crucible from melting iron in it and the stuff almost always pops loose, the one thing it does do is it causes the crucible wall to thin a little every time I use it but thats just part of the game.

now I just gotta fire back up and see what I can mess up next after I get some propane, already have fuel oil, good thing I get paid this wenesday.

DA

[dallen]

tore the oil burner setup apart today and cleaned the bugs out of it and did a test run heating the furnace up was almost at iron melting temp when it started to rain, if the rain gods will hold off for tomorrow I'm going to try and see what kind of mess I can make again.

No to go get the propane bottle filled, (where in the hell is Hank Hill when you need him)

[dallen]

well I tried again today to melt cast iron, in the same crucible as I used last time when we had the giant fiasco with the stuff freezing in the crucible and me being lucky enough to get it out without damaging the crucible.

Anyway I had to empty the muller to move it so instead of putting the oilbonded sand back in it I had some new clean silica sand so I mixed up a new ( have a couple buckets of old stuff somewhere) batch of greensand and rammed up the pattern for the nut that goes on the shaft where you adjust the length of the stroke on the shaper.

Like Ed say's no video it didn't happen so here it is

[EdK]

Nice video David. It looks like it was a successful pour.

Ed

[dallen]

thanks Ed the part had a couple of shrinks in it but it usable if I can machine it, white iron is not fun to try to cut. stuffs harder then a witches heart. I have it heat soaking in the furnace now will pull it late tonight or in the morning and see if I can get thru the skin.

I really liked it when I rolled the crucible over on its side to pour and all you see is white, thats about 2700 degrees

DA

[EdK]

What's "white iron"?

Ed

[doubleboost]

Very well done on the iron pour

But you need a face shield and those big arms covering up
If that splashes you it will not stop at the bone
John

[dallen]

cast iron without any carbon in it, the stuff can be really hard to cut and likes to tear up cutters.



John
thin cotton shirt sleaves won't stop it either, and its too damn hot in oklahoma in the summer time to wear a bunker suit. besides I don't have one. and the shields that will take the heat I can't afford

[dallen]

here is a photo that I have circled the two spots that are while you should be able to see the difference in the grain of the iron I broke this off the end of the runner before putting the casting back in the furnace to soak. some times that will soften the hard spots so you can machine them.

you will notice in the middle of the piece that its nice and gray which is an indication that it will cut like most CI does which normally is soft as butter.

   

[oldgoaly]

DA
is the ferro-silicate (I don't remember the full name) supposed to take care of that white iron (haven't heard that term before)
part looks workable, The tank hanging? waste oil? Thanks for sharing your work!