First casting

[Pete O]

Yep I used a flux that I got from a foundry supply when I first started to gather materials up for this, it's been sitting on the shelf for at least 2 years. When I think about it, it may have been intended for iron casting- will have a look at it and google the product code, It is in a tablet form. The supplier has since closed their premises near my workplace.

Thanks for the detailed response Stan, if you have a look at my furnace build thread you'll see that mine is very similar to the one in your video link, probably a shade larger. The hole in the lid is about 4 1/2" diameter. Reason I could not see into the crucible was the intensity and opacity of the exhaust flame, with the furnace warmed up and burning oil there is about 12" of orange flame above the exhaust port. Perhaps I was running it a bit rich. With the top of the crucible about 4" below the lid opening, there was too much orange to be able to see into it.

I'm aware of the need to warm & dry scrap prior to adding to the crucible- I did this by holding the pieces above the exhaust with tongs.

I'm using green sand rather than oil based, don't yet have a proper muller but it's on the project list.

I'm wondering if I might have been running too hot for aluminium. I have no way of measuring temperature