I started to melt some Cast Iron today

[dallen]

(08-30-2013, 09:42 PM)oldgoaly Wrote: how does burnt diesel and propane smell? have each one in the memory bank but together?
I can get the smell of burning coal and coke with the forge, I bought some petro-coke, it's too fine for a cupola so when I get the forge going I put a shovel full in the coal.

my sinus are pretty messed up Goaly, but from what I can remember of yesterday once the exhaust temp passes about 1500 degrees and your not running fuel rich there really isn't any smell except that of the hot iron,

Now dirt after its been up to around 1500 degrees then cooled back down to around 350 just flat out stinks like day old dog crap, and won't grow sh%t.

DA

[dallen]

heres the part that I casted yesterday and machined last night on the shaper, the original was knurled on the large diameter, I don't think I will be able to do that operation to this one, unless someone knows of a way to knurl something 4 inches in diameter on a 12 inch lathe

[TomG]

You could cut a straight knurl on the shaper using a dividing head. A 60º might work as well, but the center would be a bit deeper.

Tom

[dallen]

Tom

something a little faster that will get it done in my life time would be nice, I could do that on the mill but don't think I want to sit there that long cutting that many lines and with the way I count I'd miss a turn and have to do the damn thing over again.

DA

[the artfull-codger]

(08-30-2013, 08:56 PM)Rickabilly Wrote: DA,
You are making me miss my Blast furnaces,

There is something about the smell of a Blast furnace, I still miss the smell after 16 years.

Nice work by the way.

Rick

Rick, My Dad & I built my 1st coke furnace over 40 yrs ago when there wasn't much info around & I had B Terry aspins book [the bible!!] & I use coke,because I'm used to it [& we allways have a couple of tons or more in for the rayburn] I've never bothered with propane, I use a gas fired furnace at work & it's convenient but coke does me & as you say it does smell good!! & it'll do iron too,popular opinion suggests you start as an amateur on gingerys solid fuel furnace then ''advance'' to propane well I guess I haven't ''advanced'' much, I might try colin pecks oil burner for cheapness in the future though.
Graham.

[oldgoaly]

I don't think I will be able to do that operation to this one, unless someone knows of a way to knurl something 4 inches in diameter on a 12 inch lathe

Sounds like someone needs to start casting parts for a bigger lathe!!! a never ending cycle building and buying more toys!

[Rickabilly]

As for knurling big diameters on small machines, the old Ward No3 turret lathe was actually quite a small machine, while I never measured it I'd be surprised if it could turn 9" over the cross slide despite it being almost the same over all dimensions as my Big Colchester Mascot, I've seen knurled handwheels made in a number 3 Ward they would have been 5" in diameter, the tool used was a super sized scissor type mounted in the turret, I would guess such a doo-hickey would work in any lathe as long as you can turn it slowly enough, scissor type knurling tools don't put much pressure on the lathe so why not knock up a quick temporary scissor knurling tool and give it a go, I can sketch the tool I saw being used, frankly it was the common box style scissor knurling head just with the arms a little longer and on a biggish back plate, the main difference was that the clamping arms were pointing up in the air rather than sideways I suppose it was easier to get the required clearance on a spinning turret.

Rick