Andy
I did mean it!!! I would love to spend some quality work time out on the farm.
Tig welding is a bit more challenging than mig welding. I wouldn't hesitate to use reclaimed sheet metal for the patch. Best tip I can offer is take your time and get the patch to fit before starting to weld it in and secure it in place so it doesn't move on you.
Good luck
Don
It would be a blast to have you come visit.
I do a fair amount of oxyacetylene welding and the little TIG I did was easy. Seems the way to go for me. I have a bit more trouble controlling MIG and don't have a MIG rig, just a cheap Lincoln flux core. I'm not very good with it.
I'm trying to listen to "get a good fitup" and will strive to do that.
I'm expecting my welding to look pretty tacky.
Thanks for stopping in! When you get to the Texas panhandle just pop on over!
Andy: sounds like you will do fine and with Don's ear and eyes helping i bet you might be surprised how well you will do. speaking of the work you need to do on the old Studebaker turning into a Dodge something did your grand daughter name it yet?
so how does this sound or is it even a possibility. how about a full on hammer handle and all made out of ALUMINUM?
i like the snap boxes you made and are you able to capture as much sand as you would if you left the form on?
i swear you've saved hundreds of thousands on tires just seeing what you can do with some that others would toss.
hope you had a great SATURDAY cause i did.
cheers
No word yet on dodging a studious baker's name.
I like the idea of an all aluminium hammer! Might just have to do that, thank you
Sand recovery is the same. All the sand makes it back to the molding table, and it all goes back in the pile. The hard part reconstitutes when you add a little water.
Not sure what I may have saved on tires. My new 94 Dodge I bought in Dec 93. By not rotating tires I got 100,000 miles out of the rears. This is a rear wheel drive vehicle with a heavy diesel engine. One December my wife noticed the rear tires were almost bald, truck had about 96,000 miles. We were traveling to out of town jobs in the truck. She says "are you intending to drive on bald tires in the winter to try to get 100,000 miles on them?" Busted!!
I already said I got 100,000 miles out of them. But not much more
I do still have those tires


Thanks for the ideas!!
Well the hammers are looking worth their weight in aluminium. Almost time for a brass test ?
GB
I really need to get my new furnace running before I try to cast brass. And to run it I need to cure the parts. And to cure the parts I need to get my PID wired up and operating. And to do that I need to make a box that doesn't look too bad, so I've been casting aluminum.
So, they don't make tires like they used to.
Do they not still mold them and then vulcanize them?
Interestingly old tires with hard, even cracked, rubber last better driving over stobs and sharp rocks. They really are better.
Thanks for clarifying the tire misunderstanding Andy. I'm glad to see that I wasn't alone in questioning who's tractors you were driving.
Did you ever say how hot your furnace gets? If so, I missed it.
Maximum propane flame temperature is above 3,600 F. Quality of insulation (not good in my brick furnace, too many air gaps) and proper mixture of air a propane affect the maximum temperature attainable. The other major factor is time. As you add energy temperature continues to go up. I get 1,500F or 1,600 pretty easily, and can probably get 2,400F in the brick furnace. I'm hoping to get 2,800F (cast iron melting) in my new furnace. Without waiting 8 hours for it go get there
I'm the curious type. I'm also wondering if you are planning on making brass or just using some for another project? I figured you're the type that would experiment and show us the difference between a high copper/ low zinc and vise versa.
I'm glad tomorrow is Saturday.
I would like to make some brass. I already have some zinc to blend with. zinc boils at a low temperature so making it is a bit challenging. Aluminum is also a possible use for alloying copper to make aluminum bronze.
No shop time today. I took Bob down and left him at my son's house. He is going to cut some trees and do a little earthwork. I'll miss him.
I also was my oldest grandson's birthday. And my son needed some calves castrated. So we did that then went to eat.
Late in the day, we were back home, and my friend whose dad ran a ferrous foundry and a nonferrous foundry came by. He has a lot of foundry experience and will get me in touch with some good suppliers. Also gave me some pointers. He wants to sell me some antique foundry equipment from the ferrous foundry, and take me on a detailed tour of the non-ferrous foundry. Suit me!!
