Above 1200 Sq/FT Cleaning Up My Shop

[shortykorte]

Thanks Andy for the great answer. I didn’t think about radiate heat being the cause of the foam metal.
If I send you some scrap, can I get one one of those nice AM burners?


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[oldironfarmer]

Better go buy a scratch off if you're feeling that lucky.

What did I do wrong that I should pay the stupid tax?

I've never had a desire to gamble, yet I farm...

Andy love your explanation of what happens with lost foam. Now I understand it better. However, I cannot understand why I keep typing the letters that are on the opposite side of the keyboard from where my brain is telling them to type.?

That's the way it was explained to me, and it sounds logical. I can't actually see it happen.

Hmmm, my fingers don't work like they used to, but I've decided not to fire them yet. It would be painful to cut them off, they've been with me for such a long time.

Andy
I believe even if there is an element of luck involved, the fortune generally favors the skilled and talented. Very nicely done

And thank you again for your as per usual detailed photos and great explanations. Your informative narratives are always educational

Thank you. I do like to think I contribute some to my luck, but as soon as I get cocky about something I pull a bonehead stunt and feel like a real loser.

Ha! Take my explanations with a grain of salt. It's just how I do stuff, I'm sure there are better ways.

Thanks Andy for the great answer. I didn’t think about radiate heat being the cause of the foam metal.
If I send you some scrap, can I get one one of those nice AM burners?


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

It is interesting that the radiant energy is so powerful. As you hold the crucible over the pouring cone to line up and pour the foam inside will start to curl and shrink. I always put a piece of sheet metal over the wooden flask where I'm going to pour because just having the crucible close will singe and smoke the wood.

I'll be pleased to send you one of the crappy AM burners, I haven't made any of the nice ones yet.

I take all scrap offered but you might want to save it for yourself if you're going to start melting stuff.

I did a lot of grinding and a little machining today. Grinding aluminum is a little slow and I had lots of stuff to grind off. Got the two clamp halves cleaned up and hinge holes drilled.

Then cut some half inch rod to make round 5/16" hinge nuts. I know you can buy these, but I never have. They are used in wood working.

Drilled 1/2" holes in the ends of the clamps and milled out for the bolts.

The idea is to put something like a turnbuckle between the round nuts to force the arms apart and the clamp closed.

Now for today's screwups. This week's actually. In retrospect I should not have tried to cast the ears. They did not come out precisely parallel, it would have been better to cast them solid, or at least thicker, and machine a accurate slot. And the center ear should have been thicker than the two outside ones to equalize their strength. The two clamps don't match as well as I'd like. In order to get the tips to match well I had to drill the center ear offcenter. That will be the weak portion of the clamp. If it fails I'll have to redo it. But for now it's finally close to being useful.

Thanks for the visits and comments!

 

[RickP]

...
Ha! Take my explanations with a grain of salt. It's just how I do stuff, I'm sure there are better ways.
...

I did a lot of grinding and a little machining today. Grinding aluminum is a little slow and I had lots of stuff to grind off. Got the two clamp halves cleaned up and hinge holes drilled.

Then cut some half inch rod to make round 5/16" hinge nuts. I know you can buy these, but I never have. They are used in wood working.

The idea is to put something like a turnbuckle between the round nuts to force the arms apart and the clamp closed.
...

Ha! We're taking your explanations with a sprinkling of wisdom, salted with knowledge! If there are better ways, I haven't found them yet. (Maybe more expensive ways, sure, but you seem to think through solutions pretty thoroughly and implement them with economy and finesse.)

I like the hinge nuts - those were new to me. I would have threaded the aluminum and been unhappy with the galvanic corrosion later. Your way is pretty slick.

I was thinking about the turnbuckle for spreading the clamp, and there are a few ways to do that, but they seem a little slow, at least for wide adjustment ranges. Have you considered using a quick clamp from your shop to spread the two arms of the new clamp? (I just flipped the ends of a quick clamp this week to force some boards apart - otherwise I wouldn't have thought of it.) Even though the quick clamps don't have a lot of power, maybe the lever arm of the new clamp will be enough for it to work. Alternatively, maybe flipping the ends of a Jorgensen bar clamp would be a better solution, which would easily allow you to have the turnbuckle power along with the speed of wide adjustment ranges. I have a real short Jorgy that looks almost useless, but actually comes in very handy for small jobs.

Nice work on those clamps - they look really good.

All that aluminum grinding does not sound like fun. I was just grinding some pewter and it was even worse, but I do hate aluminum. How do you clean the Al off the grinding wheels?

 

[gman007]

Andy
The clamps look great .

Depending on the intended application for the clamps, is it possible to use some kind of Jack Screw or Scissor Jack mechanism or how about a stiff spring (coiled or leaf) between the arms?

 

[realvc]

I went back and found why you're making the long clamp.
You have made the best looking long reach veneer clamp that I've ever seen.

Vince

 

[Farmall450]

I'm sure you know how to get rich farming.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Ha! We're taking your explanations with a sprinkling of wisdom, salted with knowledge! If there are better ways, I haven't found them yet. (Maybe more expensive ways, sure, but you seem to think through solutions pretty thoroughly and implement them with economy and finesse.)

I appreciate the kind words.

I like the hinge nuts - those were new to me. I would have threaded the aluminum and been unhappy with the galvanic corrosion later. Your way is pretty slick.

The problem with threading the aluminum is that the angle changes as the arms move. I thought about threading one side with a button head on a bolt pushing on the other side (it could slide) but I couldn't see an easy way to keep it in contact, to keep the clamp from closing on it's own.

I would not be concerned with the galvanic corrosion, a little grease does wonders.

I was thinking about the turnbuckle for spreading the clamp, and there are a few ways to do that, but they seem a little slow, at least for wide adjustment ranges. Have you considered using a quick clamp from your shop to spread the two arms of the new clamp? (I just flipped the ends of a quick clamp this week to force some boards apart - otherwise I wouldn't have thought of it.) Even though the quick clamps don't have a lot of power, maybe the lever arm of the new clamp will be enough for it to work. Alternatively, maybe flipping the ends of a Jorgensen bar clamp would be a better solution, which would easily allow you to have the turnbuckle power along with the speed of wide adjustment ranges. I have a real short Jorgy that looks almost useless, but actually comes in very handy for small jobs.

Nice work on those clamps - they look really good.

All that aluminum grinding does not sound like fun. I was just grinding some pewter and it was even worse, but I do hate aluminum. How do you clean the Al off the grinding wheels?

I could have made a wooden divider style clamp with a loose pipe clamp to pull it together, but I wanted something which didn't take three hands. I'm not too concerned about speed, I expect to just move it a little to go from one area of veneer to be clamped to the next. I may be disappointed.

For aluminum grinding I use a 4-1/2" right angle grinder, a die grinder with a cutoff wheel, and a flap wheel sander. They don't get loaded up like a grinding wheel does.

A wheel dresser will clean up a grinding wheel but they take off a lot of the wheel too.

Andy
The clamps look great .

Depending on the intended application for the clamps, is it possible to use some kind of Jack Screw or Scissor Jack mechanism or how about a stiff spring (coiled or leaf) between the arms?

Thanks! A jack screw was what I had in mind.

I went back and found why you're making the long clamp.
You have made the best looking long reach veneer clamp that I've ever seen.

Vince

Thanks, Vince! About halfway through I was thinking I should have just made a wooden one, or two. But I'm not much for giving up so this will get finished.

I'm sure you know how to get rich farming.

Tough question, I guess the easy way would be to start very rich and after a short while you'll be rich.

I had an interesting day today. Thought I'd finish up the clamp.

First turned a groove in a bolt so a set screw will keep it from pulling out of a threaded collar to push a jack screw

Then a friend called and wanted to know whether I wanted some copper. Of course. He was on the way to the scrapyard so I told him I'd buy it at their price.

That pile is three out of four drums full he had.

Looks like I'm fixed for copper.

Then my hay baler called and wanted to bring my bale wagon home. I still have 30 bales in the field so he offered to haul them if I'd load them so I spent three hours loading then lining them up after they were all unloaded. It kind of shoots the day.

The cylinder nuts have a 5/16" thread, and I don't have any 5/16" allthread so I cut the end of a 3/8" allthread down to 5/16".

Didn't clean up, but it will thread.

Then took a piece of 1/2" rod, stepped it to 3/8" so it will fit into the slot in the clamp and drilled it out to 5/16" for the grooved bolt to seat in. The stepped end will spin on the grooved bolt.

Drilled the other end for 3/8" 1/64" to hold the jack screw, then welded a 3/8" nut on it. The stepped end still needs a set screw to fit in the groove. The 3/8"+ hole stops 0.20" short of the 5/16" hole so the grooved bolt has something to push against.

This is how it assembles.

The left end of the jack screw has the stepped threads and screws into the cylinder nut. After it's done it will get some Lok-tite to hold it in the cylinder nut.

The right end has the grooved bolt and still needs a set screw

Almost finished. Like Rian says, every small step takes so much time.

Thanks for all the comments and for stopping by!

 

[drivesitfar]

Andy: nice work on the custom made tool. not sure exactly your use for it so I'll just watch and learn. WELL DONE SIR!!

nice pile of copper pipe!! just curious what copper by the pound is getting at the scrap yard cause I haven't heard about the theives stealing much of it lately like they were doing for a while in vacant homes and public utilities?

COPPER INGOTS? or just melt and use? either way i'm getting comfy in my chair and getting ready to watch the show.

you sound like throwing hay on a flat bed is no big deal for a 69 year old guy. GEESH that Zumba or whatever classes you are taking are really keeping you in shape and i bet the hay will dry better in your storage area than out in the field.

cheers and hope you have a good day today!!

 

[bolensboneyard]

Copper NICE. Now look at how many vise jaws you can make. Have to start collecting vises Andy

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy: nice work on the custom made tool. not sure exactly your use for it so I'll just watch and learn. WELL DONE SIR!!

nice pile of copper pipe!! just curious what copper by the pound is getting at the scrap yard cause I haven't heard about the theives stealing much of it lately like they were doing for a while in vacant homes and public utilities?

COPPER INGOTS? or just melt and use? either way i'm getting comfy in my chair and getting ready to watch the show.

you sound like throwing hay on a flat bed is no big deal for a 69 year old guy. GEESH that Zumba or whatever classes you are taking are really keeping you in shape and i bet the hay will dry better in your storage area than out in the field.

cheers and hope you have a good day today!!

Thanks, Drives. I should be using the clamp tomorrow.

No. 1 copper is at $2.00 per pound, No. 2 $1.85.

This stuff is clean enough I doubt I'll make any ingots, that would be just to clean it up a bit.

The hay is in round bales, about 1,200 lbs per bale so Bob did all the heavy lifting. It was just too cold to take off my gloves and take pictures. But they are stored outside, they just need to be in the hay yard at the house to be where I can sell or feed them. Plus they could be subject to theft in the field by the road. Not generally, but hay is getting in short supply this year, and a guy with a bale spike on his pickup might be tempted.

However the aerobic exercise is good, and I can still handle a 65 lb bale like I could 20 years ago. Not much different than your 80 lb bags of cement.

Copper NICE. Now look at how many vise jaws you can make. Have to start collecting vises Andy

Vise jaws! I was thinking copper hammers too, but some copper vise jaws might be a nice gift. I need to get a pattern made. Then I could cast copper, brass, aluminum bronze, and aluminum vise jaws. I just use aluminum sheet now, broke to about 95 degrees, and they stay on nicely.

We had about an inch of snow overnight and this morning it is 20F and windy. Supposed to be 8F tonight so the cattle are getting extra rations today.

 

[oldironfarmer]

It is cold this morning, with lots of wind.

Drives asked about my hay, I only had two rows left, after hauling the rest of my hay in I'm up to four rows.

The wind was biting. I normally feed hay in an open field but this morning took it down to the edge of the woods. The trees effectively block the wind.

The hay was frozen before the snow so thankfully the strings weren't stuck to the bales. It can be a struggle to get off. But it needs to come off. I walked up on a cow one time who was chewing on some plastic baler twine. There was ten or fifteen feet of it hanging from her mouth so I took my time and got close to her and was able to grab the twine (they normally flee from you). I pulled sixty to eight feet of twine out of her. I suspect she would have quit eating thinking she was full.

It is a pretty good slope where i fed, but it gets a lot steeper just downhill. I quit clearing here because it was too steep and would promote erosion.

There's a wet weather waterfall dead center of the picture, where the ground disappears. About a ten foot drop.

Thanks for looking in!

 

[Redwolf947]

That weather looks almost like here.. I've had enough of the white stuff and cold..

Vice jaws!!!! Now that sounds like a great idea!!!

Still following along quietly in the background !!

Mike

 

[Vieux]

Andy's my friend! I read your theme all the time, you great master!

 

[don long]

I hope the weather breaks in the next 2 weeks so it's nice for a visit.

I'm coming for sure just don't know exactly when We are leaving

Your cows seem to be a full time job for you and BOB the cat.
I didn't know the round bails were that heavy.

 

[oldironfarmer]

That weather looks almost like here.. I've had enough of the white stuff and cold..

Vice jaws!!!! Now that sounds like a great idea!!!

Still following along quietly in the background !!

Mike

I remember the heat from last summer and I'm trying to enjoy the cold but it's getting harder. A little bright green would be nice.

Glad to have you follow along.

Andy's my friend! I read your theme all the time, you great master!

Vladimir is my friend! I read your thread all the time, you are a great master!!

I hope the weather breaks in the next 2 weeks so it's nice for a visit.

I'm coming for sure just don't know exactly when We are leaving

Your cows seem to be a full time job for you and BOB the cat.
I didn't know the round bails were that heavy.

Very glad you're coming for a visit, Don! We're supposed to be in the fifties within a week, with lows well above freezing, so I think we should have some nice weather for a visit.

Anyone who would like to come see Don just watch our conversations here. All are welcome, but I'd like anyone who thinks they can come to say so. We all have last minute emergencies but let me know if you plan to come for a visit.

The cows only take about an hour per day through the winter, and very little attention through the summer. They would rather be left alone. I quit feeding hay about April 5 and feed about April 15. They quit coming for hay when there is enough green grass to get their attention. but the early grass is pretty weak for nutrition so they get a protein supplement for a couple more weeks. Then they're on their own for the summer.

I managed a few hours in the shop today, and actually did some cleaning. With a dignitary like Don Long coming by I need to get serious about not embarrassing myself too much.

Probably not, I'm too old to change.

We've been discussing soft jaws for vises. What I'm currently using (to clamp on bolt threads without damaging them, for instance) is some aluminum sheet metal bent to fit.

The holes were already in the scrap I used.

Finished up the veneer long reach clamp. Working on small stuff is sometimes more challenging than big stuff. I wanted to use a 1/4-28 set screw to hold the grooved stub but it needed a pointed end. The only one I had was 1/4" long. Enough for the job but tough to chuck up in the lathe. I screwed it halfway through a fine thread nut, then screwed another setscrew in from the back to lock it in. Chucked the nut up carefully and got it pretty square.

This is how it fits in the stub just to keep the assembly from coming apart.

I took the stub back out and turned a little deeper and wider groove for the setscrew to ride in.

Finally assembled. My buddy Rollin (who I made the burner for) had cast two of these knobs for me and this seemed like a good place to use one. It turns the sleeve to drive the screw on the left in and out. You can see the setscrew that rides in the groove, the setscrew in the knob is on the other side.

It looks like it will adjust smoothly and relatively quickly given the leverage between the adjusting end and the clamp end.

Thanks for stopping by! Maybe we'll clamp some veneer tomorrow...

 

[Farmall450]

You nailed it - start out with more $$$

 

[bolensboneyard]

I remember the heat from last summer and I'm trying to enjoy the cold but it's getting harder. A little bright green would be nice.

Glad to have you follow along.



Vladimir is my friend! I read your thread all the time, you are a great master!!



Very glad you're coming for a visit, Don! We're supposed to be in the fifties within a week, with lows well above freezing, so I think we should have some nice weather for a visit.

Anyone who would like to come see Don just watch our conversations here. All are welcome, but I'd like anyone who thinks they can come to say so. We all have last minute emergencies but let me know if you plan to come for a visit.

The cows only take about an hour per day through the winter, and very little attention through the summer. They would rather be left alone. I quit feeding hay about April 5 and feed about April 15. They quit coming for hay when there is enough green grass to get their attention. but the early grass is pretty weak for nutrition so they get a protein supplement for a couple more weeks. Then they're on their own for the summer.

I managed a few hours in the shop today, and actually did some cleaning. With a dignitary like Don Long coming by I need to get serious about not embarrassing myself too much.

Probably not, I'm too old to change.

We've been discussing soft jaws for vises. What I'm currently using (to clamp on bolt threads without damaging them, for instance) is some aluminum sheet metal bent to fit.

The holes were already in the scrap I used.

Finished up the veneer long reach clamp. Working on small stuff is sometimes more challenging than big stuff. I wanted to use a 1/4-28 set screw to hold the grooved stub but it needed a pointed end. The only one I had was 1/4" long. Enough for the job but tough to chuck up in the lathe. I screwed it halfway through a fine thread nut, then screwed another setscrew in from the back to lock it in. Chucked the nut up carefully and got it pretty square.

This is how it fits in the stub just to keep the assembly from coming apart.

I took the stub back out and turned a little deeper and wider groove for the setscrew to ride in.

Finally assembled. My buddy Rollin (who I made the burner for) had cast two of these knobs for me and this seemed like a good place to use one. It turns the sleeve to drive the screw on the left in and out. You can see the setscrew that rides in the groove, the setscrew in the knob is on the other side.

It looks like it will adjust smoothly and relatively quickly given the leverage between the adjusting end and the clamp end.

Thanks for stopping by! Maybe we'll clamp some veneer tomorrow...

Andy looking at the knob in your clamp. Now that's the kind of thing that could entice me into casting aluminum. Plastic just would not do it for finishing off a nice project like that!

 

[drivesitfar]

Andy: great work on that CLAMP!!!

good to hear the weather is going to warm up a bit and really happy to hear that Don & Ann are going to stop by for a visit. WOW I wish I could be there too, but sadly I have to get finished moving out of my shop which seems like it will never end. I hope you all enjoy your time together!!

love your stories about farm life even the ones about pulling all that string out of your cow's mouth so it didn't die or get really sick.

here's to another great day above dirt and i think it's supposed to warm up here a bit today too.

cheers

 

[jblnut]

Man I am envious of your cold snap. Looks like summer down there while standing on my 40' high pile of snow

The clamp is a work of art and one of the type of things I always try to snag at auctions. You can tell when something is homemade with a purpose in mind and it's always fun trying to figure out that purpose !!

I wish I could come down and shoot the breeze with y'all but it's a bit of a far drive for me. I will me making the big drive to Minneapolis next week to go to the Midwest Poultry Federation Convention. The manufacture of the Poultry Hawk tool I am a dealer for has a booth and invited me to come spread the word. I'll be closer than usual and will wave in your general direction.

 

[oldironfarmer]

You nailed it - start out with more $$$

It's sad to know the truth.

Andy looking at the knob in your clamp. Now that's the kind of thing that could entice me into casting aluminum. Plastic just would not do it for finishing off a nice project like that!

The knob was cast off a plastic knob. There are a lot of things you can just directly copy from the original without making a pattern. Pretty handy.

Glad you like the project.

Andy: great work on that CLAMP!!!

Thanks, Drives!

good to hear the weather is going to warm up a bit and really happy to hear that Don & Ann are going to stop by for a visit. WOW I wish I could be there too, but sadly I have to get finished moving out of my shop which seems like it will never end. I hope you all enjoy your time together!!

I'm eager to meet them, and Don is enough of a gentleman I don't think he'll tear me up too bad over the condition of my shop.

love your stories about farm life even the ones about pulling all that string out of your cow's mouth so it didn't die or get really sick.

here's to another great day above dirt and i think it's supposed to warm up here a bit today too.

cheers

I like living on a farm even though it does take some time, it's all very real stuff to take care of. I hope you had a good day today like I did.

Man I am envious of your cold snap. Looks like summer down there while standing on my 40' high pile of snow

I see what you guys are going through. When I worked in Prudhoe Bay I had the right cold weather gear. It does not get all that cold here so my cold weather gear is a little limited. I really need to buy a bit more.

The cows still think it's chilly, but at least the snow is not melting off their backs.

While we had the snow cover I did burn three years of baler twine and net wrap. Never a good time to burn near a hay barn.

The clamp is a work of art and one of the type of things I always try to snag at auctions. You can tell when something is homemade with a purpose in mind and it's always fun trying to figure out that purpose !!

I wish I could come down and shoot the breeze with y'all but it's a bit of a far drive for me. I will me making the big drive to Minneapolis next week to go to the Midwest Poultry Federation Convention. The manufacture of the Poultry Hawk tool I am a dealer for has a booth and invited me to come spread the word. I'll be closer than usual and will wave in your general direction.

Thanks for the kind words! They are always appreciated. I think the clamp is going to work just fine.

That drive would be a little more than our trip to Houston for lunch, but it would be nice to have you. Hershey is devastated you won't make it.

Thanks for the comments, guys!

 

[jimreed2160]

Andy said:
No. 1 copper is at $2.00 per pound, No. 2 $1.85[/]

It takes about 144 pennies (1981 or earlier) to make a pound of copper, so it is profitable to melt them. EXCEPT for a recently passed law that makes melting pennies AND nickels illegal. Also they cannot be exported.

That does not mean that you cannot use pennies in your shop to make an emergency washer. But if you need to make a washer from a penny then your shop supply cabinet is in a sorry state.

 

[Farmall450]

I find it hard to believe you don't have a burning barrel.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Current pennies are 97-1/2% zinc. Zinc in small quantities is also about $1.85 per pound. Typically brass is 30% zinc so pennies would make a nice feed stock for making brass along with copper wire.

If it weren't illegal.

And I try to not do illegal things.

I inspected my stainless steel crucible today. It has undergone well over 300 heat cycles.

It is close to being worn out. The base weld has cracked again, and there are blisters on it.

The other side has a large crack, and more blisters.

Inside of that double blister on the first picture is a bit of a pit.

I filled it with water and the pit leaked. Four different pits leaked. Now aluminum has a very high surface tension so it would not leak, yet.

And the bottom keeps bowing. That was flat to start with, and the camera is lined up with the weld.

It keeps losing material, comes off in a black powder outside.

About 0.169", and it was 0.237" when new. I think it is almost time to retire.

 

[oldironfarmer]

I find it hard to believe you don't have a burning barrel.

I have two, but they are not out by the barn, they're down by the caboose. And that plastic needs lots of air to burn up.

 

[tym]

I inspected my stainless steel crucible today. It has undergone well over 300 heat cycles.

It is close to being worn out. The base weld has cracked again, and there are blisters on it.

The other side has a large crack, and more blisters.

Inside of that double blister on the first picture is a bit of a pit.

I filled it with water and the pit leaked. Four different pits leaked. Now aluminum has a very high surface tension so it would not leak, yet.

And the bottom keeps bowing. That was flat to start with, and the camera is lined up with the weld.

It keeps losing material, comes off in a black powder outside.

About 0.169", and it was 0.237" when new. I think it is almost time to retire.

Time to melt it down inside another, even bigger, crucible?

 

[Grizz1963]

I really enjoy your science and physics lessons Andy.

On here, every day certainly is a school day.


I have to say, most people would walk in and see a shop bought tool.

Awesome being able to see it all happen.

Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for the kind words! They are always appreciated. I think the clamp is going to work just fine.

That drive would be a little more than our trip to Houston for lunch, but it would be nice to have you. Hershey is devastated you won't make it.


Tough life for this girl.

 

[jbmatth]

Good results on the clamp Andy, I enjoyed seeing your solution to the problem. Are you going to make another SS crucible or step up to something more exotic?

JB

 

[Farmall450]

Time to melt it down inside another, even bigger, crucible?

Woah

It probably is about time for a new one. I also wouldn't be too worried about melting a few pennies - I'm sure we've all fed the trains a few.

 

[gman007]

Andy

I am running a bit behind on the posts and just saw your finished clamp. It looks fantastic and definitely is very handy as well (even for those of us that are not handy Andy)

I am sure you and Don will have a great time. Please as per usual keep us posted (photos and all).

 

[BBChevro]

Great work on the clamp Andy. [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G950F using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[BBChevro]

3 "legs" on the base of the crucible would negate the bowing.

I wouldn't worry about the pitting until aluminum started leaking from it. [emoji4]

Sent from my SM-G950F using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[oldironfarmer]

Time to melt it down inside another, even bigger, crucible?

Hmmm, it is 304SS. I'm not up to steel casting yet, especially stainless steel. It will probably be on my shelf of fame.

I really enjoy your science and physics lessons Andy.

On here, every day certainly is a school day.

I have to say, most people would walk in and see a shop bought tool.

Awesome being able to see it all happen.

Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for the kind words! They are always appreciated. I think the clamp is going to work just fine.

That drive would be a little more than our trip to Houston for lunch, but it would be nice to have you. Hershey is devastated you won't make it.

Tough life for this girl.

Thanks for stopping by, Rian! Always glad to have you around.

Hershey will work through her grief, but she misses you, too.

Good results on the clamp Andy, I enjoyed seeing your solution to the problem. Are you going to make another SS crucible or step up to something more exotic?

JB

Thanks, JB! Since that crucible lasted a couple of years I think it is the way to go, plus I have material for two more. I think what i have is 316L which might even be a little better. I have to operate it above it's operating temperature so long life is not in the cards. But it probably has 150 hours on it at temperature, as well as 300 heatups and 300 cool downs.

Woah

It probably is about time for a new one. I also wouldn't be too worried about melting a few pennies - I'm sure we've all fed the trains a few.

I just don't know what a train would do to a penny...

Andy

I am running a bit behind on the posts and just saw your finished clamp. It looks fantastic and definitely is very handy as well (even for those of us that are not handy Andy)

I am sure you and Don will have a great time. Please as per usual keep us posted (photos and all).

Thanks!! Glad you like the clamp.

Don may only have a short time to visit, but I'm sure we'll have a good time. He's a class act. I, on the other hand, always remember my British friend who liked to say "Culture, Andy? Not to worry, you 'ave culture, you get it from yogurt". I hope I can remember to take photos.

Great work on the clamp Andy. [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G950F using The Garage Journal mobile app

Thank you!!

3 "legs" on the base of the crucible would negate the bowing.

I wouldn't worry about the pitting until aluminum started leaking from it. [emoji4]

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Don't know how legs would do. That's the hottest part of the furnace, if one leg melts it could get a little tipsy.

Since water came through, aluminium can't be far behind. But I need to use it tomorrow so we'll see how that goes.

Thanks for the visits and comments, guys!

 

[Farmall450]

Make it into a flat ingot

 

[oldironfarmer]

Make it into a flat ingot

By the way, I've got a piece to mail to you if I can just remember to box it up. Maybe tomorrow.

I spent some time in the shop today. It was nice. On the casting forum there is a discussion about new technology to minimize porosity. It involves using a pouring basin with a weir, the idea being you can dump a lot of metal in the basin and establish a level which will keep the sprue flooded at all times. I decided to try to make one, using core sand with sodium silicate as a binder. Each cup will be one use.

I started out with a big piece of black walnut, it took two cuts to get through it with the table saw.

Once I got it square I tapered all four sides while it was still a long piece. That avoids trying to support the tapered cuts.

Worked good holding it firmly against the fence. Picture is after it was cut off. The trapezoidal piece is the basin.

Cut a wedge to make a chamber over the sprue and attached it.

Then clamped a piece of scrap next to it and bored a groove to make a weir between the basin and the sprue.

Made a piece for a form for the sprue. By this design it calculates 0.2 sq in. That's only a 7/16" square. Drilled a 3/8" hole in it for a dowel.

I got the bit a bit offcenter, but it will work.

Put a piece of 3/8" dowel in it and drilled a matching hole in the basin.

Then tapered a 2x4 and made an outside form. Here's the assembly ready to make a casting of the basin.

to be continued...

 

[Farmall450]

No sweat -- I really appreciate it. I won't even be home to put it on the vise until next Friday afternoon!

Good luck on the adventure. I've never been a big fan of 1 use stuff - generally gloves, thermometers, dental equipment, but I suppose in casting environments you don't have many options. Obviously you're pretty good at re-purposing -- so good in fact you're competing with the local scrapyard :grin

 

[oldironfarmer]

I need something to pour so I made a pattern for a couple of rocker feet for the long clamp. It has a 7/16" square sprue to fit up into the new pouring basin.

Mixed up some sand and sodium silicate (water glass) and started packing the mold.

Went pretty quickly. Used my fork to ventilate it to get CO2 in deeper.

It is just wet sand right now, but the sprue pulled out smoothly.

Put it in a box and flooded it with CO2 (I use vinegar in a cup with baking soda)

In about a half hour it had firmed up and I removed the outside form. I started to put it back in the cure box but decided to turn it over. Bad move, it only had a very thin layer of cured sand and it came apart while handling.

Dang! But in this clever cutaway view you can see the basin, weir, and opening for the sprue.

Next one went quicker. I decided to pull the basin out like the sprue so the CO2 would have better access to the sand. Unfortunately some of the sand pulled out with the basin form. I need to remember to put parting compound on it, or really it needs a fillet in the internal corners.

Even though it is damaged, I think it will be suitable for pouring. Just not exactly the shape I wanted. It is curing all night so hopefully it will be usable tomorrow morning.

Thanks for looking in!

 

[oldironfarmer]

No sweat -- I really appreciate it. I won't even be home to put it on the vise until next Friday afternoon!

Good luck on the adventure. I've never been a big fan of 1 use stuff - generally gloves, thermometers, dental equipment, but I suppose in casting environments you don't have many options. Obviously you're pretty good at re-purposing -- so good in fact you're competing with the local scrapyard :grin

I need to hustle on the vise handle, and slow down on the scrap acquisition.

I also need to get back on the pharmacy shelving unit, but I'm busy.

 

[Bob Heine]

Andy, it's good to be busy!

 

[oldironfarmer]

OK, one more post. Here's the end of an arm from the failed clamp casting.

It looks pretty good. Sections are about 1/4" thick. This has been filed with a Nicholson Super Shear file, which takes light shearing cuts. Then it was marked black all over with a Milwaukee marker, then wiped clean to highlight pits. Without the ink the pits are very hard to see. A little closer please.

There are a lot of pits (porosity) in the metal. The current theory is that these are caused by air entrainment creating oxides. Avoiding the air entrainment is the goal of the pouring basin. Get close

These aren't too damaging for a structural member, but I'd like to do better. The largest one is about 0.020", in my estimation. I don't think there are enough to cause a leak if this were a pressure part. But I can't be sure.

Maybe we can pour with the new basin tomorrow (and a worn out crucible).

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy, it's good to be busy!

Busy is good, Bob! Thanks for dropping by!