Chris Barrett Casting Iron

[Thetruthishere11]

you need a different crucible holder. you must be growing big forearms doing it that way.

[supperstorm]

what type of pot you use for foundry to melt metal in it and what material is made of?

[theartfulbodger]

For cast iron a clay / graphite crucible is needed, for metals which pour at a lower temp. then a steel or stainless steel crucible can be used. These can be lined with a clay mix to prevent contamination to the molten metal.

[Thetruthishere11]

Great videos. Can't find any on iron casting.

[theartfulbodger]

Thanks, iron casting takes a lot of heat, many home furnaces cannot reach these temps. To reach these temps. takes a lot of fuel, using free waste oil saves a small fortune!

Colin

[slome815]

is there a reason why noone uses a coke fire for iron casting with a crucible (I have only seen cupolas used with cokes)

[theartfulbodger]

Hi, coke works fine I've melted iron with it both in a crucible and direct melting. Have a look at the earlier furnaces page on my web site there's a couple of pictures there. Coke is getting very hard to get and works out expensive as you do go through it. Also it really makes a mess with ash covering everything. Waste oil is much easier, cleaner and free.

Colin

[slome815]

@slome815 Well when you can get oil for free thats true, but here oil has to go to a "container park" (to avoid restaurant just pouring waste oil down the drain). So coke is the cheapest I can use here.Now I'm using propane but the price is far to high.

[theartfulbodger]

I use most of the veggie oil I get in my car, old engine oil works fine in the furnace and I can get as much of it as I can use for free. My pockets aren't deep enough even to think of propane, I did have a bit of a play with it and could never get it to burn as hot as I can get waste oil. So why pay a fortune for something not as good as a free fuel??

Colin

[dimz4life]

dude wats that bucket thing that you put the iron in and smelt it?

[theartfulbodger]

Hi; that's a crucible, in this case I believe Chris was using a clay / graphite crucible which is the safest one for cast iron.

Colin

[64dGunfighter]

Dude,

Please devise another way of manipulating the crucible so as to make your pours away from your body, not towards you. Be Safe

[theartfulbodger]

Hi; Although I posted this as it shows a furnace of my design in action (one not built by me), it isn't me using it. Chris does say in his email to me (which this video clip was attached to) that ths he realises the health and safety aspects of this are not too good and will be recified, however he just had to give it a go! I must confess that I am often carried away with the "moment" and sometimes do similar things!! Thank you for your concern though. Colin