Lost Foam Casting

This short film is me melting down about 10 lbs of aluminum rod. I have been using pop cans up till now but I have use for a high strength section of my Raptor project that needs to support about 600lbs of the sculpture. The furnace is Stack Brick with a 210,000 BTU Tiger Torch. I am using the "Lost Foam Casting Method" and play sand is my medium to secure the shape while poured. Don't try this at all if you are not afraid of burning alive having 1400 degree Fahrenheit liquid aluminum dumped on you.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Lost
• foam
• casting

[trunk516]

Where do you get the molds?? do ya make 'em or??

[chrisehorton]

I make them from styrofoam with a hot wire cutter.

[ahz123]

That was easily the most dangerous 'foundry work' I have ever seen. And I don't mean that in a good way. I mean, you're being foolish.

WTF is the bath towel for. You should be dressed in fireproof gear. But most importantly, you need real tongs that keep you FAR away from the crucible. You could easily drop the whole thing on your leg and foot as you walk.

That's crazy.

[chrisehorton]

Ok so i guess you dont wont to see the vid of me casting or MIG welding in flip flops? ;)

[AlbequerqeTurkey]

I dont think that bath towel wrapped around your wais tis going to do much to protect you. I would invest in a heavy leather apron and some fire proof boot covers / gaiters.

[34rodzilla]

Have you had any problems with metal crucibles flaking off impurities into the aluminum possibly weakening/distorting the finished casting. If so are ceramic crucibles something to look into? Thanks for the video and comments.

[1990suzuki]

@whackitov

i agree..

[mrmantaray]

@chrisehorton Best reply ever

[whackitov]

@ahz123 LOL! ive done blacksmithing in bare feet before now, some people listen to too much health n safety advice from officials....live a little, experiment a bit :D

[MONKFOCKER]

You could've add some music to this video instead of listening to metal melting from the powerful furnace.

[pietzeekoe]

@MrShaun1578 No..the metal will vaporize the foam and take its place

[pietzeekoe]

@existentialatheist He is using loose sand ...the thing would colllapse... btw molten aluminium will get rid of the foam faster than acetone

[MrShaun1578]

when you do a lost foam pour do you have to burn the form out of the mold before you pour like as in lost wax? or can you directly pour? also are you using acetylene as your blast fuel?

[zapwatt]

@AlbequerqeTurkey

It's not the bath towel that's protecting him, it's the Mormon panties he's wearing underneath.