This casting is a base for a steam engine.Dimensions are 21" X 8 5/8" X 4 1/4".Weight is about 30#.It was cast in petrobond sand.
The frame of the engine will be a great deal more intricate so,I think I will try lost foam.Since I do not have a CNC machine or access to one,I will have to cut individual peices and attach them.The way I see it,I have 2 options,glue the peices together,or use long,thin pins to hold the peices together,coat them with a few layers of drywall compound,then pull the pins out and recoat.Any thoughts on the second method would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks to all those who have shared their knowledge on this forum.

Considering I dont know much about casting when I say this. But your casting looks like it was a fine job. Would you share more info on your method & metal. It seems to be alot smoother & better casting than what I have seen from most. But like I said I dont know much about & maybe just havnt seen the right work from others. Good Job as far as I am consirned. I hope I get this good of a result when I make my first casting.



Jess

That is a nice HUGE casting! What kind of foundry setup do you have?

Nice job!

Looks like a fun project.

.

Thank you for the kind words.The alloy is #356.Shrinkage is very low.Keep the temperature under 1500 degrees F. to avoid hydrogen porosity.
It was cast in petrobond,availlable from Budget Casting supply.Parting compound is Plumbago(graphite).Be sure to round off corners and allow about 2 degrees taper of the sides of the pattern.After your remove the pattern,inspect the cavity and remove any sand that might be in the mold.I used a vacuum to do this but,be carefull not to touch the cavity.Some use very low air pressure to do this.
I fully expected the first casting to be a total failure but,if you take your time making the pattern and the mold,the results will be very rewarding.This is not rocket science but it does require care and attention to details.Good luck.Looking forward to seeing your first casting.You can do this.

Considering I dont know much about casting when I say this. But your casting looks like it was a fine job. Would you share more info on your method & metal. It seems to be alot smoother & better casting than what I have seen from most. But like I said I dont know much about & maybe just havnt seen the right work from others. Good Job as far as I am consirned. I hope I get this good of a result when I make my first casting.



Jess

Schnikeys! That thing is huge! How big is your crucible?? ...and I thought my one gallon crucible was big!
:-)

Very impressive! my brother is a metalurgist and there's more to casting than meets the eye. Nice one :)

Maybe the best lost foam site I have seen:
http://www.buildyouridea.com/cnc/hblb/hblb.html

Great lost foam page: beginner doing some large sections and complex shapes and it is very well documented.
http://www.submarineboat.com/sub/foundry.html

Another Great lost foam page:
http://www.enigmetallic.com/LFMC.htm

Lost Foam: worth a quick look
http://www.plansandprojects.com/My%20Machines/lostfom1.htm

Lost Foam: not detailed but interesting
http://www.geocities.com/marcus_loignon/casting.html

Nice job on your first casting!

jgro

All i can say is wow! Sure beats the 10 ounce capacity of my electric furnace

Hi,
I agree, nice looking casting. I don't even see any signs of shrinkage and those look like fairly thick walls. I love petrobond it leaves a very smooth finish and is good for retaining fine details in the mold. How big is your crucible? I hope to see any other castings you make for that project.
Wes