Home Aluminium casting

I do lead molds and lead casting at work Lincoln 7,it may be a tad heavy for the cockpit.Someone told me you can melt down aluminium with a crucible on a fire,but theres some sort of powder you add to get a good pouring.

Yes, I too had to take the dross off the top of the lead, I used to do a lot of Sea Angling shore, and boat, and made a lot of fishing leads for all our team, I did it on the gas stove, once you get a SMALL amount melted, you can put larger bits in,

If you go down the same route as i did, you won’t need me to tell you to wear thick gloves, preferably a leather apron etc.MAKE SURE THE ALUMINIUM IS BONE DRY, DON’T EVEN THINK OF TRYING TO PUT IT IN A CRUCIBLE EVEN IF SLIGHTLY DAMP, it will explode!!
Sorry I can’t help on the aluminium side, but I wouldn’t think there is a lot of difference, never heard of having to put any sort of powder in the mix though. Tried Googling it?.
Lincoln .7

I’ve melted pistons (of an alloy specifically designed to resist heat) on a bonfire before; pure aluminium melts at only about 700°C.

I’ve got an American book somewhere about hobby casting of aluminium by building your own furnace; I even built one but never actually got around to firing the thing up.

There are several additives to aluminium to prevent porosity when casting but from what I remember from the book if you use scrap castings as your melt then there are enough additives remaining to prevent problems.

I do lead molds and lead casting at work Lincoln 7,it may be a tad heavy for the cockpit.Someone told me you can melt down aluminium with a crucible on a fire,but theres some sort of powder you add to get a good pouring.

Al. You needent have gone to all that trouble if you were fearfull of taking it to your local nick, it was a replica, so no F/Arms Cert would have been needed, so you could just have handed it in, unless you deliberately wanted to melt it down as an experiment.
Lincoln. 7

Alloy casting has been going through my mind recently too, mainly to make motorcycle parts, and have been amazed at how the temperatures in an ordinary domestic fireplace can melt some alloys.
Bearing in mind how touchy the authorities have become over guns in the UK, I thought I would destroy a replica Walther P38 pistol which had been knocking around the house for decades. This is what I found in the grate the next day…

Has anybody bought and used one of these small electrally heated casting crucibles for casting aluminium? what is the quality of the casting like?.I have alot of casting of small items to do..is it the way to go ?considering how much I`m spending on casting.

I can only speak of eyewitness accounts of SMALL BOYS using these kits, on the side of the road, in Dominican Republic and in Africa. The quality must be good enough for the Vehicle Cylinder Heads they were making!
As you know, Ally is 100% recyclable with no deteriation to speak of, so if you make one that looks like the mice have chewed into it then just re-cast it.

Has anybody bought and used one of these small electrally heated casting crucibles for casting aluminium? what is the quality of the casting like?.I have alot of casting of small items to do..is it the way to go ?considering how much I`m spending on casting.

Hi, Whilst I can’t answere you question re aluminium, I used to use lead melted on the gas stove in a long handled iron ladle, with a pouring lip. you will know, that as long as the mould is hot, you should be O.K. However, I do not know the melting point of aluminium as opposed to lead. I found it very cheap, just make sure the wife is out shopping before you start, going down the path I took.

Lincoln .7
:diablo: