New guy with a new foundry

Home enthusiasts discuss their Foundry & Casting work.

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rrnut-2
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Location: Bennington, NH

Re: New guy with a new foundry

Post by rrnut-2 »

I have got the pictures. You may have to resize them. It surprizingly in good shape consider how long it has sat outdoors. I will talk to the furnace guy this weekend about the coil repair. It does need repair, new wood insulators, paint etc.

Jim B
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rrnut-2
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Re: New guy with a new foundry

Post by rrnut-2 »

One more.
Also, the furnace is hydraulic tilt. the cylinders have been sitting there fully retracted, so they may still be good. There is a lifting lug on the back of the furnace in cause you like to use a hoist to tilt it. The foundry that I worked for, all but one furnace they used a hoist to tilt. The only one that hydraulic tilt was the 5000# capacity unit.

Jim B
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Harold_V
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Re: New guy with a new foundry

Post by Harold_V »

That's quite interesting. Looks a great deal like the box I have now, although with minor differences. The one interesting thing is it has the legs included. Mine were separated from the furnace and were long gone when I acquired the box, so that's something I have to build eventually. According to the print that was provided by Ajax, non-magnetic steel is used. Don't know how they alloy to limit magnetic attraction, but apparently there's such a material on the market.

The hydraulic tilt mechanism is interesting. Do you recall the pressure requirements? I have one small pump that could be put to use, assuming the system is still operational. Otherwise, I'd likely come up with a mechanical lift. Not having any experience in this arena, there's too much I don't know to make good decisions.

Thanks once again for your efforts. They are not going unnoticed.

Harold

Edit:
I have some sheets, 1¼" thick, of an asbestos board, although it's not Transite. It's bonded by a plastic material of sorts, and appears to be quite good around heat. Where it wouldn't come in direct contact with molten metal, I expect I could use the material for replacement pieces for the sides of the box. I have enough to do so should it work, and it's necessary.
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
rrnut-2
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Re: New guy with a new foundry

Post by rrnut-2 »

The original Transite was made with asbestos, and it appears to be in good shape. I didn't think to measure the depth. The hydraulics, probally a 1/2 or 3/4 hp pump? I don't think it will take much. I will check out the hydraulics. It looks like every thing is still there, including the steel lines.

I am suprised that they told you steel frames on the box furnace. The only steel frame furnace that we had was the 5000# unit and that was more of a steel shell. All of the box furnaces had aluminum frames/angles, and quite thick. In order for the 5k unit to use the steel casing, it had shunts on the coil which restricted the magnetic field to the coil and inside the coil.
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Harold_V
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Re: New guy with a new foundry

Post by Harold_V »

rrnut-2 wrote:I am suprised that they told you steel frames on the box furnace.
Not the frame, which I have, and it's totally intact. The legs on which the furnace tilts. They got separated when the entire unit, box and power supply, were sent to surplus sales, in Utah. That's what I'd have to replace, but I'm thinking I'll probably cast something in concrete, with in insert on which the furnace pivots. Not much motion, and it won't get cycled a huge number of times, considering the furnace would get used strictly for hobby application. By going to concrete, I'd avoid any possibility of heating the legs. Naturally, I'd not use any rebar, otherwise I may be defeating the purpose of using concrete.

I may have one small resource for gaining knowledge. In a nearby town, there's a foundry that runs induction furnaces. I paid them a visit a few years ago, and was greeted warmly by the shop foreman. He told me he'd be willing to help, but he has since retired, and lives a long distance from me. Back to being on my own, or so it seems.

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
rrnut-2
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Re: New guy with a new foundry

Post by rrnut-2 »

Harold_V wrote:
rrnut-2 wrote:I am suprised that they told you steel frames on the box furnace.
Not the frame, which I have, and it's totally intact. The legs on which the furnace tilts. They got separated when the entire unit, box and power supply, were sent to surplus sales, in Utah. That's what I'd have to replace, but I'm thinking I'll probably cast something in concrete, with in insert on which the furnace pivots. Not much motion, and it won't get cycled a huge number of times, considering the furnace would get used strictly for hobby application. By going to concrete, I'd avoid any possibility of heating the legs. Naturally, I'd not use any rebar, otherwise I may be defeating the purpose of using concrete.

I may have one small resource for gaining knowledge. In a nearby town, there's a foundry that runs induction furnaces. I paid them a visit a few years ago, and was greeted warmly by the shop foreman. He told me he'd be willing to help, but he has since retired, and lives a long distance from me. Back to being on my own, or so it seems.

Harold
Yes, the legs are typically steel. It was also standard practice to insulated the legs from the floor using phenolic and phenolic sleeves/washers on the anchor bolts.

I talked to "the furnace" guy last night about the repair or as he called it, "rebuild". We are on. As soon as the resent snow melts, I will get the furnace into the my shop. Wally, "the furnace" guy seem excited about doing the project, so we will see.

Look up hitchiner.com. This is where Wally, and my wife work, and I worked there for 29 years.
Patio
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Re: New guy with a new foundry

Post by Patio »

Fixed your link for you.
http://hitchiner.com/
Just use a simple copy and paste, with out using the URL button works here.

I am following this thread with interest. :)
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Harold_V
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Re: New guy with a new foundry

Post by Harold_V »

Patio wrote:Fixed your link for you.
http://hitchiner.com/
Just use a simple copy and paste, with out using the URL button works here.

I am following this thread with interest. :)
Thanks for handling this issue, Pat. With jury duty, I'm spread quite thin. Not getting much sleep, and not serving on a jury, either. Just wasting a lot of my time driving back and forth, interrupting my sleep pattern.

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
davec43
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Re: New guy with a new foundry

Post by davec43 »

Patio wrote:Fixed your link for you.
http://hitchiner.com/
Just use a simple copy and paste, with out using the URL button works here.

I am following this thread with interest. :)
or try http://www.hitchiner.com/
Dave C

Grizzly 12x36 lathe, Gorton 1-22 milling machine
Nudge
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Re: New guy with a new foundry

Post by Nudge »

I would love to convert it over to waste oil, as I have several 55-gallon drums of the stuff, but I need to do some more research before then.
This is how it is done! :mrgreen:
http://www.alloyavenue.com/vb/showthrea ... dge+burner
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