G'day Mr P. Nice job on the furnace. A tip for you. When cutting in grabby material with a hole saw run it in reverse. The plastic was soft enough that it wears away and no damage to the saw. Loving it! Thanks for sharing. Cheers.
Thanks for the tip. Those holesaws are quite aggressive and to be honest I don't like them much. They clog up and overheat in wood and they have a really wide kerf which needs a lot of power to run them. I will be running the furnace for real today!
I didn't see any mechanical, engineering errors or mis-pronunciations. Instead, I did witness. Good planning, reasonable execution and intelligent explanation. Good job all around considering the complexity of recording video, doing light and sound checks while trying to be safe. :)
Thanks for that. Making things is fun but trying to record what you are doing and not get your head in the way, swear on camera or drop tools at the critical moment is an even bigger challenge. Still, I enjoy that too. Regards, Mark
Thanks. I used it again yesterday and it still works great. The refractory lining is still fully intact and there are no cracks in it. Way better than my first effort. Regards, Mark
now a lot of thought has gone into this, i can see one thing, when the furnace is at optimal, as metal expands with heat, you will struggle to take the burner out, well done!!
Well, I need to warn you that once you start down the home foundry rabbit hole there's no going back. What started as a need for a few castings has developed into a full blown obsession with getting the process right. It is so rewarding though. Being able to cast just about any shape and form is sort of addictive. Good luck with your build. Regards, Preso
All I can do is quote the guys from Project Binky. When building the fuel tank for their Mini they said the one material they would not be using would be ALUMINUM......because there's no such thing! 😁
The best insulation I found was Kaowool against the walls, and a thin coating of Satonite to soak in followed by a couple thick ones. The Kaowool seems to allow for any expansion so hardly any cracking. It's impressive to see the interior glowing red hot and the exterior cool to the touch.
Hi Mark if you move the handle to the side of the square tubing you might pick up a few more inches of opening on the foundry. Great project thanks for sharing.
Hi Mark - great build. If you end up making a new lid, or modify the one you have, just weld a flat lip around the sealing surface before setting the pyrocrete into it. Having a metal structure within the crete may lead to cracking due to metal expansion. A lip on the lid will hold the plug in and any expansion will not exert as much stress. A tapered flange for the lid to body fitment will reduce heat escape. This can be molded when setting the pyrocrete forms or cut into it once it has set. A removable, tapered bung with a small centre hole for the lid may also reduce heat loss.
Anthony, I could have kicked myself for not doing a better job of retaining the pyrocrete in the lid. I realised afterwards that what I ended up with was a compromise. I did actually watch dozens of other makers and how they tackled the same situation and I recall seeing one failure due to the differential expansion issue. I had always thought that it was best not to block the exhaust hole in the lid so as not to choke the air flow through the furnace. I have tried partially blocking it with a fire brick but it seems to build up a lot of back pressure. Regards, Mark Presling
@@Preso58 Gotchya. I had been told to "not block off" but reduce the hole at the top to maintain higher temps/ less fuel but I do not have the time spent nor experience that you seem to have. Many thanks for the replies. :)
Hi Mark, great videos on building the furnace. I have learnt a lot from your videos and I have used a few of your ideas in my build of a furnace/foundry. I have started to post my build videos and to give you credit I have referenced your build in them. All the best from across the ditch.
Well, that furnace has now been through about 20 melt cycles with both brass and aluminium and I really wouldn't change anything about it. I think I just got lucky with the dimensions and the structure. It still looks good too. No rust and the refractory hasn't cracked at all. Regards, Mark
Very nice! Thank you for a great tutorial. Next time you can use a Reciprocating or Jig saw with no blade to vibrate your container to get the the air out of your Pyrocrete just hold the tool to the side of the container..
I recommend using some insulation wool filling the gap around the burner so all the air flow is passing through the controlled burner. I believe you will increase the temperature and shorten the melt time. Nice project looks good and should last a long time! Cheers
You are probably correct on needing larger air intake. I have slots (3 to 5 ) I have a slide cover to adjust the amount for a good flame. I also have the gas tube centered and made to slide in or out along with the bottle regulator. I got the plans from a book from Mike Porter. burners for forge, foundry, and kilns
Yes, that would work well. I am happy to say that my refractory is still in very good condition and it has never cracked however I don't melt iron so it is not stressed as much as some furnaces are. Regards, Mark
WORLD CLASS!! Just need DATE & Your Name WELDED on the top. Must idendify for many many generations on the future. What else in on your future list? Perfect videos for my AM Pots Of Coffee. Mark, Thanks
Sadly, I am a crap welder. I have enough trouble welding in a straight line let alone trying to weld letters and numbers. I am still experimenting with making an etched an anodised builders plate. The one sitting on the lid is etched and powder coated but it gets hot enough to melt the powder coat. If I can get the anodising process to work I will mount the plate on a pair of thin standoffs so it has an air gap underneath. I will foreshadow a future video on adding a diy metering valve to a Harbour Freight (Hare and Forbes over here) sandblasting cabinet. I am just sitting her beside my 3D printer trying to get some half decent patterns for the casting.
@@Preso58 make cast builders plates. Play around with ceramic lettering insets for juxtaposition. These would be really cool and epitomise your work as a "Maker".
ive made my furnace out of perite and plaster, its cracking a bit but still holds up just fine. you just cant beat the price and convenience of that stuff, plaster costs next to nothing here and the perlite stuff is cheap too. sets in 15 minutes and is ready to use after a day
Sharky, I used perlite and ordinary portland cement and lime to insulate the dome of my pizza oven. It turned out really durable however it is added as a 100mm thick coat on the outside of the brickwork. I did cough a bit at having to pay nearly $150 for the pyrocrete but it does seem to be pretty indestructible. One day I will make myself a blacksmith's forge so I'll keep your recipe in mind.
@@Preso58 oh god, 150 isnt cheap :D but on the positive note, you have the "right" product for the job, a tool that will work. refractory materials that are actually made for the job will hold up better than any low cost solution i bet, otherwise they wouldnt exist :)
Great video. Any chance you could do a video on making the torch and give the dimensions of the furnace? I learned more from your video than any other, thank you
Hey Preso. I'm really interested in making one of these one day - would love to get some details on the gas burner. Have you detailed it in another video - one that I may have missed?
Check out this video th-cam.com/video/KGFYJwvKLRo/w-d-xo.html I discuss the burner at around 15:12. The best advice I can give is to experiment and don't be afraid to freestyle it a bit. Despite what people might tell you it's really just a giant bunsen burner. Regards, Preso
Obtain the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) from the manufacture as the data sheet will have all the ingredients listed in it. Then you can make your own version of the foundary cement.
John, thanks, I just checked. Non hazardous ingredients include perlite, vermiculite and aluminium hydroxide. The hazardous ingredients are calcium carbonate, calcium salts and mica! I'm still not sure what makes it set though. Calcium carbonate is just common chalk, mica is a mineral and calcium salts is not really specific. Maybe they add something else like portland cement but it is not specified in the MSDS. Interesting!
@@Preso58 Looks like aluminum hydroxide is marginally soluble, and would likely be acting as the adhesive component, possibly reacting with the calcium carbonate in the process.
Jim, I will try to do that. I bought a brand new cylinder of gas but I will weigh it before and after. Unfortunately, the only scales I have that can do the job have a resolution of 200 grams.
I think I saw something like this burner design on Myfordboy's channel. As it turned out I found a piece of heavy wall stainless steel tube that was just the right diameter and I have a set of number drills to make the brass burner jet. I will try to do as you have asked in a future episode.
No. I did add a acetylene regulator with a built in flame arrestor at one stage but It restricted the gas supply too much. Maybe I should purchase a proper adjustable propane regulator. At this stage I am just regulating the gas flow with the valve on the propane cylinder. I can usually tell by the noise it is making whether I need to increase the flow. When it starts to flutter you need to open it a few more notches.
Wouldn't bother , it's just adding complexity . If it works it works! I use a full size torch for bitumen roofing got it from BOC gas and it runs straight bottle pressure without any issues except sometimes when the bottle is getting low on gas on a cold mornings it would freeze up and stop working. We just heated bottle up with torch to get it flowing again. I too .... also like how easy this refractory seems. And would like to see a brake down of your torch setup
Nice build! 🙂👍 Im interested to know what burner your using and are you running it direct from your LPG cylinder or through a pressure regulator? Cheers Pete
Peter, I don't run the burner from a regulator. I tried it and it throttled the gas supply too much. I find that you can hear whether the gas supply is sufficient. As the cylinder empties you do need to monitor the main cylinder valve and tweak it occasionally but I don't leave the workshop when I am running the furnace so you can easily adjust things if necessary. I do have an accurate engineering drawing of the burner that I used on Dropbox www.dropbox.com/s/qfjs5c91o9qyiaj/Furnace%20Burner%20Assembly.pdf?dl=0 You're welcome to use it if you want. Regards, Mark
@@Preso58 hi Mark, I've been looking to build a burner for quite some time (was going to go with the "frosty t" burner) but being in Australia I've found it difficult to source the plumbing parts/mig tips commonly used in the American design. Do you have a shopping list or where you can find the parts for your burner in Aus?
Hi Mark, I notice that the inside of the lid was smooth with no inserts to lock in the refractory to the metal lid skin. my understanding there is something like welded bots or such to help lock these in?
Charles, I don't know what was going on in my head the day I filmed that video. I had fully intended to weld in some steel strip before I cast the refractory but I got carried away with trying to set up the camera and think about lighting etc. and totally forgot about it. I did end up drilling into the steel lid and welding some steel pins after the fact and the good news is that I have used the furnace a lot since then and there is now sign of the refractory shrinking or cracking. I really dodged a bullet on that one. Regards, Preso
Well, it's not exactly light. Way heavier than my old unit but surprisingly it takes up very little space despite it's much thicker walls and larger interior volume. It takes my #8 crucible with room to spare. I will be firing it up for real today.
Yeah, I was actually joking when I said "lightweight". Just as well it can be wheeled around. What does it actually weigh...I'm guessing it's about as heavy as you! lol
My stainless burner shows almost no wear and tear despite being used for over 7 years. I don't know what grade of stainless it is but it has a fairly thick wall. Around 3mm I think.
Have you ever noticed when you see a lot of flame roaring out of the top of the furnace it is always filmed at night! I turned the burner up pretty high and I couldn't really see a lot of flame. I think, by pure luck, I got the air/fuel ratio just right and as a result I don't get a lot of flame at the top of the furnace. I was seeing a pretty red glow starting to develop inside though the last time I was running it. I have been a bit reluctant to run it up to brass melting temperature until it has completely dried out. I am trying to gear up for a melt today.
How big does the burner hole have to be? I made it slightly larger than the burner diameter and my burner goes out fairly quickly when I add the lid. I am assuming that my burner hole is too small. Any guidelines? 1.25x, 1.5x, other, burner diameter?
My furnace has a 52mm entry hole for the burner and a 110mm hole in the top of the lid for the exit of the hot gases. The burner has an end diameter of 32mm. I usually light the burner almost outside the furnace and then slide it in about 25mm once I am sure the flame is stable. There must be enough air entering the furnace cavity to support combustion and some of that air passes through the centre of the burner tube and some is drawn in through the hole in the side of the furnace. You can download the 2D drawings of my burner design from dropbox if that helps. www.dropbox.com/s/qfjs5c91o9qyiaj/Furnace%20Burner%20Assembly.pdf?dl=0 Regards, Mark
Hey Mark, attempting to find the blue color marking on this part of your video, can you identify the mark you use. can't seem to find the marker type use, it appears it makes a better defined line to cut or weld by. Could you help me in the Maker. It looks like it may be a felt pen. wide marker. maybe a fine tip marker.
Harry, I have been trying to find the supplier that we used to use to purchase the blue layout fluid. Unfortunately it is either no longer stocked or the company has ceased trading. We used to buy it in 1 litre bottles as a liquid dye with an alcohol base. In the US it is referred to as Dykem and in Australia a similar product is called Dymark www.dymark.com.au/categories/markingproducts/inksdyes/engineersink. It is really just a quick drying liquid dye. I made a 250ml bottle with a soft paint brush screwed inside the cap so I can paint it on to steel and then put the brush back in the liquid so it doesn't dry out. Regards, Mark
Hola ,muy buen trabajo ,,,aprovechando ,ya gran parte del trabajo echo ,de una botella de gas , brillante idea y muy bueno el diseño de tapa ,, practico, y si riesgos de roturas del revestimiento ,,,simplemente genial,,,,la verdad un horno para fundir , metales ,calentar etc ,,es relativamente simple de hacer , pese a todo ,por años ,, use una vieja fragua, que fue parte de la herrería de mi padre ,,pero , hoy aqui dentro, de un pueblo,,,aunque , pequeño ,,los humos de la hulla ,,o coke no son bienvenidos ,,muchas veces prepare material para hacer un hornillo ,,pero lo que hice fue, solo ,,para unos amigos , artesanos, que hacen ,,cuchillería fue fabricarle unos quemadores , ya que no disponen de torno y algunas otras herramientas en estos ,,,se combinan,la mezcla gas ,aire ,producido por un pequeño ventilador centrífugo ,bajo ,volumen alta presion ,, con una banderola ,o esclusa, regula el caudal ,de aire ,y una llave de aguja el caudal de gas ,,algo extremadamente simple pero xon ello ,se consigue una mezcla que da una excelente llana ,y maxima temperatura ,sobre todo para fundir cobre y bronces ,,, ,algunos remplazan este , ventilador por un simple seca pelos ,o una pistola de aire caliente ,, hay tantas formas ,posibles cual sera la mejor desconozco ,,pero veo que pese a la gran variedad todas funcionan ,eso se puede , evaluar con el uso ,,,,grasias por wl video ,,, un saludo ,
Me too! I had planned to weld in some steel rods but completely forgot about it. I really should write myself a procedure and stick to it. Making videos does divide your attention. As it turns out though, the pyrocrete has not cracked and it is still adhering well to the inside surface of the gas cylinder. I think I dodged a bullet there. Regards, Mark
I have drawn the design of the burner I made for anyone that wants to copy it. You can get the 2D drawings from my Dropbox account here: www.dropbox.com/s/qfjs5c91o9qyiaj/Furnace%20Burner%20Assembly.pdf?dl=0 Regards, Mark
Frank, I kept a small supply of that dye from when I was teaching at a secondary school. We used to get it from Gilking School Supplies. It was sold in 1litre bottles as layout/blueprint ink. They are listed for $28. Unfortunately they mostly only sell to schools and as far as I know, only in Queensland. I would think that you would be able to get it from Blackwoods? www.blackwoods.com.au/part/00279242/stain-layout-dymark-blue-1-litre Regards, Mark
Its not as durable as concrete, but its sure tough enough... I would wager that any of those strikes held enough momentum to put a man to rest with a good head smack... And that thing took quite a few hits and still didnt shatter apart from local degradation... For a decently used refractory concrete, it sure held up quite nicely to those blows... Also, you shoulda used curly stainless chips from the lathe as a reinforcement aswell... I have a whole bin of stainless curly turning chips that are waiting to be mixed into my next concrete/ref.concrete project... Its almost a cubic meter of chips that are no less than 70cm long razor spirals tossed onto each other, so it aint as dense and as much as it seems, but its nice stock for aiding composite building material... For that purpose i also save any stainless hose braids and such forms of inox wire or thin stock cuttings... When deformed, they act like macaroni when cheese gets melted over them and left to set, but in this case, there is macaroni, pasta, linguine and fusilli made out of stainless, and the cheese is concrete or other such material... I also can get free granite scrap that makes a very good aggregate in whatever size i need... And granite dust aswell, if i want to use fine filler for concrete along with microsilica, which would be a great addition to a furnace like this...
I hadn't thought of using swarf and chips for reinforcement. I have been using that furnace a lot and the refractory is still as good as the day I cast it. Mind you, I am not melting iron in it so the temperature stays well below it's rated maximum. Regards, Mark
@@Preso58 Its a nice furnace either way... How would one even go about melting iron/steel in it? The propane torch would need its peak temp. contained in the furnace, and even there, the temp would be a bit too low for proper smelt, flow and alloying potential... Some extra oxygen would allow for higher temps, but apart from the good old coal fire or electric melting, turning iron to liquid in any home made furnace is a bit tricky, given that gas mixtures are both costly and potentially dangerous... Tho, to be honest, i would prefer nothing more than casting my own steel and iron parts... Yet, i have 2 casting compounds around me, so when i need shit cast, i can rely on them, at a price, of course... We shall see... Maybe the next project is gonna be a massive foundry in my backyard... Maybe not... who knows...
It can be one of those perverse materials can't it? I don't know how many pieces I have had to throw away because they absorbed moisture out of the concrete floor and swelled up, but just along one edge! Regards, Mark
Maybe, but the interior of my current furnace has held up really well. The steel strands in the mix help maintain the integrity even though there are some fine cracks. Regards, Mark
All that time, effort and $$$$ invested in that hot messy dangerous contraption, I just got a really nice clean used Pottery Kiln from Craigslist for $150................... Goes up to 2300* F Way more than you need for Aluminum
Mathias Forge, I purchased my pyrocrete from a company called "The Clay Shed" at Kunda Park on the Sunshine Coast. I am not sure where you live but that's in Queensland Australia. www.clayshed.com.au/ Regards, Mark Presling
Mark, if we Canadians can put up with the butchering, I think you'd call it mounting,(hope that's the correct spelling) of the English language by the Americans then I guess we can overlook your mispronunciation of crucible into what sounds like "cruchible".
Vacuum clean PVC pipe it’s just pushing time Hole cutter bit cut out side diameter hole in tool rig Holder .Power shot ..22. UK ? Drill hole 8mm. Steel rod Price may dear make one. longer Than Drill. o ring to seal hole bar bell plats More kilos = psi shockwave ? 8mm pipe Glue pipe to the center of bar bell .when your ffff about don’t let the red out ! Truck mud flaps some steel keep pointy bits out .lateral hole tricky use water . Pipe plate steel on bell crank. Use water tank as weight springs to slow it down . Romen rig roll it pop roll it back .Ladders work great for rail and lifts .Build it .. The Welchman on parade
re: crushible: It's like gotteswinter saying 'wise' when refering to his vice. I understand Germans have their 'v's and 'w's the wrong way round, eitherway, it's just added charm
Ash, I remember one of the first videos I watched from Stefan and it made me giggle when he said "wise". However, I have learned to forgive this now mainly due to his extraordinary skill set but also because he takes the trouble to do his videos in a second language. I can barely speak English so hats off to him I reckon. Regards, Mark
Ian, I recall doing this on my first furnace build however I used some light gauge sheet metal for the liner on that one. It just so happened that I had a large sheet of pre rolled material that came as a large packing tube around a rug that we purchased. It was kicking around outside the shop for a long time and I almost took it to the tip a few times. Glad I didn't now!
Dear Mark, worried about your pronunciation of “Crucible”. That’s a small problem. At least you don’t call that lightweight metal “Aluminum” or call the liquid we fill you petrol tank “Gas”. That is really grating. Cheers from a fellow Down-under-er.
The aluminium/aluminum thing is a bit of a running joke. Most people don't take it seriously but the metric/imperial divide is very active and some can be unforgiving if you dare to suggest it's time to get with the programme (program).😄 Regards, Mark
G'day Mr P. Nice job on the furnace. A tip for you. When cutting in grabby material with a hole saw run it in reverse. The plastic was soft enough that it wears away and no damage to the saw. Loving it! Thanks for sharing. Cheers.
Thanks for the tip. Those holesaws are quite aggressive and to be honest I don't like them much. They clog up and overheat in wood and they have a really wide kerf which needs a lot of power to run them. I will be running the furnace for real today!
I didn't see any mechanical, engineering errors or mis-pronunciations. Instead, I did witness. Good planning, reasonable execution and intelligent explanation. Good job all around considering the complexity of recording video, doing light and sound checks while trying to be safe. :)
Thanks for that. Making things is fun but trying to record what you are doing and not get your head in the way, swear on camera or drop tools at the critical moment is an even bigger challenge. Still, I enjoy that too.
Regards,
Mark
Really enjoyed watching your building of your new furnace.
Thanks. I used it again yesterday and it still works great. The refractory lining is still fully intact and there are no cracks in it. Way better than my first effort.
Regards,
Mark
Just found your channel the other day, really glad I did great content and well done!!
It's also great to see another old guy making content!
Kent
now a lot of thought has gone into this, i can see one thing, when the furnace is at optimal, as metal expands with heat, you will struggle to take the burner out, well done!!
Haha!! Love the opening shots!! Didnt bother me! Looks like a Crushible to me!! Great video, mate!! Thanks much! Cheers!
Thanks for taking us through the construction Mark! Very clear.
Very nice furnace and video. May build one for myself. Haven't had one for about 10 years so it is about time to get off the chair and work.
Well, I need to warn you that once you start down the home foundry rabbit hole there's no going back. What started as a need for a few castings has developed into a full blown obsession with getting the process right. It is so rewarding though. Being able to cast just about any shape and form is sort of addictive. Good luck with your build.
Regards,
Preso
Great design, great execution, really enjoyed watching the process. You've put out some excellent content, thank you for sharing!
Hi Mark !
Instead of steinless stell I used some glass fiber cut into small strips and mixed it in - worked nicely too
Crushible is forgivable, aluminum vs aluminium is a whole other matter. : ) Great video. So many great tips. Cheers!
I like that, garagemonkeysan 👍
All I can do is quote the guys from Project Binky. When building the fuel tank for their Mini they said the one material they would not be using would be ALUMINUM......because there's no such thing! 😁
@@Preso58Ha. Yes I love those guys! :-)
The best insulation I found was Kaowool against the walls, and a thin coating of Satonite to soak in followed by a couple thick ones.
The Kaowool seems to allow for any expansion so hardly any cracking.
It's impressive to see the interior glowing red hot and the exterior cool to the touch.
Hi Mark if you move the handle to the side of the square tubing you might pick up a few more inches of opening on the foundry. Great project thanks for sharing.
Hi Mark - great build. If you end up making a new lid, or modify the one you have, just weld a flat lip around the sealing surface before setting the pyrocrete into it. Having a metal structure within the crete may lead to cracking due to metal expansion. A lip on the lid will hold the plug in and any expansion will not exert as much stress. A tapered flange for the lid to body fitment will reduce heat escape. This can be molded when setting the pyrocrete forms or cut into it once it has set. A removable, tapered bung with a small centre hole for the lid may also reduce heat loss.
Anthony, I could have kicked myself for not doing a better job of retaining the pyrocrete in the lid. I realised afterwards that what I ended up with was a compromise. I did actually watch dozens of other makers and how they tackled the same situation and I recall seeing one failure due to the differential expansion issue. I had always thought that it was best not to block the exhaust hole in the lid so as not to choke the air flow through the furnace. I have tried partially blocking it with a fire brick but it seems to build up a lot of back pressure.
Regards,
Mark Presling
@@Preso58 Gotchya. I had been told to "not block off" but reduce the hole at the top to maintain higher temps/ less fuel but I do not have the time spent nor experience that you seem to have. Many thanks for the replies. :)
Hi Mark, great videos on building the furnace. I have learnt a lot from your videos and I have used a few of your ideas in my build of a furnace/foundry. I have started to post my build videos and to give you credit I have referenced your build in them. All the best from across the ditch.
Might be the nicest I've seen on TH-cam 😁. Well done!
Wow, thanks!
Regards,
Mark
I had to weld some bolts with washers on them around my lid to hold in the mix, great video..
Looks amazing - I've got me old canisters now - my first step.
Keep going! A warning though, foundry work is a long deep rabbit hole. Good luck with your build.
Regards,
Mark
Wow. Great work. Thanks for all the tips. Definitely take some great examples of your work when building mine. Thanks for the video.
Well, that furnace has now been through about 20 melt cycles with both brass and aluminium and I really wouldn't change anything about it. I think I just got lucky with the dimensions and the structure. It still looks good too. No rust and the refractory hasn't cracked at all.
Regards,
Mark
Very nice! Thank you for a great tutorial.
Next time you can use a Reciprocating or Jig saw with no blade to vibrate your container to get the the air out of your Pyrocrete just hold the tool to the side of the container..
I recommend using some insulation wool filling the gap around the burner so all the air flow is passing through the controlled burner.
I believe you will increase the temperature and shorten the melt time. Nice project looks good and should last a long time! Cheers
I will try that but it might mean having to tweak the size of the air inlets in the burner.
Regards,
Mark
You are probably correct on needing larger air intake. I have slots (3 to 5 ) I have a slide cover to adjust the amount for a good flame. I also have the gas tube centered and made to slide in or out along with the bottle regulator. I got the plans from a book from Mike Porter. burners for forge, foundry, and kilns
You can use fiberglass fiber to strengthen your mix as well, and I would pretty much recommend putting some in couldn't hurt.
Yes, that would work well. I am happy to say that my refractory is still in very good condition and it has never cracked however I don't melt iron so it is not stressed as much as some furnaces are.
Regards,
Mark
WORLD CLASS!!
Just need DATE & Your Name WELDED on the top.
Must idendify for many many generations on the future.
What else in on your future list?
Perfect videos for my AM Pots Of Coffee.
Mark,
Thanks
Sadly, I am a crap welder. I have enough trouble welding in a straight line let alone trying to weld letters and numbers. I am still experimenting with making an etched an anodised builders plate. The one sitting on the lid is etched and powder coated but it gets hot enough to melt the powder coat. If I can get the anodising process to work I will mount the plate on a pair of thin standoffs so it has an air gap underneath. I will foreshadow a future video on adding a diy metering valve to a Harbour Freight (Hare and Forbes over here) sandblasting cabinet. I am just sitting her beside my 3D printer trying to get some half decent patterns for the casting.
@@Preso58 make cast builders plates. Play around with ceramic lettering insets for juxtaposition. These would be really cool and epitomise your work as a "Maker".
ive made my furnace out of perite and plaster, its cracking a bit but still holds up just fine. you just cant beat the price and convenience of that stuff, plaster costs next to nothing here and the perlite stuff is cheap too. sets in 15 minutes and is ready to use after a day
Sharky, I used perlite and ordinary portland cement and lime to insulate the dome of my pizza oven. It turned out really durable however it is added as a 100mm thick coat on the outside of the brickwork. I did cough a bit at having to pay nearly $150 for the pyrocrete but it does seem to be pretty indestructible. One day I will make myself a blacksmith's forge so I'll keep your recipe in mind.
@@Preso58 oh god, 150 isnt cheap :D but on the positive note, you have the "right" product for the job, a tool that will work. refractory materials that are actually made for the job will hold up better than any low cost solution i bet, otherwise they wouldnt exist :)
Great video. Any chance you could do a video on making the torch and give the dimensions of the furnace? I learned more from your video than any other, thank you
If you email me I can send you drawings of both the furnace dimensions and the burner that I use. mark.presling@gmail.com
Regards,
Mark
Furnace looking good!
Looking good Mark.
Crushable or not, we’ll done! Thank you for the informative video. Cheers!
Hey Preso. I'm really interested in making one of these one day - would love to get some details on the gas burner. Have you detailed it in another video - one that I may have missed?
Check out this video th-cam.com/video/KGFYJwvKLRo/w-d-xo.html I discuss the burner at around 15:12. The best advice I can give is to experiment and don't be afraid to freestyle it a bit. Despite what people might tell you it's really just a giant bunsen burner.
Regards,
Preso
Obtain the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) from the manufacture as the data sheet will have all the ingredients listed in it. Then you can make your own version of the foundary cement.
John, thanks, I just checked. Non hazardous ingredients include perlite, vermiculite and aluminium hydroxide. The hazardous ingredients are calcium carbonate, calcium salts and mica! I'm still not sure what makes it set though. Calcium carbonate is just common chalk, mica is a mineral and calcium salts is not really specific. Maybe they add something else like portland cement but it is not specified in the MSDS. Interesting!
@@Preso58 Looks like aluminum hydroxide is marginally soluble, and would likely be acting as the adhesive component, possibly reacting with the calcium carbonate in the process.
This is masterful. Thank you!!!
Looking very nice. When you get to the next stage and are actually melting metal, would you please report how much gas it is taking. Thanks!
Jim, I will try to do that. I bought a brand new cylinder of gas but I will weigh it before and after. Unfortunately, the only scales I have that can do the job have a resolution of 200 grams.
I like the design Mr Presling. Would you also go over the design of the burner? It looks very nice and simple. And would this set up melt iron?
I think I saw something like this burner design on Myfordboy's channel. As it turned out I found a piece of heavy wall stainless steel tube that was just the right diameter and I have a set of number drills to make the brass burner jet. I will try to do as you have asked in a future episode.
Ah the quiet english gentleman lol I have watched many of his videos. Ill check. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing. Fine work. Do you regulate and or use a flame arrestor on a setup like this?
No. I did add a acetylene regulator with a built in flame arrestor at one stage but It restricted the gas supply too much. Maybe I should purchase a proper adjustable propane regulator. At this stage I am just regulating the gas flow with the valve on the propane cylinder. I can usually tell by the noise it is making whether I need to increase the flow. When it starts to flutter you need to open it a few more notches.
Thanks for confirming. . I was wondering if it would limit gas volume, did not see anything on your rig, but my eyes aren’t what they used to be.
Wouldn't bother , it's just adding complexity . If it works it works! I use a full size torch for bitumen roofing got it from BOC gas and it runs straight bottle pressure without any issues except sometimes when the bottle is getting low on gas on a cold mornings it would freeze up and stop working. We just heated bottle up with torch to get it flowing again. I too .... also like how easy this refractory seems. And would like to see a brake down of your torch setup
Nice build! 🙂👍
Im interested to know what burner your using and are you running it direct from your LPG cylinder or through a pressure regulator?
Cheers
Pete
Peter, I don't run the burner from a regulator. I tried it and it throttled the gas supply too much. I find that you can hear whether the gas supply is sufficient. As the cylinder empties you do need to monitor the main cylinder valve and tweak it occasionally but I don't leave the workshop when I am running the furnace so you can easily adjust things if necessary. I do have an accurate engineering drawing of the burner that I used on Dropbox www.dropbox.com/s/qfjs5c91o9qyiaj/Furnace%20Burner%20Assembly.pdf?dl=0
You're welcome to use it if you want.
Regards,
Mark
@@Preso58 hi Mark, I've been looking to build a burner for quite some time (was going to go with the "frosty t" burner) but being in Australia I've found it difficult to source the plumbing parts/mig tips commonly used in the American design. Do you have a shopping list or where you can find the parts for your burner in Aus?
Nishe video, and nishe furnashe. If crucial is crushial, why shouldn't crucible be crushible?
Australianish?
The one that gets me is sodder , for solder.
Admirable build
Hi Mark,
I notice that the inside of the lid was smooth with no inserts to lock in the refractory to the metal lid skin.
my understanding there is something like welded bots or such to help lock these in?
Charles, I don't know what was going on in my head the day I filmed that video. I had fully intended to weld in some steel strip before I cast the refractory but I got carried away with trying to set up the camera and think about lighting etc. and totally forgot about it. I did end up drilling into the steel lid and welding some steel pins after the fact and the good news is that I have used the furnace a lot since then and there is now sign of the refractory shrinking or cracking. I really dodged a bullet on that one.
Regards,
Preso
Nicely made, lightweight unit ;)
Well, it's not exactly light. Way heavier than my old unit but surprisingly it takes up very little space despite it's much thicker walls and larger interior volume. It takes my #8 crucible with room to spare.
I will be firing it up for real today.
Yeah, I was actually joking when I said "lightweight". Just as well it can be wheeled around. What does it actually weigh...I'm guessing it's about as heavy as you! lol
@19:20 You can aslo use cardboard and then burn it, no need to remove the form.
I'm also thinking about remaking my double burners in Stainless as the cast iron ones are taking a serious beating.
My stainless burner shows almost no wear and tear despite being used for over 7 years. I don't know what grade of stainless it is but it has a fairly thick wall. Around 3mm I think.
I REALLY ;ike the design, small foot-print, removal burner, foot-lift lid, nice very nice. Hope the paing job includes some artistic flames.
Have you ever noticed when you see a lot of flame roaring out of the top of the furnace it is always filmed at night! I turned the burner up pretty high and I couldn't really see a lot of flame. I think, by pure luck, I got the air/fuel ratio just right and as a result I don't get a lot of flame at the top of the furnace. I was seeing a pretty red glow starting to develop inside though the last time I was running it. I have been a bit reluctant to run it up to brass melting temperature until it has completely dried out. I am trying to gear up for a melt today.
How big does the burner hole have to be? I made it slightly larger than
the burner diameter and my burner goes out fairly quickly when I add the
lid. I am assuming that my burner hole is too small. Any guidelines?
1.25x, 1.5x, other, burner diameter?
My furnace has a 52mm entry hole for the burner and a 110mm hole in the top of the lid for the exit of the hot gases. The burner has an end diameter of 32mm. I usually light the burner almost outside the furnace and then slide it in about 25mm once I am sure the flame is stable. There must be enough air entering the furnace cavity to support combustion and some of that air passes through the centre of the burner tube and some is drawn in through the hole in the side of the furnace. You can download the 2D drawings of my burner design from dropbox if that helps. www.dropbox.com/s/qfjs5c91o9qyiaj/Furnace%20Burner%20Assembly.pdf?dl=0
Regards,
Mark
Hey Mark, attempting to find the blue color marking on this part of your video, can you identify the mark you use. can't seem to find the marker type use, it appears it makes a better defined line to cut or weld by. Could you help me in the Maker. It looks like it may be a felt pen. wide marker. maybe a fine tip marker.
Harry, I have been trying to find the supplier that we used to use to purchase the blue layout fluid. Unfortunately it is either no longer stocked or the company has ceased trading. We used to buy it in 1 litre bottles as a liquid dye with an alcohol base. In the US it is referred to as Dykem and in Australia a similar product is called Dymark www.dymark.com.au/categories/markingproducts/inksdyes/engineersink. It is really just a quick drying liquid dye. I made a 250ml bottle with a soft paint brush screwed inside the cap so I can paint it on to steel and then put the brush back in the liquid so it doesn't dry out.
Regards,
Mark
@@Preso58. Thanks Mark, Ive finally found the refractory cement that will do the job here in the USA.
@@harrydensmore4007 that's great. Good luck with the build. Metal casting is hot, dangerous and fun all at the same time.
Regards,
Mark
Hola ,muy buen trabajo ,,,aprovechando ,ya gran parte del trabajo echo ,de una botella de gas , brillante idea y muy bueno el diseño de tapa ,, practico, y si riesgos de roturas del revestimiento ,,,simplemente genial,,,,la verdad un horno para fundir , metales ,calentar etc ,,es relativamente simple de hacer , pese a todo ,por años ,, use una vieja fragua, que fue parte de la herrería de mi padre ,,pero , hoy aqui dentro, de un pueblo,,,aunque , pequeño ,,los humos de la hulla ,,o coke no son bienvenidos ,,muchas veces prepare material para hacer un hornillo ,,pero lo que hice fue, solo ,,para unos amigos , artesanos, que hacen ,,cuchillería fue fabricarle unos quemadores , ya que no disponen de torno y algunas otras herramientas en estos ,,,se combinan,la mezcla gas ,aire ,producido por un pequeño ventilador centrífugo ,bajo ,volumen alta presion ,, con una banderola ,o esclusa, regula el caudal ,de aire ,y una llave de aguja el caudal de gas ,,algo extremadamente simple pero xon ello ,se consigue una mezcla que da una excelente llana ,y maxima temperatura ,sobre todo para fundir cobre y bronces ,,, ,algunos remplazan este , ventilador por un simple seca pelos ,o una pistola de aire caliente ,, hay tantas formas ,posibles cual sera la mejor desconozco ,,pero veo que pese a la gran variedad todas funcionan ,eso se puede , evaluar con el uso ,,,,grasias por wl video ,,, un saludo ,
I was surprised you didn't weld any tabs in the lid for the crete to hang on to
Me too! I had planned to weld in some steel rods but completely forgot about it. I really should write myself a procedure and stick to it. Making videos does divide your attention. As it turns out though, the pyrocrete has not cracked and it is still adhering well to the inside surface of the gas cylinder. I think I dodged a bullet there.
Regards,
Mark
Mark can you give us some idea of the making of the burner please?
I have drawn the design of the burner I made for anyone that wants to copy it. You can get the 2D drawings from my Dropbox account here: www.dropbox.com/s/qfjs5c91o9qyiaj/Furnace%20Burner%20Assembly.pdf?dl=0
Regards,
Mark
Good video. Thanks.
Mark, where did you get the Daycom Blue, I have tried to order it from the Ebay US but it cant be posted to Australia
Frank,
I kept a small supply of that dye from when I was teaching at a secondary school. We used to get it from Gilking School Supplies. It was sold in 1litre bottles as layout/blueprint ink. They are listed for $28. Unfortunately they mostly only sell to schools and as far as I know, only in Queensland. I would think that you would be able to get it from Blackwoods? www.blackwoods.com.au/part/00279242/stain-layout-dymark-blue-1-litre
Regards,
Mark
Its not as durable as concrete, but its sure tough enough... I would wager that any of those strikes held enough momentum to put a man to rest with a good head smack... And that thing took quite a few hits and still didnt shatter apart from local degradation... For a decently used refractory concrete, it sure held up quite nicely to those blows... Also, you shoulda used curly stainless chips from the lathe as a reinforcement aswell... I have a whole bin of stainless curly turning chips that are waiting to be mixed into my next concrete/ref.concrete project... Its almost a cubic meter of chips that are no less than 70cm long razor spirals tossed onto each other, so it aint as dense and as much as it seems, but its nice stock for aiding composite building material... For that purpose i also save any stainless hose braids and such forms of inox wire or thin stock cuttings... When deformed, they act like macaroni when cheese gets melted over them and left to set, but in this case, there is macaroni, pasta, linguine and fusilli made out of stainless, and the cheese is concrete or other such material... I also can get free granite scrap that makes a very good aggregate in whatever size i need... And granite dust aswell, if i want to use fine filler for concrete along with microsilica, which would be a great addition to a furnace like this...
I hadn't thought of using swarf and chips for reinforcement. I have been using that furnace a lot and the refractory is still as good as the day I cast it. Mind you, I am not melting iron in it so the temperature stays well below it's rated maximum.
Regards,
Mark
@@Preso58 Its a nice furnace either way... How would one even go about melting iron/steel in it? The propane torch would need its peak temp. contained in the furnace, and even there, the temp would be a bit too low for proper smelt, flow and alloying potential... Some extra oxygen would allow for higher temps, but apart from the good old coal fire or electric melting, turning iron to liquid in any home made furnace is a bit tricky, given that gas mixtures are both costly and potentially dangerous... Tho, to be honest, i would prefer nothing more than casting my own steel and iron parts... Yet, i have 2 casting compounds around me, so when i need shit cast, i can rely on them, at a price, of course... We shall see... Maybe the next project is gonna be a massive foundry in my backyard... Maybe not... who knows...
MDF falls apart when you don't want it to, but is bulletproof when you want it destroyed !
It can be one of those perverse materials can't it? I don't know how many pieces I have had to throw away because they absorbed moisture out of the concrete floor and swelled up, but just along one edge!
Regards,
Mark
I just scored 2 Stainless steel Beer Kegs @ 15 gallons each, 1 for a larger furnace, 1 for home fuel storage.
hit you can go in revers and still make the cut
When I built my gas forge I bought my materials from Field Furnace Refractories at Wetherill Park, Sydney.
Thanks, I'll check them out.
oh
, by the way, bravo, very well done, cheers
Nice very nice
Got bored, did the pvc work for you lol
How much cast iwant this price
The refractories that cracked, may have been prepared with too much water.
Maybe, but the interior of my current furnace has held up really well. The steel strands in the mix help maintain the integrity even though there are some fine cracks.
Regards,
Mark
All that time, effort and $$$$ invested in that hot messy dangerous contraption, I just got a really nice clean used Pottery Kiln from Craigslist for $150................... Goes up to 2300* F Way more than you need for Aluminum
Nicely done. However, it's crucial that you pronounce crucible correctly. 😉
Where did you buy the Pyrocrete from please?
Mathias Forge, I purchased my pyrocrete from a company called "The Clay Shed" at Kunda Park on the Sunshine Coast. I am not sure where you live but that's in Queensland Australia. www.clayshed.com.au/
Regards,
Mark Presling
Thanks Mark. I'm in Adelaide. Cheers.
@@mathiasforge2291, try checking with local pottery suppliers or suppliers for making pizza ovens. Pyrocrete is popular for making kilns.
@@Preso58 thanks mate. I'll check em out. 👍👍
👍👍😎👍👍
Mark, if we Canadians can put up with the butchering, I think you'd call it mounting,(hope that's the correct spelling) of the English language by the Americans then I guess we can overlook your mispronunciation of crucible into what sounds like "cruchible".
Vacuum clean PVC pipe it’s just pushing time Hole cutter bit cut out side diameter hole in tool rig Holder .Power shot ..22. UK ? Drill hole 8mm. Steel rod Price may dear make one. longer Than Drill. o ring to seal hole bar bell plats More kilos = psi shockwave ? 8mm pipe Glue pipe to the center of bar bell .when your ffff about don’t let the red out ! Truck mud flaps some steel keep pointy bits out .lateral hole tricky use water . Pipe plate steel on bell crank. Use water tank as weight springs to slow it down . Romen rig roll it pop roll it back .Ladders work great for rail and lifts .Build it .. The Welchman on parade
google is American we speak the queens English. you were right the first time
re: crushible: It's like gotteswinter saying 'wise' when refering to his vice. I understand Germans have their 'v's and 'w's the wrong way round, eitherway, it's just added charm
Ash, I remember one of the first videos I watched from Stefan and it made me giggle when he said "wise". However, I have learned to forgive this now mainly due to his extraordinary skill set but also because he takes the trouble to do his videos in a second language. I can barely speak English so hats off to him I reckon.
Regards,
Mark
Correct pronunciation is crusial if you want to be taken sheerioushly.
Mate, i fully expect an Aussie to pronounce it crooshable just like peninshula or tchuna fish sandwich....;)
Very nice build even if your pronunciation is a little exCRUCiating.
Hey at least you didn't use warshers.
No, but I want to get me one of those pop rivet staple guns though!
@@Preso58 I think Tony has a patent on that rivet stapler. 🤔
That was ex-crew-she-ating to listen to!
entropy, remember entropy11
Splitting the plastic liner tube was a good tip, 👍
Ian, I recall doing this on my first furnace build however I used some light gauge sheet metal for the liner on that one. It just so happened that I had a large sheet of pre rolled material that came as a large packing tube around a rug that we purchased. It was kicking around outside the shop for a long time and I almost took it to the tip a few times. Glad I didn't now!
Dear Mark, worried about your pronunciation of “Crucible”. That’s a small problem. At least you don’t call that lightweight metal “Aluminum” or call the liquid we fill you petrol tank “Gas”. That is really grating. Cheers from a fellow Down-under-er.
The aluminium/aluminum thing is a bit of a running joke. Most people don't take it seriously but the metric/imperial divide is very active and some can be unforgiving if you dare to suggest it's time to get with the programme (program).😄
Regards,
Mark
No worries mate, you guys can't pronounce Aluminum without adding an extra syllable anyways.
It's
Al-lu-mi-num,
you's guys say
Al-lu-mi-ne-um
Ah well, who's right then? Plu-to-ni-um, So-di-um, Ur-an-i-um. I rest my case 😁
That's because the element's generally accepted spelling is Alu min ium, except for American and Canadian spelling where it is spelt Alu min um.
No wonder can't say crucible, ,cant even pronounce Aluminum correct haha all in fun