Visit brilliant.org/ShakeTheFuture/ for a 30-day free trial, and get 20% off an annual Premium subscription. Originally, this was supposed to be a video where I cast a Dice, but things changed. I need to be careful and stop teasing projects before they’re finished. The dice video is still coming, but I wanted to make a few changes. In that project, I’ll be using the "Print Wave Metal Casting" method. It worked great, but I had to adjust the sprue design. Cheers!
I'm day 1 on this rabbit hole, so sorry if this has been answered 100 times, but is the silicon carbide powder reusable and if so, how many times do you typically reuse it before replacing it.
It is joined by water glass (sodium silicate) and destroyed after usage because heat join it by melting that glass. I use plaster, dry it, dry it so hard it lost water molecularly. It porous and good for vacuum too make metal run to all sharp details. Just dry it hard or it pop explode by boiling water from molecular bounds in it. Plaster is cheap, SiC is better but cost more.
@@TrueHelpTV I have reused it in the past, but I don't do it anymore because it was too hard on the cereal grinder blades (which I use to grind it when I need smaller grit). You can always use sand instead of silicon carbide-it also works. I'll be doing that in future videos. It's much cheaper but comes with some downsides.
Yeah ! Well done ! It is always a happy moment when you solve a tough problem all on your own *from scratch*. Your results here not only encourage me at least to experiment more with iron, but also inspires an enthusiasm that is difficult to put into words. Thank you - and keep up the wonderful work!
Your chuck key project might be your most engaging project yet for me. Having a real problem to solve (stuck chuck with no replacement key available locally) and clear conditions for project success, even if artificial (finish in less time than ordering on Amazon) made the project exciting. Then again maybe my expectations are too shaped by reality TV and game shows. 😊 Anyway, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!
I feel like you are unbelievably talented and you’re either unaware or just very humble. You make it look so easy, and so doable. And you’re on a balcony! But I don’t see anyone else doing what you’re doing, so it can’t be _nearly_ as easy as you make it look. Truly impressive.
Thank you very much! I've been thinking about it myself. It has become an easy thing to do (simple iron casts), but I realize it's probably due to a lot of practice and knowing what I'm doing. Definitely not talent 😂. I started experimenting with microwave metal melting 5-6 years ago, so I had some time to practise before publishing all these videos. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture I do not know when, maybe this December, maybe August next year, or December next year, but would you allow me to buy you a vino/cervesa/sidra/algunas tapas when I next find myself in Madrid with mi Madrileña / mujer? :-)
You can mod microwaves in this way: cut opening or drill ventilation holes to the magnetron, strap and direct to magnetron small ventilation fan 100 Wt will be enough. It will increase the effectiveness of magnetron, prevent it from overheating and will increase its maximum output power.
This is an old problem - well an old problem upgraded to the internet age. The dislikes are from people who become jealous too easily while watching someone more talented and knowledgeable display a skill that is beyond them. They're angry with their own incapacity, frustrated that they don't have enough self-control to observe and change themselves. Right, they're insecure and project on others: Checking the dislike when it's clearly unwarranted says more about them than it does about the video they're annoyed by. Or, they're just ignorant.
How do you know that it has so many dislikes The government took away the dislike button when they've noticed how many dislikes Biden was getting compared to Trump
the diy bit casting from a 3d print is exactly why this technology feels like it could take manufacturing by storm. so many possibilities with fdm and resin printing available to everyone at a pretty low $ barrier to entry. ideas have never been easier to translate into practical, quality parts, as you discovered yourself when your high quality part worked where cheap imported ones didn't. your channel is great, subscribed!
You could cast some bronze over iron, by incorporating the iron piece into the mould, like overmoulding. For example casting a bronze handle over the iron bottle opener
if you didnt know the power settings on the microwave are averages of the power consumed. the microwave is just running full power but on a duty cycle. this is because the magnetron can really only work at one power. so when you cycle the microwave with your timer you are really just cycling on/off something that is already turning on/off. you may be able to directly trigger the magnetron to turn on at a certain duty cycle so you can more finely dial in the power you need without the hassle of running what is essentially a timer running a timer.
You can use a drill bit the size of the hole in the chuck, and a flat blade screwdriver to loosen the chuck! Insert the drill bit shank into the hole, and brace tge screwdriver against the drill bit, to pry the teeth in the direction to loosen.
Inspired by your channel, I built myself a microwave kiln. Though I've been doing it a bit differently, lining the microwave, so the ceramic wool stays inside, with no kapton tape, and I lift the crucible out of it vertically. The microwave is placed with the lid facing up, so it's like a top loader. It would be nice to attach the lid insulation to the microwave door, but for now it's ok taking it out by hand. I don't think it insulates quite as well as your design, on the other hand, I had no issues with melting brass in ca. 25 minutes (no pre-heat). I should really try ferrites. For a long time, I've had the idea to use an induction heater, to do my own metallurgy for knife making. Now this makes me think, maybe it could be possible to do a crucible steel with the microwave. With regards to materials, is there a reason you went for cast iron specifically? For your purpose, you could use mild steel, which is more widely available? Perhaps with the addition of some graphite, it might even achieve some hardenability. Not saying you have to do this, just being curious. Thank you for your inspiration, you're the TH-cam Guru of Microvave casting now :)
Thank you! I’m glad you found an alternative way to do it. I also had insulating the microwave on my project list but never got around to doing it. I don't think I will anymore, since I’m happy with my current setup-whatever works! I like melting iron because it’s cheap and casts beautifully. Plus, I found a source of iron that comes in pieces small enough to fit into the crucible, so no breaking is needed. Honestly, even though I’ve spent years working with kilns and microwave metal melting, it doesn’t necessarily translate into knowledge about metals. For example, I didn’t even know what mild steel was......until I just looked it up. I’ll definitely give it a try! I didn’t realize it might be easier to melt than stainless steel nuts (A2-70). Cheers!
Awesome video to showcase the detail you can get from such a low cost setup. Is the silica carbide reusable/recyclable or is that considered unrecoverable once the binder is added?
It's reusable, but it depends on how much waterglass you add and the grit size. If you make your molds too strong, they’ll be difficult to break. I don’t reuse them anymore. Instead, I’m starting to use sand instead of silicon carbide. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture That's really good information. I started looking into using sand instead and I think with the right amount of carbon coating, it would work similarly to silica carbide powder. Maybe some test batches to see which ratio of sand(silica), carbon (graphite), and water glass is good when formed into a crucible. Test by heating some known metal over a given time and see which ratio is better for heating. Might make for a good video. (or if other types of carbon (graphene powder, carbon black, etc play a better substitute). Cheers
the chuck of my drilling machine also often gets stuck especially when dust from concrete drillings settles inside. Before i throw it away i have always smashed it against hard stone, and i was always able to open it afterwards. it still alive.
one thing I am curious about with your microwave specifically is that it has actual variable wattages listed. In america I cant say I have ever seen a microwave with a setting like that. as far as I know I have only seen ones that have a "power level" setting, which just changes how long the microwave is on vs off over x time, and not the actual power output. Is this a big factor in how usable a microwave is for casting, or are shorter duty cycles effectively the same as a lower wattage? I mean, for example curing a mold. If you started it at full power for say 10 seconds at 50% (what I assume the wattage setting does for you) vs 5 on 5 off @100% is that at risk to crack the mold? or are they more resilient than that? havent managed to find a good deal on a microwave for this yet but this was on my mind. fantastic video BTW
Well, it's the same thing. The magnetron is just turned on and off, but on some microwaves, it’s shown as wattage instead of power level (at least I think so, I might be wrong?). As some people have already mentioned, I am basically controlling a timer that’s already in the microwave with another timer. I could just turn the microwave to full power and use a timer only for a few seconds instead of minutes. It’s just the way I am used to doing it. I used to use a smart switch instead of a timer. The app only offered an option to cycle the microwave (or anything else plugged in) in minutes; 1 minute was the minimum I could choose. So, I am used to that. You could definitely run the microwave on the max power setting and have a cycle that looks very different from mine. Cheers!
I need to use silicon carbide or a mixture of silicon carbide and other materials because it heats up in the microwave. If I make a crucible out of aluminum oxide, it won’t heat up. Cheers!
Awesome video! Thanks a lot. QQ... I have an old microwave with a grill, but the base does not move. I think it is a 750w or 900w. Is there any other component or modification that is needed? Would it work for aluminum?
It is good because grill in it make it 90% sure that you have fan blow air thru two metal sides of box to prevent overheating. Grill usually heat top of it so you probably need to use ceramic plate on place where usually rotating plate. Don't make ceramic watered so heat not crush it. Also, you need to prevent overheat of hole for motor-plate coupler, because motor can be 30V of 230Volts. So if motor defected and you place heating thing (just make sure you use not too small kiln to prevent overheat, I say so because we have local store that send ceramic wool kit with Silicium Carbide crucible, ceramowool in it not too many, so need to use kaoline powder if want big crucible).
I have not made any modifications to my microwave other than those that have nothing to do with metal melting (like removing the bulb and adding a small light instead to still be able to tell when the microwave is ON/OFF, but using less electricity). I assume you can turn off the grill and only run the microwave/magnetron. As long as the microwave works, it will function, but obviously, there are many variables that can affect how well it will work. Melting aluminium on a small scale is easy, even with a bad microwave. Cheers!
Do you know if it's possible to use a mold release agent with Silicon Carbide molds? It would reduce the post processing steps considerably if that worked!
Question! (if you don't mind answering or pointing to the answer) I bought some 500 grit silicon carbide powder... it was finer than I was expecting. Have you used this fine of grit? Do you know if it will work or not?
I am always confused about grit sizes. I have used very fine grit, but you might need to watch out for how much sodium silicate/waterglass is used. I find that with very small grit, your molds can come out stronger, but then again, it's not always better. I have had situations where the mold was so strong that I ended up breaking the iron model while opening it. As for the vacuum, I have not done any tests to compare the vacuum efficiency with different grit size molds. In theory, smaller grit size molds should allow less air to pass through, but don't believe everything I say 😂.
@@ShakeTheFuture Agreed. I had expected the vacuum probably wouldn't work well with the finer grit. The stronger mold is a surprise though, I will have to watch out for that. Thank you for taking the time to reply. Says a lot about you as a TH-camr. Subbed and +1.
Since you are using silicon carbide as both the crucible and mould, can you make a crucible with a small hole at the bottom? Then make your mould to stack underneath the crucible and let the material flow over time into the mould?
Yes, a lot of people have been suggesting it. I can see both the advantages and disadvantages of doing it. I’m planning to make a video about it anyway. Cheers!
@@thetruepetre2771 I haven't noticed any issues, though I don’t have anything to compare it to. The casts turn out great for hobby metal casting projects. In other words, I’m not sure if SiC crucibles or molds affect iron in any way, if that’s what you're asking. Cheers!
Question, please would casting steel be any different/ more difficult? (than iron casting that you just demonstrated so succesfully) 👍 I am very interested in casting steel model railway wheels Other concern would be small cross section of some details (wheel spokes ) Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I’ve only melted stainless steel a few times to see if it could be done, but it's definitely not easy. I’ve only done one cast-the other times I just melted it to test if I could. The cast was a ring, but the mold didn’t fill properly because I had a really poor sprue design. In fact, they weren’t even real sprues; I used the supports from the 3D print as sprues. Anyway, I ended up with half a ring. I haven’t cleaned it up yet, but it’s looking good so far. A lot of people have been asking about the process, so I’ll be uploading a video soon. I’ve already recorded part of it, and I’m just waiting for some stainless steel nuts to be delivered from AliExpress to finish the rest. Cheers!
I've seen a bunch of your videos, and I am in awe to be honest. But, why do you freeze the casting? It's sodium silicate, you want co2 to make it cure instantly? Freezing would keep it from curing.. It might increase the viscosity of the uncured sodium silicate gel, but it's not going to cure it.. Even so much as spritzing some alcohol on it and catching it on fire would cure the outside surfaces /skin pretty much instantly. That is how professional places do it, they usually spray a white 'paint' that is mostly solvent, then catch it on fire, to cure the surface instantly.. It's usually step1, just to get a hard 'skin' on the mold, to make handling it safer (safe as in, not damaging the mold), or not losing detail on the surface, even just passing a propane torch over it would work as well
I used to use co2. The reason I don't is just a choice to do it this way. I was using way too much co2. Not that you need a lot, but it was a psychological thing......"let's inject a bit more just in case". It was extra expense that I did not need. I was going through way too many bottles of co2. I only freeze the mold, so It does not fall apart. Then I microwave it. It works and I don't need to buy/make co2. Setting the mould on fire is something I have not tried. I might give it a shot. Thanks!
@@ShakeTheFuture If I may ask, sorry if I missed this, what country are you in? And what was your source of co2? A 20lb co2 tank fill costs $20, and would literally give you 10,000 molds worth of co2 at least. Plus emergency airing up tires or running air tools. Most places have no change in price from 5lb to 20lb, the cost is the labor, the co2 is so cheap as to be 'free' for industrial gas suppliers. A 5-20lb tank is used in soda fountains at restaurants, and can be bought dirt cheap, same for regulator. There's a few types buut.. it can be very inexpensive. As far as setting it on fire, please let me know how it works for you! I'll edit this comment with a few yt links, if you look at professional casting house vids on yt, i'm talking MASSIVE molds like ship propellers, or street lamps, big stuff. As soon as they pull the mold apart and remove the pattern, they spray or paintbrush on a liquid, then catch it on fire and let it burn out fully before moving it. And yeah, I know exactly what you mean about 'a little more'. There is a saying I never really understood, it seems.. wrong. "The enemy of good, is better." It applies to a lot of stuff
great video mate! Have you ever considered using mica paper instead of kapton tape for the outside lining of you kilns? It should not react to microwaves and withstand temperatures of 1000°C. It is quite cheap on Aliexpress though not as cheap as Kapton tape
I used to use it, and I even made a video about it. The video is unlisted, so it doesn't appear in TH-cam search: th-cam.com/video/rAIyLWEKt8U/w-d-xo.html It's an outdated video. The reason I stopped using sodium silicate is because it can arc badly. In the video I showed a method to prevent arcing, but after publishing the video, I realised that's it's not 100% effective. Sometimes arcing can occur after many uses, even when you think everything is fine and there are no issues with the chamber. Unfortunately, when this happens, the outside of the kiln can start heating up, but not in a typical way-it can reach glowing red temperatures, which could severely burn your hand if you touched the kiln without noticing the issue. That's the tricky part about microwaves. Things that work well for other foundry or metal-melting methods don't necessarily work the same way with microwaves. That said, sodium silicate can work, but this is the downside. Kapton tape can also arc if burned, but at least it won't burn you. Cheers!
That was fantastic. With each of your videos, I get more and more concerned that I may end up getting an old microwave and trying this. LOL Do you take commissions? I have an inventions I created, and I really want to test out an iron version of it, but I don't know that I would need to cast things often enough to put together that whole set up. Let alone my concerns for safety. The whole thing is quite a bit smaller than a baseball, so i\I would think it would fit in your set up. Thanks again for another great video!
Thank you very much! At the moment, I’m trying not to bite off more than I can chew, so I’ve been politely rejecting requests, offers, or sponsored projects because I’m booked for the next few months and already behind on some projects. What metal are you trying to cast anyway?
Hey - what would happen if you melted the metal directly into the mold skipping the entire pouring part? Make a funnel large enough to hold the unmelted iron and fire away...
A lot of people have been asking about it. I'll do a video on the topic. What I can say is that it can work with some metals but can be problematic with others. For example, if I were to melt iron in a silicon carbide mold, most likely the detail would be lost because of the massive heat the mold will endure-let's say it will change and lose detail. It also depends on how much waterglass is used. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture Thank you so much for answering. Basically it's "the idea works in theory, but in practice, it doesn't". Which is great, I don't have to invest in 5 microwaves to know I'm barking up the wrong tree. Will follow for more. MORE!
carrying the flag for *easy* home iron casting. I use a waste oil furnace for melting, it's a pain and i can't be bothered. This way of casting holds huge oppotunities in development of home iron casting, the fact that a ruined mold from a chill in the sprue doesn't waste days of prep and hours of setup along with litres of fuel and also m3 of dark smoke. Thank you for the research it is invaluable. you will be up there with the stalwarts of youtube home engineering by the time you cast an iron engine block/ cylinder head... you know nothing too complicated.
Do you have an air compressor? Perhaps a Venturi vacuum generator can be used for vacuum casting. I believe they have a low flow but relatively strong vacuum, do you think this would improve vacuum casting?
I don't have an air compressor. I must say I am pretty happy with the results I get from a vacuum cleaner + I get another benefit. It's a vacuum cleaner that I actually use to hoover around the microwave 😂
Hi there! Could you try blending sodium silicate and sodium aluminate (and perhaps even pure sodium aluminate)? Have you tried using an alternative cation like with potassium silicate?
@@ShakeTheFuture The aluminates were on my mind because they would form an aluminosilicate interphase with the SiC grains which are comparable to fused silica (quartz). So you could achieve even higher temperatures.
You do know that sodium silicate sets up almost instantly if you push CO2 through it. Also, used disc brake rotors are pretty much free and better metallurgy than dollar store weights.
Can one even cast some sort of steel ? I think about the stuff dentists use as frame for tooth prostetics. I still don't know what it contains of exactly. Its non magnetic but its strong and hard as hell !
The silicon carbide from the old molds can be reused?? Can you tell me please how much Heath is needed to treat the mold and how much time and where i can find this timer used with the microwave??
Silicon carbide can be reused, but it's not practical, so I don't re-use it anymore. I will have videos coming up where I use sand instead. You should heat up the molds slowly. It really depends on your modls and microwave used. Not all the molds are the same. The timer model is "T319". It's sold under various names. Cheers!
I don't have any. I live in an apartment which means, I can't just collect material to use at some point in the future - no space. Weight plates is an easy source of iron. I can get it whenever I need it. That said, there are other sources of iron I am learning about. I'll be exploring them in the future. Cheers!
SIC FEPA 220 (44 - 75 µm)........I buy it from (ots-store.com). You can also use sand. In the video that's hopefully going to be published next week, I made the mold with sand. Cheers!
I'm not sure what you mean by 'interior size.' If you mean the chamber size, like the inside of the chamber, then smaller is better. For example, I could make all of my metal melting chambers large because a small crucible will fit into a large chamber. So, what's the point of making small chambers if you can just use big ones and swap the crucibles? You need to make the inside of the chamber tight to achieve better insulation. If you put a small crucible in a large chamber, it will take longer to heat up. Another thing to keep in mind is that melting iron in a microwave will not be done in large quantities. There might be some people with very good microwaves and optimized chambers that can do it, but in real-world situations, you'll be looking at smaller casts. That said, you can definitely go a bit bigger than a bottle opener for sure. Microwaves are interesting. In theory, the more powerful your microwave, the better. However, that does not always translate into real-life results. I have used 1,000-watt microwaves that heated the metal slower than 700-watt microwaves. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture Hola! hmmmm ... ah ok, I see my question was unclear. I am asking about the interior size of the _oven itself_ , not the kapton-wrapped container holding the crucible. (Although both could be generically called a 'chamber'). In the US, where I am, the retail home-owner versions or 'counter top' models come in sizes ranging from 0.6 cubic feet to 2.2 cubic feet. It seems to me that you're using a larger one? Thanks!
@@ArchetypalCat The white microwave is 28L.....(0.99 cubic feet) and the black is 30L (1.06). In Eu it's not common to see a microwave bigger than 30L...I am jealous 😀
@@ShakeTheFuture OK thanks that's good to know. I did assume that cast iron melting via microwave would work only in small amounts. Do you use both units for cast iron? What do you think about 700W versus 1,000W units? ... more doesn't necessarily mean better. It's also encouraging to see you manage this in a small space - I'm constrained there too. Thanks again - all that you are doing is very cool (er ah, or actually, very hot :) . Best Wishes ... ciao
@@ArchetypalCat It's hard to say if I would chose a 700w or a 1000w microwave. The black microwave I have under the table/trolley is a 1000W model. These days, I rarely use it to melt metals because it doesn’t melt as quickly as my 900W microwave. It’s noticeably slower. Honestly, I rarely use it, but when I do, it’s mainly to burn out molds in my large microwave kiln. Strangely enough, when I use it for burning out molds with the large kiln, it’s actually noticeably more powerful than the 900W microwave, so I might reduce the power or use a different burnout cycle. Why doesn’t it melt metal as fast but performs better for burning out molds? Well, that’s the funny thing about microwaves-there are so many variables. The size of the microwave can matter. I suspect smaller microwaves might melt metals faster, but I have limited data to confirm or deny this. I’ve also used microwaves that seem to heat the chamber from the outside, while others don’t. It all comes down to how your microwave distributes energy and the magnetron it uses. Some microwaves do it more evenly than others. There are also slight differences in the frequencies microwaves operate at. Even though they’re similar, small differences can matter. So, that’s the tricky thing about microwaves. Until you try them out, you never really know. You might buy a new 1000W microwave only to find it doesn’t work as well as an old kitchen microwave you already had. It’s all about trying. Cheers!
how do you burn out the 3d printed object cleanly without ashes what material/watt/temp? Oh and price of silicon carbide is very expensive or what product do you buy for it?
I've talked about this in other videos. First of all, I remove most of the plastic-I don’t just burn it. I also always recommend using translucent PLA filament. In this case, I didn’t, because this colored filament burns out nicely too, but usually, that’s what I suggest. Some PLA filaments leave ash behind due to the pigments added. This can vary not only by brand but also by color. That’s why translucent PLA is a good option. (I usually go with Greentech PLA.) It flows out of the molds easily, and since there’s no color to make it more viscous, you can burn out the rest with great results. I don’t pay close attention to the temperature, so I can’t recommend a specific setting for your burnout oven. I buy silicon carbide from a sandblasting store; it’s much cheaper if you buy it in large bags. I believe it costs around €5.6 per kg-not super cheap, but reasonable. That said, you can replace the silicon carbide with sand and do it even cheaper. I’ll be making some videos about that soon. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture Could you try to make a furnace for the microwave using perlite kaolin and sand, on the inside where it gets white hot sand and kaolin. And a bit further out perlite with kaolin to keep it insulated, and then test it with the silicon carbide crucible? The kaolin and the sand should withstand the heat and the perlite should help insulate it?
@@Mechanicus_Instrumentum Sand is not a good material for microwave metal melting. You’ll end up with a very inefficient metal melting chamber. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture Any other alternatives for the chamber that does not need kaowool or tape? Maybe there are no other real materials that can be used for this other than glazed porcelain?
@@Mechanicus_Instrumentum Don't get me wrong, if you make the metal melting chambers from the materials you mentioned before, it will probably work, but the question is how well. You might end up with a chamber that takes longer to heat up and is less efficient. That said, it might still be enough for your needs, especially if you're melting aluminum. I definitely don't want to discourage anyone from making these chambers using different materials. If you want to make a chamber from the materials previously mentioned, all power to you. I'm sure there are plenty of alternatives that can work. Some people just carve a hole in a firebrick and use another firebrick as a lid. Obviously, there are different kinds of firebricks. The one I showcased in microwave metal melting video as a bad choice of material is the only type I’ve tried. There are other types of firebrick that could work better.
0:47 "wd40" nah wd40 is a fine temporary lubricant, but as far as a penetrant (what you need to free stuck things) its not even in the same league as PB blaster. seriously I switched and its night and day, and if I want a lube I just use grease or oil. pb blaster lithium grease is also pretty good.
This is neat. im not sure if the mold will hold up, but would you be able to fill the mold with powdered metal and have it melt in place? you would have to have a section with extra powder on top to account for any air in the system so it would flow in to fill the void, but it could remove a step on some projects.
In theory that could work, but probably not with high temperature metals. The mould would lose detail when heated to those temperatures for extended period of time. Cheers!
@@mrrooter601 the timing is what matters, you could sit next to a digital one and do 1 on, 4 off, but you’d be doing that for 2 hours, the analogue one doesn’t reset when the power is turned off, so the smart switch works where you don’t have to man it for 2 hours.
@@chrism3839 es, that's true. There are ways to control a digital microwave without making any modifications, but unfortunately, it will also depend on the microwave. If you can start and stop it with one button, then it's worth looking into "SwitchBot". That said, I have never used it and don't know if the app offers a cycle timer option. Cheers!
I don't bother anyone with my hobby. That's why I go outside when I need to make a lot of noise and ensure that all the safety procedures are in place. I think my upstairs neighbour is reminding me of himself more than I do-by cooking smelly fish all the time 🐟😂
Hi, your channel is about to take off. Almost as many views in 1 year as in 5 years. You could reach millions of views by being better referenced. You are beginning to master an exceptional domain. 3D printing and the creation of metal objects is fascinating. With the experience you have acquired, the objects and techniques developed, you could make a lot of videos in a very short time in a simple way and without great expense. For each new test, a new video. Each time with a Benchi for comparison and another object printed in 3D each time different. For example, try a video with creation of an object in stainless steel cast and polished. This does not exist on you tube. Another video, try to reduce silicon carbide by putting around a refractory material much cheaper (oily sand, bentonite,...). Replace the sodium silicate with epoxy resin. Less dangerous because no water. Create a large open mold with sodium silicate hardened with heat stripper or blowtorch. Try large objects in several castings. Try graphite powder. Cheaper, finer. Try a cast glass or crystal benchi. Try to make shapes with silicone mold to be able to unmould instead of making lost hollow. In short, try different refractory materials, different materials to be melted, improving accuracy and reducing cost, with objects of larger dimensions. If you manage to make these videos in 1 or 2 months, your channel will grow exponentially. We already have over 100,000 followers to follow you and we can’t wait to see these videos that you present so well.
Thank you very much Steve!, Great suggestions! That’s pretty much the plan: to finish big, tutorial-like metal casting videos (witch I almost did, but there are more to come) and then focus on just making casting videos. I'm working on it now, though maybe not with as many videos as I had hoped. Ideas aren’t an issue (for now); I have a list of projects I want to do, but it just takes time to complete them as things don’t always go as planned. I’m learning how to manage my time better and work on multiple projects simultaneously so that I can publish more videos. I want to publish at least two videos per month, but I'd love to do more. I’ll experiment with some simpler content, and if people enjoy it, I might make that a regular part of the channel, too. Interestingly, some of the projects you suggested I’ve already tried or have on my list! Anyway, thank you very much for the comment-it’s really encouraging 👍
Those are weight plates from Dechatlon (French).....obviously, I don't know where they make them 😀 Yes, I'll be exploring other sources of iron for sure. Cheers!
You are touching Sodium Silicate @ 3:50 , Strongly recommend not to do that without gloves., Sodium silicate can soak into your skin and it will also become hard. Had a ""hard" time to renew my skin there
Visit brilliant.org/ShakeTheFuture/ for a 30-day free trial, and get 20% off an annual Premium subscription.
Originally, this was supposed to be a video where I cast a Dice, but things changed. I need to be careful and stop teasing projects before they’re finished. The dice video is still coming, but I wanted to make a few changes. In that project, I’ll be using the "Print Wave Metal Casting" method. It worked great, but I had to adjust the sprue design. Cheers!
I'm day 1 on this rabbit hole, so sorry if this has been answered 100 times, but is the silicon carbide powder reusable and if so, how many times do you typically reuse it before replacing it.
It is joined by water glass (sodium silicate) and destroyed after usage because heat join it by melting that glass.
I use plaster, dry it, dry it so hard it lost water molecularly. It porous and good for vacuum too make metal run to all sharp details. Just dry it hard or it pop explode by boiling water from molecular bounds in it. Plaster is cheap, SiC is better but cost more.
Try use bentonite instead of sodium silicate and press by self made form with car upper hydraulic thing.
@@GOOGLE-IS-EVIL-EMPIRE search for "bottle jack" for the car lifter.
@@TrueHelpTV I have reused it in the past, but I don't do it anymore because it was too hard on the cereal grinder blades (which I use to grind it when I need smaller grit). You can always use sand instead of silicon carbide-it also works. I'll be doing that in future videos. It's much cheaper but comes with some downsides.
that printing to casting part was extremely compelling. Highly under-rated channel IMHO
Thank You very much!
Yeah ! Well done ! It is always a happy moment when you solve a tough problem all on your own *from scratch*. Your results here not only encourage me at least to experiment more with iron, but also inspires an enthusiasm that is difficult to put into words. Thank you - and keep up the wonderful work!
Thank you very much for taking the time to comment. It really means a lot to me. I'm glad you find these videos interesting and useful.
Your chuck key project might be your most engaging project yet for me. Having a real problem to solve (stuck chuck with no replacement key available locally) and clear conditions for project success, even if artificial (finish in less time than ordering on Amazon) made the project exciting. Then again maybe my expectations are too shaped by reality TV and game shows. 😊 Anyway, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!
That tech gives you possibility to just "download thing from internet".
Thank you very much! It was definitely a day that didn't go as planned, turning into an interesting project. I'm glad it happened 👍
This is probably the most ingenious home-lab / workshop that I have ever seen. I can't wait to check out more of your videos!!!
Thank You very much!
I feel like you are unbelievably talented and you’re either unaware or just very humble. You make it look so easy, and so doable. And you’re on a balcony! But I don’t see anyone else doing what you’re doing, so it can’t be _nearly_ as easy as you make it look. Truly impressive.
Thank you very much! I've been thinking about it myself. It has become an easy thing to do (simple iron casts), but I realize it's probably due to a lot of practice and knowing what I'm doing. Definitely not talent 😂. I started experimenting with microwave metal melting 5-6 years ago, so I had some time to practise before publishing all these videos. Cheers!
Absolutely magnificient.
Thank You very much!
Gorgeous results. Another fine video from our friend in Madrid:-)
Thank You very much! 🐂
@@ShakeTheFuture I do not know when, maybe this December, maybe August next year, or December next year, but would you allow me to buy you a vino/cervesa/sidra/algunas tapas when I next find myself in Madrid with mi Madrileña / mujer? :-)
That is a beautiful result from that absolutely clever and minimalistic system.
Thank You very much!
You can mod microwaves in this way: cut opening or drill ventilation holes to the magnetron, strap and direct to magnetron small ventilation fan 100 Wt will be enough. It will increase the effectiveness of magnetron, prevent it from overheating and will increase its maximum output power.
Interesting, thanks for sharing!
Fantastic work, great to see the beautiful outcome.
Thank You!
Incredible ingenuity. Those are the finest casts I have seen on yt hands down. TH-cam really had good suggestions today.
Thank You very much! I am glad it did.
@@ShakeTheFuture No problem :). Same.
Why so many dislikes?? This is a brilliant video! Thanks for sharing!
Thank You very much!
This is an old problem - well an old problem upgraded to the internet age. The dislikes are from people who become jealous too easily while watching someone more talented and knowledgeable display a skill that is beyond them. They're angry with their own incapacity, frustrated that they don't have enough self-control to observe and change themselves. Right, they're insecure and project on others: Checking the dislike when it's clearly unwarranted says more about them than it does about the video they're annoyed by. Or, they're just ignorant.
How do you know that it has so many dislikes The government took away the dislike button when they've noticed how many dislikes Biden was getting compared to Trump
the diy bit casting from a 3d print is exactly why this technology feels like it could take manufacturing by storm. so many possibilities with fdm and resin printing available to everyone at a pretty low $ barrier to entry. ideas have never been easier to translate into practical, quality parts, as you discovered yourself when your high quality part worked where cheap imported ones didn't. your channel is great, subscribed!
I love seeing you grow the capabilities of your microwave techniques, great videos.
Thank you very much! The techniques have definitely been improving.
keep these up, loved ur old vids
Thank You!
You could cast some bronze over iron, by incorporating the iron piece into the mould, like overmoulding. For example casting a bronze handle over the iron bottle opener
Interesting idea. Thanks!
Wowww the detail!
Cheers!
if you didnt know the power settings on the microwave are averages of the power consumed. the microwave is just running full power but on a duty cycle. this is because the magnetron can really only work at one power. so when you cycle the microwave with your timer you are really just cycling on/off something that is already turning on/off. you may be able to directly trigger the magnetron to turn on at a certain duty cycle so you can more finely dial in the power you need without the hassle of running what is essentially a timer running a timer.
Yes, that's true. I need to do it that way to be able to control the heat. Cheers!
I am sure that you wish that everyday would be a perfect score like that :) By the the way your videos are fantastic keep making more !🙂
Thank You very much for encouraging words. I'll keep them coming 👍
Dude is melting iron...in a microwave. DAMN!
Thanks!
Fantastic results with iron 😀
Thank You Julia!
Big thing for anyone trying to do iron casting at home, heat your forms
Superb chuck! Bravo
Thank You!
You can use a drill bit the size of the hole in the chuck, and a flat blade screwdriver to loosen the chuck! Insert the drill bit shank into the hole, and brace tge screwdriver against the drill bit, to pry the teeth in the direction to loosen.
Thanks for the tip! 👍
Very nice castings
Thanks!
I love following your projects ❤
Thank You very much!
Inspired by your channel, I built myself a microwave kiln. Though I've been doing it a bit differently, lining the microwave, so the ceramic wool stays inside, with no kapton tape, and I lift the crucible out of it vertically. The microwave is placed with the lid facing up, so it's like a top loader. It would be nice to attach the lid insulation to the microwave door, but for now it's ok taking it out by hand.
I don't think it insulates quite as well as your design, on the other hand, I had no issues with melting brass in ca. 25 minutes (no pre-heat). I should really try ferrites.
For a long time, I've had the idea to use an induction heater, to do my own metallurgy for knife making. Now this makes me think, maybe it could be possible to do a crucible steel with the microwave.
With regards to materials, is there a reason you went for cast iron specifically? For your purpose, you could use mild steel, which is more widely available? Perhaps with the addition of some graphite, it might even achieve some hardenability. Not saying you have to do this, just being curious.
Thank you for your inspiration, you're the TH-cam Guru of Microvave casting now :)
Thank you! I’m glad you found an alternative way to do it. I also had insulating the microwave on my project list but never got around to doing it. I don't think I will anymore, since I’m happy with my current setup-whatever works!
I like melting iron because it’s cheap and casts beautifully. Plus, I found a source of iron that comes in pieces small enough to fit into the crucible, so no breaking is needed. Honestly, even though I’ve spent years working with kilns and microwave metal melting, it doesn’t necessarily translate into knowledge about metals. For example, I didn’t even know what mild steel was......until I just looked it up. I’ll definitely give it a try! I didn’t realize it might be easier to melt than stainless steel nuts (A2-70).
Cheers!
That is absolutely incredible work, once again!! How does the vacuum not suck up molten metal??
The metal is viscous and the surface tension will not allow it to sift its way through the grains of SiC
Forbidden silicon carbide burrito and cereal 🌯🥣👍
Oh yes + it cleans your teeth (maybe a bit too good) 😂
Pure excellence, well done🎉
Thank You!
9:08 so satisfying
Oh yes, It was a nice moment to know that it worked. What made it even sweeter was the fact that it was not a planned project.
Men i love your Videos i will see more metal melting videos from you! Thank you!
Thank You very much!
Awesome video to showcase the detail you can get from such a low cost setup. Is the silica carbide reusable/recyclable or is that considered unrecoverable once the binder is added?
It's reusable, but it depends on how much waterglass you add and the grit size. If you make your molds too strong, they’ll be difficult to break. I don’t reuse them anymore. Instead, I’m starting to use sand instead of silicon carbide. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture That's really good information. I started looking into using sand instead and I think with the right amount of carbon coating, it would work similarly to silica carbide powder. Maybe some test batches to see which ratio of sand(silica), carbon (graphite), and water glass is good when formed into a crucible. Test by heating some known metal over a given time and see which ratio is better for heating. Might make for a good video. (or if other types of carbon (graphene powder, carbon black, etc play a better substitute). Cheers
Amazing dude!
Cheers!
Excellent
Cheers!
so impressive!
Thank You!
Thank you
Thanks for watching!
You could print a handle which you could put over the casted one to have a better grip
Very good video. Awesome video format. You remind me of dr. Kliner (hl) and his microwave tabletop teleporter😂
Thank You! Is that from Half-Life? I had too look it up, but not sure. I used to play Half-Life when I was a kid.
the chuck of my drilling machine also often gets stuck especially when dust from concrete drillings settles inside. Before i throw it away i have always smashed it against hard stone, and i was always able to open it afterwards. it still alive.
Whatever works 😀 Some tools can take some beating indeed.
Can you re use the Silicon Carbide?
Thanks
Yes, but it's not as simple. I don't reuse it anymore. You can use sand instead of silicon carbide. I'll have a video about it coming soon. Cheers!
10:21 You got me. I gagged immediately.
one thing I am curious about with your microwave specifically is that it has actual variable wattages listed. In america I cant say I have ever seen a microwave with a setting like that. as far as I know I have only seen ones that have a "power level" setting, which just changes how long the microwave is on vs off over x time, and not the actual power output.
Is this a big factor in how usable a microwave is for casting, or are shorter duty cycles effectively the same as a lower wattage? I mean, for example curing a mold. If you started it at full power for say 10 seconds at 50% (what I assume the wattage setting does for you) vs 5 on 5 off @100% is that at risk to crack the mold? or are they more resilient than that?
havent managed to find a good deal on a microwave for this yet but this was on my mind. fantastic video BTW
Well, it's the same thing. The magnetron is just turned on and off, but on some microwaves, it’s shown as wattage instead of power level (at least I think so, I might be wrong?). As some people have already mentioned, I am basically controlling a timer that’s already in the microwave with another timer. I could just turn the microwave to full power and use a timer only for a few seconds instead of minutes. It’s just the way I am used to doing it. I used to use a smart switch instead of a timer. The app only offered an option to cycle the microwave (or anything else plugged in) in minutes; 1 minute was the minimum I could choose. So, I am used to that. You could definitely run the microwave on the max power setting and have a cycle that looks very different from mine. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture thanks for the reply! good to know, that opens up my options a lot.
I love these projects
Respect from Morocco!!
Can you try using aluminum oxide instead of silicone carbide for making crucibles and molds??
I need to use silicon carbide or a mixture of silicon carbide and other materials because it heats up in the microwave. If I make a crucible out of aluminum oxide, it won’t heat up. Cheers!
Oh! Yah!
Awesome video! Thanks a lot. QQ... I have an old microwave with a grill, but the base does not move. I think it is a 750w or 900w. Is there any other component or modification that is needed? Would it work for aluminum?
I have this doubt too, is needed to modify the microwave? Maybe they have temperature protection
.
It is good because grill in it make it 90% sure that you have fan blow air thru two metal sides of box to prevent overheating. Grill usually heat top of it so you probably need to use ceramic plate on place where usually rotating plate. Don't make ceramic watered so heat not crush it.
Also, you need to prevent overheat of hole for motor-plate coupler, because motor can be 30V of 230Volts. So if motor defected and you place heating thing (just make sure you use not too small kiln to prevent overheat, I say so because we have local store that send ceramic wool kit with Silicium Carbide crucible, ceramowool in it not too many, so need to use kaoline powder if want big crucible).
I have not made any modifications to my microwave other than those that have nothing to do with metal melting (like removing the bulb and adding a small light instead to still be able to tell when the microwave is ON/OFF, but using less electricity). I assume you can turn off the grill and only run the microwave/magnetron. As long as the microwave works, it will function, but obviously, there are many variables that can affect how well it will work. Melting aluminium on a small scale is easy, even with a bad microwave. Cheers!
Do you know if it's possible to use a mold release agent with Silicon Carbide molds? It would reduce the post processing steps considerably if that worked!
Sorry, I have no idea. Cheers!
If you have a look on the chuck there might be a number S8 for example this is the chuck key number
Oh, good to know. Thanks!
Does anything stop it from melting stainless steel? Maybe if it's more insulated?
You can, but it's not as easy. Cheers!
Question! (if you don't mind answering or pointing to the answer)
I bought some 500 grit silicon carbide powder... it was finer than I was expecting. Have you used this fine of grit? Do you know if it will work or not?
I am always confused about grit sizes. I have used very fine grit, but you might need to watch out for how much sodium silicate/waterglass is used. I find that with very small grit, your molds can come out stronger, but then again, it's not always better. I have had situations where the mold was so strong that I ended up breaking the iron model while opening it. As for the vacuum, I have not done any tests to compare the vacuum efficiency with different grit size molds. In theory, smaller grit size molds should allow less air to pass through, but don't believe everything I say 😂.
@@ShakeTheFuture Agreed. I had expected the vacuum probably wouldn't work well with the finer grit. The stronger mold is a surprise though, I will have to watch out for that.
Thank you for taking the time to reply. Says a lot about you as a TH-camr. Subbed and +1.
Хороший балкон. У меня на балконе металлообрабатывающая мастерская поместилась полноценная)
Thanks! If you don't have space to do it, balcony it is 😀
I wonder if rocket nozzles could be created using that silicon carbide stuff.
You might not even need silicon carbide. Sand also works, but there are some downsides.
Since you are using silicon carbide as both the crucible and mould, can you make a crucible with a small hole at the bottom? Then make your mould to stack underneath the crucible and let the material flow over time into the mould?
Yes, a lot of people have been suggesting it. I can see both the advantages and disadvantages of doing it. I’m planning to make a video about it anyway. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture I'm looking forward to it!
Also, how do you handle the solubility of SiC in Fe?
@@thetruepetre2771 I haven't noticed any issues, though I don’t have anything to compare it to. The casts turn out great for hobby metal casting projects. In other words, I’m not sure if SiC crucibles or molds affect iron in any way, if that’s what you're asking. Cheers!
Question, please
would casting steel be any different/ more difficult? (than iron casting that you just demonstrated so succesfully) 👍
I am very interested in casting steel model railway wheels
Other concern would be small cross section of some details (wheel spokes )
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I’ve only melted stainless steel a few times to see if it could be done, but it's definitely not easy. I’ve only done one cast-the other times I just melted it to test if I could. The cast was a ring, but the mold didn’t fill properly because I had a really poor sprue design. In fact, they weren’t even real sprues; I used the supports from the 3D print as sprues. Anyway, I ended up with half a ring.
I haven’t cleaned it up yet, but it’s looking good so far. A lot of people have been asking about the process, so I’ll be uploading a video soon. I’ve already recorded part of it, and I’m just waiting for some stainless steel nuts to be delivered from AliExpress to finish the rest.
Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture thank you for detailed reply.
Your answer confirms what I was guessing 👍
look forward to your next video
If you can machine it or cast it, you'll never be without tools.
True. In my case only if the tool is small. Not going to cast iron vice any time soon 😀
I've seen a bunch of your videos, and I am in awe to be honest. But, why do you freeze the casting? It's sodium silicate, you want co2 to make it cure instantly? Freezing would keep it from curing.. It might increase the viscosity of the uncured sodium silicate gel, but it's not going to cure it.. Even so much as spritzing some alcohol on it and catching it on fire would cure the outside surfaces /skin pretty much instantly. That is how professional places do it, they usually spray a white 'paint' that is mostly solvent, then catch it on fire, to cure the surface instantly.. It's usually step1, just to get a hard 'skin' on the mold, to make handling it safer (safe as in, not damaging the mold), or not losing detail on the surface, even just passing a propane torch over it would work as well
I used to use co2. The reason I don't is just a choice to do it this way. I was using way too much co2. Not that you need a lot, but it was a psychological thing......"let's inject a bit more just in case". It was extra expense that I did not need. I was going through way too many bottles of co2. I only freeze the mold, so It does not fall apart. Then I microwave it. It works and I don't need to buy/make co2. Setting the mould on fire is something I have not tried. I might give it a shot. Thanks!
@@ShakeTheFuture If I may ask, sorry if I missed this, what country are you in? And what was your source of co2? A 20lb co2 tank fill costs $20, and would literally give you 10,000 molds worth of co2 at least. Plus emergency airing up tires or running air tools. Most places have no change in price from 5lb to 20lb, the cost is the labor, the co2 is so cheap as to be 'free' for industrial gas suppliers. A 5-20lb tank is used in soda fountains at restaurants, and can be bought dirt cheap, same for regulator. There's a few types buut.. it can be very inexpensive.
As far as setting it on fire, please let me know how it works for you! I'll edit this comment with a few yt links, if you look at professional casting house vids on yt, i'm talking MASSIVE molds like ship propellers, or street lamps, big stuff. As soon as they pull the mold apart and remove the pattern, they spray or paintbrush on a liquid, then catch it on fire and let it burn out fully before moving it.
And yeah, I know exactly what you mean about 'a little more'. There is a saying I never really understood, it seems.. wrong. "The enemy of good, is better." It applies to a lot of stuff
Use a pipe wrenche anytime ur working on something round
I would if I had one 😀
great video mate! Have you ever considered using mica paper instead of kapton tape for the outside lining of you kilns? It should not react to microwaves and withstand temperatures of 1000°C. It is quite cheap on Aliexpress though not as cheap as Kapton tape
No I have not. There are definitely other materials that can work. Will need to try them out one day. Cheers!
Use sodium silicate instead of the tape, it will make the fiber rigid
I used to use it, and I even made a video about it. The video is unlisted, so it doesn't appear in TH-cam search: th-cam.com/video/rAIyLWEKt8U/w-d-xo.html
It's an outdated video.
The reason I stopped using sodium silicate is because it can arc badly. In the video I showed a method to prevent arcing, but after publishing the video, I realised that's it's not 100% effective.
Sometimes arcing can occur after many uses, even when you think everything is fine and there are no issues with the chamber. Unfortunately, when this happens, the outside of the kiln can start heating up, but not in a typical way-it can reach glowing red temperatures, which could severely burn your hand if you touched the kiln without noticing the issue.
That's the tricky part about microwaves. Things that work well for other foundry or metal-melting methods don't necessarily work the same way with microwaves. That said, sodium silicate can work, but this is the downside. Kapton tape can also arc if burned, but at least it won't burn you. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture thank you for explanation
That was fantastic. With each of your videos, I get more and more concerned that I may end up getting an old microwave and trying this. LOL
Do you take commissions? I have an inventions I created, and I really want to test out an iron version of it, but I don't know that I would need to cast things often enough to put together that whole set up. Let alone my concerns for safety. The whole thing is quite a bit smaller than a baseball, so i\I would think it would fit in your set up.
Thanks again for another great video!
Thank you very much! At the moment, I’m trying not to bite off more than I can chew, so I’ve been politely rejecting requests, offers, or sponsored projects because I’m booked for the next few months and already behind on some projects. What metal are you trying to cast anyway?
Hey - what would happen if you melted the metal directly into the mold skipping the entire pouring part? Make a funnel large enough to hold the unmelted iron and fire away...
A lot of people have been asking about it. I'll do a video on the topic. What I can say is that it can work with some metals but can be problematic with others. For example, if I were to melt iron in a silicon carbide mold, most likely the detail would be lost because of the massive heat the mold will endure-let's say it will change and lose detail. It also depends on how much waterglass is used. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture Thank you so much for answering. Basically it's "the idea works in theory, but in practice, it doesn't". Which is great, I don't have to invest in 5 microwaves to know I'm barking up the wrong tree. Will follow for more. MORE!
carrying the flag for *easy* home iron casting. I use a waste oil furnace for melting, it's a pain and i can't be bothered. This way of casting holds huge oppotunities in development of home iron casting, the fact that a ruined mold from a chill in the sprue doesn't waste days of prep and hours of setup along with litres of fuel and also m3 of dark smoke. Thank you for the research it is invaluable. you will be up there with the stalwarts of youtube home engineering by the time you cast an iron engine block/ cylinder head... you know nothing too complicated.
Thank You very much. Really appreciate the feedback. It's nice to know that people find it useful 👍
Bravo
Cheers!
If you're in a pinch next time get a bolt and a flat screwdriver.... use one as a fulcrum to the other engaging the teeth.
Thanks for the tip!
Do you have an air compressor? Perhaps a Venturi vacuum generator can be used for vacuum casting. I believe they have a low flow but relatively strong vacuum, do you think this would improve vacuum casting?
I don't have an air compressor. I must say I am pretty happy with the results I get from a vacuum cleaner + I get another benefit. It's a vacuum cleaner that I actually use to hoover around the microwave 😂
@@ShakeTheFuture That's perfect. Thanks. The result really is impressive
Hi there! Could you try blending sodium silicate and sodium aluminate (and perhaps even pure sodium aluminate)? Have you tried using an alternative cation like with potassium silicate?
Thanks for the suggestion. I always wanted to try potassium silicate, it's on my list, so I'll be exploring it in the near future. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture The aluminates were on my mind because they would form an aluminosilicate interphase with the SiC grains which are comparable to fused silica (quartz). So you could achieve even higher temperatures.
@@thesentientneuron6550 Thanks for the info 👍
You do know that sodium silicate sets up almost instantly if you push CO2 through it.
Also, used disc brake rotors are pretty much free and better metallurgy than dollar store weights.
Yes, I am aware of co2 and have tried it. Disc brake rotors is something I might try out. Cheers!
Can one even cast some sort of steel ? I think about the stuff dentists use as frame for tooth prostetics. I still don't know what it contains of exactly. Its non magnetic but its strong and hard as hell !
You can, but it's much more difficult to do. I will have a video about it. Cheers!
The silicon carbide from the old molds can be reused??
Can you tell me please how much Heath is needed to treat the mold and how much time and where i can find this timer used with the microwave??
Silicon carbide can be reused, but it's not practical, so I don't re-use it anymore. I will have videos coming up where I use sand instead. You should heat up the molds slowly. It really depends on your modls and microwave used. Not all the molds are the same. The timer model is "T319". It's sold under various names. Cheers!
Why did you use good stuff? Could not use some broken iron?
I don't have any. I live in an apartment which means, I can't just collect material to use at some point in the future - no space. Weight plates is an easy source of iron. I can get it whenever I need it. That said, there are other sources of iron I am learning about. I'll be exploring them in the future. Cheers!
How fine of grit of silicon carbide do you use? Where do you get this from? Thanks!
SIC FEPA 220 (44 - 75 µm)........I buy it from (ots-store.com). You can also use sand. In the video that's hopefully going to be published next week, I made the mold with sand. Cheers!
What would you suggest as the minimum interior size and minimum power needed generally and for iron specifically? Thanks!
I'm not sure what you mean by 'interior size.' If you mean the chamber size, like the inside of the chamber, then smaller is better.
For example, I could make all of my metal melting chambers large because a small crucible will fit into a large chamber. So, what's the point of making small chambers if you can just use big ones and swap the crucibles? You need to make the inside of the chamber tight to achieve better insulation. If you put a small crucible in a large chamber, it will take longer to heat up.
Another thing to keep in mind is that melting iron in a microwave will not be done in large quantities. There might be some people with very good microwaves and optimized chambers that can do it, but in real-world situations, you'll be looking at smaller casts. That said, you can definitely go a bit bigger than a bottle opener for sure.
Microwaves are interesting. In theory, the more powerful your microwave, the better. However, that does not always translate into real-life results. I have used 1,000-watt microwaves that heated the metal slower than 700-watt microwaves. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture Hola! hmmmm ... ah ok, I see my question was unclear. I am asking about the interior size of the _oven itself_ , not the kapton-wrapped container holding the crucible. (Although both could be generically called a 'chamber').
In the US, where I am, the retail home-owner versions or 'counter top' models come in sizes ranging from 0.6 cubic feet to 2.2 cubic feet.
It seems to me that you're using a larger one?
Thanks!
@@ArchetypalCat The white microwave is 28L.....(0.99 cubic feet) and the black is 30L (1.06). In Eu it's not common to see a microwave bigger than 30L...I am jealous 😀
@@ShakeTheFuture OK thanks that's good to know. I did assume that cast iron melting via microwave would work only in small amounts.
Do you use both units for cast iron? What do you think about 700W versus 1,000W units? ... more doesn't necessarily mean better.
It's also encouraging to see you manage this in a small space - I'm constrained there too.
Thanks again - all that you are doing is very cool (er ah, or actually, very hot :) .
Best Wishes ... ciao
@@ArchetypalCat It's hard to say if I would chose a 700w or a 1000w microwave. The black microwave I have under the table/trolley is a 1000W model. These days, I rarely use it to melt metals because it doesn’t melt as quickly as my 900W microwave. It’s noticeably slower.
Honestly, I rarely use it, but when I do, it’s mainly to burn out molds in my large microwave kiln. Strangely enough, when I use it for burning out molds with the large kiln, it’s actually noticeably more powerful than the 900W microwave, so I might reduce the power or use a different burnout cycle.
Why doesn’t it melt metal as fast but performs better for burning out molds? Well, that’s the funny thing about microwaves-there are so many variables. The size of the microwave can matter. I suspect smaller microwaves might melt metals faster, but I have limited data to confirm or deny this.
I’ve also used microwaves that seem to heat the chamber from the outside, while others don’t. It all comes down to how your microwave distributes energy and the magnetron it uses. Some microwaves do it more evenly than others.
There are also slight differences in the frequencies microwaves operate at. Even though they’re similar, small differences can matter.
So, that’s the tricky thing about microwaves. Until you try them out, you never really know. You might buy a new 1000W microwave only to find it doesn’t work as well as an old kitchen microwave you already had. It’s all about trying.
Cheers!
how do you burn out the 3d printed object cleanly without ashes what material/watt/temp? Oh and price of silicon carbide is very expensive or what product do you buy for it?
I've talked about this in other videos. First of all, I remove most of the plastic-I don’t just burn it. I also always recommend using translucent PLA filament. In this case, I didn’t, because this colored filament burns out nicely too, but usually, that’s what I suggest.
Some PLA filaments leave ash behind due to the pigments added. This can vary not only by brand but also by color. That’s why translucent PLA is a good option. (I usually go with Greentech PLA.) It flows out of the molds easily, and since there’s no color to make it more viscous, you can burn out the rest with great results.
I don’t pay close attention to the temperature, so I can’t recommend a specific setting for your burnout oven.
I buy silicon carbide from a sandblasting store; it’s much cheaper if you buy it in large bags. I believe it costs around €5.6 per kg-not super cheap, but reasonable. That said, you can replace the silicon carbide with sand and do it even cheaper. I’ll be making some videos about that soon.
Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture Could you try to make a furnace for the microwave using perlite kaolin and sand, on the inside where it gets white hot sand and kaolin. And a bit further out perlite with kaolin to keep it insulated, and then test it with the silicon carbide crucible? The kaolin and the sand should withstand the heat and the perlite should help insulate it?
@@Mechanicus_Instrumentum Sand is not a good material for microwave metal melting. You’ll end up with a very inefficient metal melting chamber. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture Any other alternatives for the chamber that does not need kaowool or tape? Maybe there are no other real materials that can be used for this other than glazed porcelain?
@@Mechanicus_Instrumentum Don't get me wrong, if you make the metal melting chambers from the materials you mentioned before, it will probably work, but the question is how well. You might end up with a chamber that takes longer to heat up and is less efficient. That said, it might still be enough for your needs, especially if you're melting aluminum. I definitely don't want to discourage anyone from making these chambers using different materials. If you want to make a chamber from the materials previously mentioned, all power to you. I'm sure there are plenty of alternatives that can work.
Some people just carve a hole in a firebrick and use another firebrick as a lid. Obviously, there are different kinds of firebricks. The one I showcased in microwave metal melting video as a bad choice of material is the only type I’ve tried. There are other types of firebrick that could work better.
Hell yeah
Have you attempted to collect old rotors from auto shops?
That's the plan for the next iron melting video. Cheers!
Next time use two pipe wrenches to turn the chuck.
I would if I had one :)
You really need to stop melting those gym weights and use them as intended lol
I should........Jokes aside, I really should 😁
Now Quench it to make it Harder and stronger
I will need to experiment with it, because I have had times when quenching iron made it crack. Cheers!
I see you like to use iron. Have you tried steel?
Yes, I have. In small amounts it can be melted, but I am talking about very tiny amounts and it's "A2-70" stainless steel that I tried. Cheers!
0:47 "wd40" nah wd40 is a fine temporary lubricant, but as far as a penetrant (what you need to free stuck things) its not even in the same league as PB blaster. seriously I switched and its night and day, and if I want a lube I just use grease or oil. pb blaster lithium grease is also pretty good.
Kroil is probably the best penetrant I've ever seen, but it's pricey.
Good to know. Thanks!
❤
Cheers!
Make a vice.
It would need to be a small vice (I can't melt a lot of iron), so in this case, I rather buy one. Cheers!
No seatbelt?? I hope I’m just not seeing it 🙃 11:01
I always wear a seatbelt. It's true that in that shot it looks like I don't. Well spotted 😀
do you wear goggles when pouring molten iron? the infrared isn't good for the cornea , eye lens.
I am wearing a face shield, but will be getting some type of glasses as suggested by viewers in the last video. Cheers!
This is neat. im not sure if the mold will hold up, but would you be able to fill the mold with powdered metal and have it melt in place? you would have to have a section with extra powder on top to account for any air in the system so it would flow in to fill the void, but it could remove a step on some projects.
In theory that could work, but probably not with high temperature metals. The mould would lose detail when heated to those temperatures for extended period of time. Cheers!
Been trying to find a microwave like that, cus you know I don't have enough hobbies already, and they are all digital. shame.
yeah this is what I am worried about too, they all run off digital duty cycles. maybe it doesnt matter?
@@mrrooter601 the timing is what matters, you could sit next to a digital one and do 1 on, 4 off, but you’d be doing that for 2 hours, the analogue one doesn’t reset when the power is turned off, so the smart switch works where you don’t have to man it for 2 hours.
@@chrism3839 es, that's true. There are ways to control a digital microwave without making any modifications, but unfortunately, it will also depend on the microwave. If you can start and stop it with one button, then it's worth looking into "SwitchBot". That said, I have never used it and don't know if the app offers a cycle timer option. Cheers!
How is your relationship with the neighbors? do they hate you a little or alot? ;)
I don't bother anyone with my hobby. That's why I go outside when I need to make a lot of noise and ensure that all the safety procedures are in place. I think my upstairs neighbour is reminding me of himself more than I do-by cooking smelly fish all the time 🐟😂
@@ShakeTheFuture lmao it evens out i guess.
Hey, gather black sand and refine it.
OR find iron bacteria and refine it like primitive technology did.
I also use a regular sand. I'll have videos coming up about it soon. Cheers!
Hi, your channel is about to take off. Almost as many views in 1 year as in 5 years. You could reach millions of views by being better referenced. You are beginning to master an exceptional domain. 3D printing and the creation of metal objects is fascinating. With the experience you have acquired, the objects and techniques developed, you could make a lot of videos in a very short time in a simple way and without great expense. For each new test, a new video. Each time with a Benchi for comparison and another object printed in 3D each time different. For example, try a video with creation of an object in stainless steel cast and polished. This does not exist on you tube. Another video, try to reduce silicon carbide by putting around a refractory material much cheaper (oily sand, bentonite,...). Replace the sodium silicate with epoxy resin. Less dangerous because no water. Create a large open mold with sodium silicate hardened with heat stripper or blowtorch. Try large objects in several castings. Try graphite powder. Cheaper, finer. Try a cast glass or crystal benchi. Try to make shapes with silicone mold to be able to unmould instead of making lost hollow. In short, try different refractory materials, different materials to be melted, improving accuracy and reducing cost, with objects of larger dimensions. If you manage to make these videos in 1 or 2 months, your channel will grow exponentially. We already have over 100,000 followers to follow you and we can’t wait to see these videos that you present so well.
Thank you very much Steve!, Great suggestions! That’s pretty much the plan: to finish big, tutorial-like metal casting videos (witch I almost did, but there are more to come) and then focus on just making casting videos. I'm working on it now, though maybe not with as many videos as I had hoped. Ideas aren’t an issue (for now); I have a list of projects I want to do, but it just takes time to complete them as things don’t always go as planned.
I’m learning how to manage my time better and work on multiple projects simultaneously so that I can publish more videos. I want to publish at least two videos per month, but I'd love to do more. I’ll experiment with some simpler content, and if people enjoy it, I might make that a regular part of the channel, too.
Interestingly, some of the projects you suggested I’ve already tried or have on my list!
Anyway, thank you very much for the comment-it’s really encouraging 👍
It is so difficult to get cast iron so you have to buy chinese products?
The water drain covers are the perfect metal and are FREE😅
Those are weight plates from Dechatlon (French).....obviously, I don't know where they make them 😀
Yes, I'll be exploring other sources of iron for sure. Cheers!
@@ShakeTheFuture
Everything is:
"Made in china"❗
@@paulcohen1555 True 😀
You are touching Sodium Silicate @ 3:50 , Strongly recommend not to do that without gloves., Sodium silicate can soak into your skin and it will also become hard. Had a ""hard" time to renew my skin there
Obligatory youtube nanny-post
Thanks! I have not had any issues as far as I am concerned. Cheers!