On Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:03:41 -0700, Chris
wrote:

I was last positioned in the WB area (Bear Creek to be precise).
Location is pretty much irrelevant - I'd be more then willing to drive
down to Lancaster or wherever.
I had thought the Amish didn't work cheap. Great peeps no doubt. I
hadn't expect them to get into that kind of stuff. Live and learn.
I'll check that out, and thanks for the tip/s. I *could* go as far
building a cupola furnace - what's the probability of getting decent
castings going that route? I have built a *foundry* so far, or tried
to . Pictures can be seen at

http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Hom...os/browse/c924

Not bad for a foist attempt I was told. *Hoped* to melt a significant
quantity of yellow brass - NOT. Very poor planning on my part. Make
that no planning.

As far as pattern making, I dunno, I thought it wouldn't be too bad.
I have a copy of "the Charcoal Foundry" by Gingery (Lindsay pubs.) and
figured that would be tutorial enough for more or less simple
patterns.

This is what I want to make (or something close):

http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/vin...os/browse/8bce

can't log on w/o registration.

For a one off consider lost foam casting. You make up the part
in styrafoam or urathane foam, and the runners, pack sand around
it, vent with wire or soda straws and pour in the metal. The
foam flashes and burns out. You can coat the foam with a
refactory for an even better finish.
or you can buy Lindsays pattern making books [lots of work for a
one-off]

The other Lindsay casting books are very good. I like Chastain.

http://lindsaybks.com/bks7/chas1/index.html
http://lindsaybks.com/bks8/chas2/index.html

The Navy casting manual that Lindsay sells is also very good.
http://lindsaybks.com/bks/foundry/index.html


Unka' George [George McDuffee]
============
Merchants have no country.
The mere spot they stand on
does not constitute so strong an attachment
as that from which they draw their gains.

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826),
U.S. president. Letter, 17 March 1814.