"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Ok.. I've studied on this for a while.

Everybody says (exaggeration) you can't cast 6061 it has to be
wrought. If you try to cast it you get large crystals and poorly
structured metal. One article I read about casting 6061 seemed to
indicate that rapid cooling of sand type castings by blasting away
the sand with water jets retarded crystal growth. As near as I can
tell wrought means formed by working or under higher pressure. I'm
sure somebody can provide a better definition in context. I think
forming under pressure might also retard crystal growth.

Now one of the pretty well known enemies of aluminum casting is the
formation of aluminum oxides during the melting process, and of
course oxides that have already formed. Rapid melting with a forced
air foundry as opposed to a naturally aspirated foundry seems to
reduce this dramatically. Surface area of the starting stock is also
a factor so even with a forced air furnace machined chips might not
be a good candidate.

So why not use a steel die (permanent mold) with a cylinder shaped
casting sprue, and then when full place it on a press with a piston
to apply pressure. Then liquid cool it while still under pressure.
If the process proves possible its all achievable in the conditions
of a home shop. Well a home shop capable of making steel dies
anyway. I would think pressure would have to be regulated so that
cooling contraction does not destroy the part. The simplest shop
press might not be upto the job as somebody would have to stand
there surround by steam pumping the jack. LOL.

The biggest issue I see is figuring out how to cap the vents when
the die is full so that you don't spray molten metal around the shop
when you apply pressure.

I don't even know if I should post this... Ah what the heck.

Flame on. (pun intended)

https://www.kineticdiecasting.com/wh...e-casting.html