Are there any materials which can be used like styrofoam is used in
lost foam casting but which produce less noxious fumes? Maybe foamed
wax or something?

Have I been killfiled or something? It seems as if noone ever has any
meaningful responses to my questions.

On 20 Jun 2005 14:19:44 -0700, himog wrote:
Have I been killfiled or something? It seems as if noone ever has any
meaningful responses to my questions.

I saw your post but didn't have an answer. So, while my killfile is
huge, you seem not to be in it. Maybe you're asking hard questions?

Dave Hinz wrote:

On 20 Jun 2005 14:19:44 -0700, himog wrote:

Have I been killfiled or something? It seems as if noone ever has any
meaningful responses to my questions.


I saw your post but didn't have an answer. So, while my killfile is
huge, you seem not to be in it. Maybe you're asking hard questions?

Yup, you're asking questions that are too hard. On the bright side,
once you go through all the agony of finding the answers you can let us
know and sign yourself "himog, the renowned casting expert".

--
-------------------------------------------
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

How about that foam the flower arrangers use. It's green, rigid, and
light. Does that stuff stink when it vaporizes? There are a jillion
kinds of foam....

Yes, it is possible to foam wax. Perhaps there is candlemaking group
that would know how this is done.

Doug

One of the web pages I saw had a guy using dry wall compound and
styrofoam. buildyouridea.com I think. Maybe it wasn't on his site, but
someone mentioned using acitone to melt out the styro after the
compound sets to avoid the smell. 'course, you'll have other problems
after you do this... not the least of which is that you have a highly
flamable mould. And then there is disposal of the mixture. I'm sure you
could use the acitone several times before it becomes saturated.
Anyway, be safe and check around. I have found several casting forums
(there is a list on CNCzone.com) good luck.

A friend of mine did lost chocolate casting once. Smelled wonderful.

Steve

himog wrote:

Are there any materials which can be used like styrofoam is used in
lost foam casting but which produce less noxious fumes? Maybe foamed
wax or something?

wrote in message
ups.com...
How about that foam the flower arrangers use. It's green, rigid, and
light. Does that stuff stink when it vaporizes? There are a jillion
kinds of foam....

Nah, ashes up IIRC.

Not really anything you can do about the fumes. Just do it outside in a
good breeze, and pour hot or keep a flame on hand to ignite the vapors I
guess. It'll still make plenty of soot and won't change the stink in the
sand...

Tim

--
"California is the breakfast state: fruits, nuts and flakes."
Website: http://webpages.charter.net/dawill/tmoranwms

I've been thinking about doing some lost cat casting. Should be fun.

Mike Mandaville

On 21 Jun 2005 01:26:20 -0700, "MikeMandaville"
wrote:

I've been thinking about doing some lost cat casting. Should be fun.

Mike Mandaville

Steam explosion. I had weekend call on the big experimental mag cell
in the late '70's, went in, and the crew coming off shift told me of
trying to catch a stray they intended to throw in the sludge hatch.
This was an 8' square hatch over 6'deep molten salt at 700 deg. C.

I told them they were damn lucky they didn't catch it, because the
resulting steam explosion and grease fire would have covered anyone
near.

Pete Keillor

If your going with foam, any foam, your going to have the
smell......its just one aspect of using lost foam......Outside, and
lots of good ventilation

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

here's an idea for getting rid of the fumes, something I've been
wanting to try.

http://home.c2i.net/metaphor/vac1a.html

"shedfull" wrote in message
oups.com...
here's an idea for getting rid of the fumes, something I've been
wanting to try.

http://home.c2i.net/metaphor/vac1a.html

[That's an interesting variation on the lost-foam process. Do you know what
they meant by "ceramic paint"? If that's just a shop-vac (it looks like it)
I wonder if it's really eliminating the fumes, or just blowing them
someplace else.]

Andrew Werby
www.unitedartworks.com

On 20 Jun 2005 15:48:41 -0700, wrote:
How about that foam the flower arrangers use. It's green, rigid, and
light. Does that stuff stink when it vaporizes? There are a jillion
kinds of foam....

How about the cornstarch that they make non-styrofoam packing peanuts
out of? Dissolves in water. Looks remarkably like non-colored cheetos.

.. Do you know what they meant by "ceramic paint"?

Not exactly I was going to try the plasterboard / drywall adhesive



I wonder if it's really eliminating the fumes, or just blowing them
someplace else.]


Yes, I think it would just blow the fumes elsewhere, I was thinking
that, at least they're out of my w/shop !

Lee.

In article . com,
shedfull wrote:
. Do you know what they meant by "ceramic paint"?

Not exactly I was going to try the plasterboard / drywall adhesive

Ouch! I don't think that is a good idea. I know that Plaster
of Paris has too much water, and when it gets hit by the molten metal it
explodes in steam, as well as loosing all strength as it loses the
water.

There are materials made specifically for the task. They are
baked dry as the wax is baked out with normal lost wax casting. I
believe that it is referred to as a "slip".

I wonder if it's really eliminating the fumes, or just blowing them
someplace else.]

Yes, I think it would just blow the fumes elsewhere, I was thinking
that, at least they're out of my w/shop !

Until the neighbors complain.

But I would not try this kind of work *inside* the shop in the
first place. Too much chance of causing a fire -- especially if you
spill the molten metal. (Unless the shop is designed for the task).
This aside from the problems with the fumes. Note that a concrete floor
will spall when hit with molten metal. You want a deep sand flooring if
you have a choice.

Good Luck,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

In article ,
Dave Hinz wrote:

On 20 Jun 2005 15:48:41 -0700, wrote:
How about that foam the flower arrangers use. It's green, rigid, and
light. Does that stuff stink when it vaporizes? There are a jillion
kinds of foam....

How about the cornstarch that they make non-styrofoam packing peanuts
out of? Dissolves in water. Looks remarkably like non-colored cheetos.


Deep fried and sprinkled with cheese, it basically *IS* cheetos...

Side note to amusement:
Horses absolutely *LOVE* those things if they get a chance at 'em. Found
that out one day when we got a shipment of assorted "stuff" in, and
while we were unpacking it, one of them snatched a mouthful. We freaked,
of course, not having any idea if it was going to be a colic-causer, but
afterea frantic call or three to some vets who all said it was harmless,
decidd to let the ones interested in 'em have at it. Turned out that
once they'd been introduced to 'em, several would come out of their
freshly filled grain buckets for a handful!

--
Don Bruder - - New Email policy in effect as of Feb. 21, 2004.
Short form: I'm trashing EVERY E-mail that doesn't contain a password in the
subject unless it comes from a "whitelisted" (pre-approved by me) address.
See http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd/main/contact.html for full details.

shedfull wrote:
here's an idea for getting rid of the fumes, something I've been
wanting to try.

http://home.c2i.net/metaphor/vac1a.html

Yeah, they don't show a membrane over the sand. When there is a
membrane, the vacuum powerfully compacts the sand and pulls the fumes,
too. They got a nice finish. Good work.

Doug

himog wrote:
Are there any materials which can be used like styrofoam is used in
lost foam casting but which produce less noxious fumes? Maybe foamed
wax or something?

Maybe try here;

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hobbicast/

"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
...
Ouch! I don't think that is a good idea. I know that Plaster
of Paris has too much water, and when it gets hit by the molten metal it
explodes in steam, as well as loosing all strength as it loses the
water.

Nope! As long as it's dry and reasonably permeable, steam explosions aren't
a concern. I would imagine cracks form on contact allowing gas release.

Plaster of paris also maintains strength after dehydration, ask me how I
know- I've taken molds made with it it above 1000°F (dehydration temperature
of the hemihydrate) many times without it crumbling!

There are materials made specifically for the task. They are
baked dry as the wax is baked out with normal lost wax casting. I
believe that it is referred to as a "slip".

I don't know what commercial ceramic slurries are made of but it ain't slip.
Slip (as made from clay) shrinks on drying, exactly what you don't want to
use.

Note that a concrete floor will spall when hit with molten metal.

You should treat it as such, but when worse comes to worse, fortunately it
takes up to a minute before the aggregate gets up to boiling temperature and
starts raining metal on you. Enough time to spread some water on the spill
and cool it off.

You want a deep sand flooring if you have a choice.

Seconded!

Tim

--
"California is the breakfast state: fruits, nuts and flakes."
Website: http://webpages.charter.net/dawill/tmoranwms

On 21 Jun 2005 15:54:27 -0700, "shedfull" wrote:

. Do you know what they meant by "ceramic paint"?

Not exactly I was going to try the plasterboard / drywall adhesive



I wonder if it's really eliminating the fumes, or just blowing them
someplace else.]


Yes, I think it would just blow the fumes elsewhere, I was thinking
that, at least they're out of my w/shop !

Lee.
Lee,
I looked into lost foam casting some time ago. The ceramic paint is
sold by foundry supply companies and maybe some pottery supply
companies. The big advantage is it's strength, according to the
foundry I visited. Also, it removes easily. Did you notice that the
plastic foam ended up in the sand? It seems likely that most fumes
would also be captured by the sand. The vaporised plastic would be
cooled rapidly by the sand. Do you have a pottery supply near you?
They sell kiln wash (I think that's what they call it) which is a
coating that is painted on the inside of a kiln to protect it. It has
a small particle size and so would give a better finish to your part.
ERS

"Pete Keillor" wrote in message
...
On 21 Jun 2005 01:26:20 -0700, "MikeMandaville"
wrote:

I've been thinking about doing some lost cat casting. Should be fun.

Mike Mandaville

Steam explosion. I had weekend call on the big experimental mag cell
in the late '70's, went in, and the crew coming off shift told me of
trying to catch a stray they intended to throw in the sludge hatch.
This was an 8' square hatch over 6'deep molten salt at 700 deg. C.

I told them they were damn lucky they didn't catch it, because the
resulting steam explosion and grease fire would have covered anyone
near.

Would have served them right too. That's cruel.


Pete Keillor

On 21 Jun 2005 01:26:20 -0700, "MikeMandaville"
wrote:
I've been thinking about doing some lost cat casting. Should be fun.
Mike Mandaville
====================
Many of the old time foundry books
[see http://www.lindsaybks.com/prod/sub/foundry.html ]
indicate that molasses was used as a binder with sand to make
cores. In preparation for a pour, many molds would be rammed up
and mice would go in the molds after the molasses. The result
was at best a ruined casting, and generally a burst mold,
possibly with injury to the workers. A cat (or fat rat) should
be spectacular.