Casting brass

[GraemeVW]

I have a hankering to cast some brass, mainly for one project I have in mind, but seems like being able to cast aluminium and brass may come in handy now and then.
Not really ready to commit, still just starting to look into it.
Are there any good site to read up?
Anyone on here cast?

So far I figure...
Make wood form
Press into sand
Melt metal
Pour in

My main considerations are
Spend as little as possible
Be safe

On the spending thing, I'm thinking maybe go old school and use coal. Smokeless coal? I burn that anyway.
Make something to put it in, pipe some air into the bottom?

I don't really want to buy loads of gas, buy a burner, or make a diy burner etc. All seems a bit excessive (or dangerous to diy) considering I plan on casting maybe 12 smallish pieces, then it may never get used again.

So, cheap, old school, simple brass casting without spending loads and setting up a proper permanent forge?

I fit multi fuel stoves so fire bricks, insulation board, fire rope, fire cement, high temp silicone etc are already in my workshop.

As for safety, I guess proper clothing, cast outside, on sand?, keep escape routes free and open, shut dog inside, etc.

That's about as far as I've thought. Entirely possible as I find out details there may be something that stops me, but humans have been doing this with basic stuff for quite some time so it must be possible to build a temporary set up to do a few bits, even if it's not ideal.

Any thoughts, advice, links greatfully received!

 

[bourbon]

How big is the stuff you want to cast. We tried it on our medieval show. One of our group had a crucible and we had our forge, so we thought 'lets have a go. What can go wrong?' blacksmith made a lid for the crucible and we pumped the bellows a lot, then a bit more. Took the top of, green smoke everywhere, put lid back on. waited 10-15 minutes, then poured it into petrobond. (I just happened to have some in my kit) Considering it was our first attempt, it went well. There were five of us doing it, each looking out for each other, and with the understanding that if one wasn't happy then we stop, work out wats happening and look for another way to do stuff. Where are you in the country. I'll let you have some petrobond d if I ca find it. BUT i'm not posting it

 

[roblane65]

Hasn't @doubleboost done a bit of casting .

 

[GraemeVW]

@bourbon
What's petrobond?

I know nothing yet!

The castings will be fancy angles.
Think shaped, tapered, 1.5" x 1.5" angle, maybe 15"-24" long.

So, thinking about it, not that small really.
Not alot of material weight though.

Edit, quick Google, casting sand! I'd be needing some of that!
I'm in chesterfield, Derbyshire btw.

I guess these things are best not done alone, I have a very sensible friend who would no doubt love to play with this too though.

 

[bourbon]

That's quite big and will need a lot of heat, Start smaller. Petrobond is oil bonded sand. Petrobond Sand – Mindsets Online

 

[GraemeVW]

That's quite big and will need a lot of heat, Start smaller. Petrobond is oil bonded sand. Petrobond Sand – Mindsets Online

Now I'm writing the sizes I'm guessing keeping lengths of cast angle straight might be tricky.
There will be small parts too, I can start with those I guess.
The angle sections will only be 3-4mm thick. They could be thicker if easier to cast, but don't need to be.

 

[bourbon]

I'm not a million miles away from you, I want to go to roundhouse reclamation. How soon do you need the stuff?

 

[bourbon]

Now I'm writing the sizes I'm guessing keeping lengths of cast angle straight might be tricky.
There will be small parts too, I can start with those I guess.
The angle sections will only be 3-4mm thick. They could be thicker if easier to cast, but don't need to be.

cast it vertically, but, as you say, start with the small stuff first.

 

[GraemeVW]

cast it vertically

Yes, makes sense.
All I've cast before is small jewellery pieces in silver, but at least that's a tiny bit of experience!

 

[bourbon]

full length leather apron. safety boots, Face shield, googles underneath and welding gloves, and if it's red/white, don't touch it. In fact. treat everything as if it's hot and you won't go far wrong.

 

[bourbon]

Graphite Crucible Furnace Casting Foundry Ingot Metal Melting Tool 0.5 to 18 KG | eBay
you want one of them as well.

 

[ronan]

I seen home cast brass items before, and they always looked rough, and the detail wasn't as good as with cast aluminium. What stops the zinc burning out of the brass ?

 

[doubleboost]

Brass is very nasty stuff when molten , if you get it to hot the zinc boils out and will make you very poorly.
This put me in hospital a few years ago .
Bronze is a much better material to cast .
A bit more expensive but well worth it

 

[GraemeVW]

full length leather apron. safety boots, Face shield, googles underneath and welding gloves, and if it's red/white, don't touch it. In fact. treat everything as if it's hot and you won't go far wrong.

Graphite Crucible Furnace Casting Foundry Ingot Metal Melting Tool 0.5 to 18 KG | eBay
you want one of them as well.

And tongs to pick it up!

I guess I'd better look into how to build something to hold the fire etc.
I'll have a good hunt round the net, I'm sure there will be info out there.

It seems like a summer activity so plenty of time to research, learn, gather/build equipment etc.

Then make the patterns!

 

[GraemeVW]

I seen home cast brass items before, and they always looked rough, and the detail wasn't as good as with cast aluminium. What stops the zinc burning out of the brass ?

This is something I've sort of heard mentioned.
I assumed you have to be careful with temperatures, but I don't know.

I may try aluminium first, then move onto brass if that goes ok.

 

[ronan]

I upped this a few weeks ago, its of brass buckles and things being cast for harnesses for horses and that sort of thing.

 

[GraemeVW]

Brass is very nasty stuff when molten , if you get it to hot the zinc boils out and will make you very poorly.
This put me in hospital a few years ago .
Bronze is a much better material to cast .
A bit more expensive but well worth it

Thanks for the warning!

Bronze...
I was hoping I could sweet talk my girlfriend's uncle into letting me scavenge some metal. He has a large skip/waste/recycling company.
Brass would probably be quite easy for me to get hold of, bronze may involve some expenditure.

 

[GraemeVW]

I upped this a few weeks ago, its of brass buckles and things being cast for harnesses for horses and that sort of thing.

Looks great, I'll watch it properly tomorrow, thanks.

 

[ronan]

Thanks for the warning!

Bronze...
I was hoping I could sweet talk my girlfriend's uncle into letting me scavenge some metal. He has a large skip/waste/recycling company.
Brass would probably be quite easy for me to get hold of, bronze may involve some expenditure.

You can cast a bronze head for your velocette

 

[bourbon]

Brass is very nasty stuff when molten , if you get it to hot the zinc boils out and will make you very poorly.
This put me in hospital a few years ago .
Bronze is a much better material to cast .
A bit more expensive but well worth it

ahh, that's the green stuff then! we were in the middle of a field with a decent wind blowing so we got away with it. The audience we were doing it in front of were a fair way back on the other side of our safety fences.