Thread: A Saturday at the backyard foundry

Originally Posted by RayG

Just an update, Josh and I are off to Munich in the morning (OBB Railjet train does up to 200kph), and we are looking forward to a hot Munich summer's day (forecast is 29 C) and doing what we like best, melting bits of metal and talking with some like minded people over a barbeque and a few beers....

Should be a good day...

Regards
Ray


PS.. I'll take a few pictures if I remember the camera..

It sounds great Ray, back in Australia we are all envious on several counts. The opportunity to meet with Nick and his mates, messing around in the foundry, and while I have no experience with the Augustiner that Nick has mentioned, while in Ireland I did try some of another German brew, Erdinger, and that was a very nice drop. My recommendation would be to try them both. I'm sure you and Josh will have a great afternoon and we look forward to the pictures and the stories

Well, we are now back in Linz, thanks again to Nick and friends for his hospitality and warm welcome, and of course not forgetting the workshop's chief engineer (the cat).

It was a perfect day, good weather, good company, good barbeque, good beer, and good casting results.

Nick's workshop is full of really nice machines and very interesting projects.
His diesel engine project is quite complex with lots of very fine beautiful castings. He does amazing work with resin-bonded cores. I also have some pictures of the motor mount casting for mounting high speed spindles.

I'll sort out some pictures of the various castings to post in the next few days, meantime I think Nick is editing the official video.

Regards
Ray

PS..Rob, I've tried Erdinder and it's pretty good but that Augustiner (Augustiner Brau Lagerbier Hell) Beer is a real winner.

thanks again to Nick and friends for his hospitality and warm welcome,

The pleasure was on our side!
Josh and Roy are what I liked so much when I once was in Australia. The best compliment I can make: I'd like them as my neighbors.

I haven't taken any photos and any video. But I do have 150 video takes I'm editing right now. It will be late at night when I'm finished.

I've stolen this picture from one of my guests:
Attachment 220061
This is right after the last pour (maybe at midnight) and the furnace at full throttle just for the fun of it.


Nick

Uploaded the thumpnail in the previous post ...

Attachment 220062

Nick

I'm glad that wasn't the barbecue Nick, - the snags certainly would have been well done!.
On another note, your iPhone app illustrating the bluing process is most impressive. I'm not sure that everybody here will have seen it, so here is the link.
Metal scraping: How to read the spotting - YouTube
All the best Nick, and thank you so much for all the input you provide, I and many others find it most interesting and informative, and the fact that you post the videos in both your native tongue of German and also again in English brings great credit to you. I wonder how you find the time to fit it all in, Thanks again.
Regards,
Rob

And here is the video from the past Saturday.

YouTube

Nick

Great stuff Nick, and I see that Ray was doing a fantastic job with his taste bud's on the local brew

G/day Ray.

Looks like fun times Nick! I'm glad Ray and Josh could enjoy the casting and beer with you. However you have got me in trouble, my wife saw most of the video and said, oh it looks like our driveway, only neater......

One question, is that a compressed air line i see providing air for the WMO burner, rather than a blower?

oh it looks like our driveway, only neater......

Tell her, that she needs new glasses*). Or that her vision capabilities are very selective.

One question, is that a compressed air line i see providing air for the WMO burner, rather than a blower?

The compressed air is for Preszilla, the oil tank. The oil is pressure feed (about 2 bar) to the burner. Also, the atomizer for the fuel needs a bit of air. Combustion air comes from a blower.

*)
I strongly suggest welding glasses in your case.


Nick

Hi Nick, Thanks for the video. good stuff

Here are some of the castings from yesterday, these are by Stefan, he is making a nice tapping guide. You can see some of the parts, and the casting process in the video.




The other part Stefan was doing was a Motor Mounting Flange for his friends circular saw, so he could fit a SEW variable speed drive..


After a few false starts getting the pattern out of the sand, it came out nicely.

Nick is making a motor mount for mounting those chinese high speed spindles.

I'll sort out some more pictures and post some more in this thread.

Regards
Ray

Wow! I’m officially jealous. I’ve been so busy the past few months, I wasn’t aware this was taking place. Had I known, I’d have gotten Ray or Josh to shake Nick’s hand on my behalf. What a great event.

I’ve had the pleasure of Ray and Josh in my shop a few times, glad they kept up their end for the Austrians. (I saw the joke at the start of the video).

Nick, if you ever want a holiday down under, I’ll volunteer to look after the Barbeque at the re-union and catch up with the other like minded people.

Best Regards Phil.

Looks like we missed a great day.

To back up a little, Whats the idea behind the vacuum pouring?


Stuart

Whats the idea behind the vacuum pouring?

To get thin walls with a relatively big surface.
At my previous attempts to cast the protective cover shown above, the melt simply froze half way before the mold was filled. If you suck in the molten metal, it will move quicker and won't have enough time to chill.

Unfortunately, I had no time for further trials. I repeatedly had to repair the muller last week. Makes no sense to have a casting party without sand.

I fear it will take 'till September to start the vacuum-test again.
Also, I have to make 4 small patterns, get them working and send cast samples until Friday.


Nick

Thank you Nick,

What a fantastic video! The efforts of those involved in its making are greatly appreciated. All we needed was the smell and it would have been like being there.

I'd love to hear more about the high speed spindle, its mount and what you use it for.
I 'd also love to have that Maho parked in my shed.

Bob.