20mm hole in 5.5mm thick Titanium.. any takers?

**journeyman Mick** · 21st July 2006, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Bodgy

....................................Secondly, do firebricks really cost $25 each? This is what my local BBQ retailer quoted.

Bodgy,
way back when I was at art college I built a few kilns and although prices may have risen somewhat since then I seriously doubt a fire brick would cost $25!:eek: BTW there's a few different types:
Ones made from high temp clay (fire clay), these are dense and cope with knocks and abrasion but aren't very efficient.
Ones made from fireclay with the addition of stuff like sawdust which is burnt off when the bricks are fired, this leaves small airpockets which decerase thermal mass and increase efficiency.
Aerated bricks which are made from a very pure high alumina clay in a slurry form which is heavily aerated. These are then cut into precise sizes (can't remember if this is before or after firing) These are the most efficient and expensive, but I doubt that they would be $25 each.
BTW there's also blanket insulation which is more efficient still.

Look in the yellow pages for refractory supplies maybe.

Mick

**Schtoo** · 21st July 2006, 06:41 PM

Glock, google 'propane mongo burner' and you should get a hit on the site of a guy who has designed dozens of these things, and they all work well. I can only recall one being called a mongo burner, so that's why I added it in.

I use kerosene myself, but will likely switch to waste vegetable oil, simply because it's cheap and will cost me next to nothing to get one up and running. It's also got plenty of BTU/litre, which is what concerns me most of all. Know that propane is down the list in BTU/litre, kerosene is way up there and WVO is also very high. I'll keep using the kero for other things since it easily outguns anything but the biggest atmo propane burners (like 3" bore versions). Forced air, different ballgame.

Bodgy, firebricks don't cost that much even here where they are as rare as rocking horse poop.

Best suggestion, find alumina cement. About $50 for a 25kg bag. Not cheap, but it is the right stuff. I did mine with it, and it should out last me. Good to 1500*C, unharmed by most fluxes, tough both cold and hot and easy to use. I just wish I did a nicer job of mine.

My little furnace will deal with ally and bronze, and should break up iron, but won't survive getting iron to pouring temps. I need to make another furnace for that, and I need crucibles to hold the iron. Still trying to decide which way to go there, but prolly a direct melting furnace since I can use a WVO burner, don't need a crucible and it's fairly efficient. Problem being that it's often awkward and needs to be desinged well to work properly.

Have fun folks.

**glock40sw** · 21st July 2006, 10:32 PM

G'day All.

I have 6 25kg bags of duracast 1600 deg C
and unlimited supply of fire bricks (We use them to line our Boilers at work).
Field furnace Refactories in Sydney is where I get my Duracast and bricks from.

I have been looking at the Riel burner on some of the casting sights. seems simple enough. My mate down the road says he is 1/2 way thru making an oil burner and hasn't looked at it for the last few years. He is going to get it out and we will have a go at getting it up and running.
He builds boats for fun and wants to cast fittings for his latest trailer sailer.
Me, I just want to pour molten metal for sh its & giggles and make lumps that I can turn into chips on my lathe and Mill

.

**Bodgy** · 22nd July 2006, 09:44 AM

Trev

Next time I'm going thru Grafton, how about a slab of beer for a few bricks?

I've got mates on the far Nth coast and make a pilgrimage every few months

**dyrodium** · 22nd July 2006, 04:15 PM

Thanks Termite, they probably are (no one wants to touch titanium).
I've basicaly desided against bothering now, i'll just use steel and cut it myself.

Thread: 20mm hole in 5.5mm thick Titanium.. any takers?

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions