Home Foundry

[Hotboy]

Has anyone posted anything about setting up and using a home foundry. I have in mind a project to manufacture bronze ports etc. I did see a brief article by Larry Pardey once. Has anyone information on this subject from pattern making to making the foundry and pouring etc.

[S/V Alchemy]

I have not seen bronze casting at the backyard level. I have seen webpages and heard reports about lead casting of keels in sand moulds using thousands of "wheel balancing leads", which have the 3% antimony that gives lead (apparently, because I know little beyond what I've read) a desirable stiffness beyond the usual easily squished pure lead.

Of course, ventilation is key here as this stuff can kill you in the lungs without necessarily burning you to death.

[daddle]

Operating a foundry is a bit of a trick. One might look for local art foundries. In California they're are several. Very interesting work. And not too expensive. The hardest part is making the master, which must be a bit oversize to account for shrinkage. From that the foundry can readily make the rubber mold, wax investments, and casting molds. At one time I used to do many bronze parts. I think most art is cast in Silicon Bronze because little defects can be easily welded in that alloy. But the foundries offered other alloys too.

[Hotboy]

Thanks for the info so far. I have included some links to a few interesting websites about casting. I have also discovered google bookswhich is a good source of published info. My curiosity is about how those hands-on/anal types :-P who have made port lights for themselves.
DIY Pattern Making and Casting
Gingery Foundry
FOUNDRY101.COM

[daddle]

I've CNC machined portlights from plate. High unit cost but overall less than casting for a small number like 6.