http://www.shotatlovecasting.com/metal-casting/how-do-i-melt-metal-over-a-fire-for-metal-casting/ Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:30:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.shotatlovecasting.com/metal-casting/how-do-i-melt-metal-over-a-fire-for-metal-casting/#comment-539 Bob S Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:49:59 +0000 http://www.shotatlovecasting.com/metal-casting/how-do-i-melt-metal-over-a-fire-for-metal-casting#comment-539 I've melted aluminum, zinc and copper in one of those large cast-iron backyard chimneys. I just kept adding hardwood 'til the fire was shooting out the top. (It's about 7 feet tall) It got so hot that I had to wear a thick jacket to get near it. I used tongs to put in and replace the melting bowl. I had to wear gloves soaked in water to get within 2 feet of the opening with the tongs. Even then the water started boiling almost instantly, so I had to be quick & fling the gloves off. All of those metals were so hot they ran like water when I poured them. Is that hot enough for ya?<br><b>References : </b><br> I’ve melted aluminum, zinc and copper in one of those large cast-iron backyard chimneys. I just kept adding hardwood ’til the fire was shooting out the top. (It’s about 7 feet tall) It got so hot that I had to wear a thick jacket to get near it. I used tongs to put in and replace the melting bowl. I had to wear gloves soaked in water to get within 2 feet of the opening with the tongs. Even then the water started boiling almost instantly, so I had to be quick & fling the gloves off. All of those metals were so hot they ran like water when I poured them. Is that hot enough for ya?
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]]> http://www.shotatlovecasting.com/metal-casting/how-do-i-melt-metal-over-a-fire-for-metal-casting/#comment-538 Raoul Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:27:59 +0000 http://www.shotatlovecasting.com/metal-casting/how-do-i-melt-metal-over-a-fire-for-metal-casting#comment-538 If you can buy charcoal (not the square briquettes, but the one that looks like wood) then you can do it. You need basically 2 things besides that. First, a place to hold the charcoal (you cant just dump it in a pile, a small amount of bricks shaped in a rectangle will do). Second, you need a powerful air source to provide ample amounts of air to the burning charcoal. The reason charcoal is great for grilling is the ability to control the temperature; deprive it of oxygen and you can slow cook/smoke food at low temperatures, give it free access to air and it will sear a steak. Basically you would have some sort of air pump (something along the lines of a leaf blower, though no need for that amount of power) connected to a metal tube going into your pile of charcoal to provide air directly. This should melt aluminum, and turn steel red enough to hammer into various shapes.<br><b>References : </b><br> If you can buy charcoal (not the square briquettes, but the one that looks like wood) then you can do it. You need basically 2 things besides that. First, a place to hold the charcoal (you cant just dump it in a pile, a small amount of bricks shaped in a rectangle will do). Second, you need a powerful air source to provide ample amounts of air to the burning charcoal. The reason charcoal is great for grilling is the ability to control the temperature; deprive it of oxygen and you can slow cook/smoke food at low temperatures, give it free access to air and it will sear a steak. Basically you would have some sort of air pump (something along the lines of a leaf blower, though no need for that amount of power) connected to a metal tube going into your pile of charcoal to provide air directly. This should melt aluminum, and turn steel red enough to hammer into various shapes.
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