tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6519837413200053629.post742368011028659655..comments2023-08-12T03:31:24.561-07:00Comments on postpostochlophobist: Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6519837413200053629.post-2217871079377044242011-05-06T22:31:08.624-07:002011-05-06T22:31:08.624-07:00Franny,
I have several sources for backyard found...Franny,<br /><br />I have several sources for backyard foundry work. Unfortunately they are all in boxes and I might not go through my book boxes looking for things right now until I see what the creek just west of my back fence is going to do once the flood hits peak levels. Thanks for asking about that. We are not in a flood plain, and didn't get flood insurance when the lady who owned the home for 50 years prior to us said the creek had never flooded. It just came up to the banks last weekend but then went down to its usual trickle again, so we'll see what happens next week. We are in one of those areas designated as potentially under flood threat. Our house has a crawlspace and is a bit above ground so I am not really worried about our personal effects. And the house has turned out to be such a nightmare piece of leaking everything break down shit that at this point I almost relish at the thought of it getting flooded, us going bankrupt, and walking away from this dump for good. Then again the kids' placentas are buried underneath the pecan tree, and the dogs like to chase snakes in the backyard, and we have good okra soil, so I guess I'd miss all that. <br /><br />For $400 you are going to be putting together rather piecemeal a very basic operation that will get you to the point that you can heat a crucible big enough to pour into a 12"x12" flask for sand casting.<br /><br />What I wasn't thinking of when I wrote about $400 backyard foundrywork was finishing. I didn't think of it because I have access to finishing equipment at my shop which covers everything I would ever need and more - all sorts of sanders, grinders, finishing wheels of every shape size and type, skat blaster, sand blaster, tumbler, a half dozen dipping solutions, a heat box, spray room, lacquer room and on and on. <br /><br />Obviously, for the backyard guy who does not have access to finishing equipment at his workplace, there is going to have to be something at home which will allow some level of finishing. No matter how nice the Dremel tool you are going to need a small sander as well. And at least a few different finishing wheels. I have known guys who just attached finishing wheels to a power drill, put the power drill into a vice, and used that for a wheel (you have to have it in a locked position of some sort so that you can apply pressure against the wheel; sometimes a lot of pressure is needed). If you only ever want a natural brass/bronze finish then all you will need is lacquer (if that; personally I hate lacquer and prefer my brass raw) and you won't need to worry about dipping solutions. But if you ever want to do an antiqued brass or a matte black finish, you will have to get into the chemical business, which will considerably up the cost, especially if you don't have experience with this because it takes time and a lot of trial and error to learn the ropes (location and weather matters - here in Memphis we dip for different amounts of time on a hot humid day than we do on a dry cool day - we also leave the work to dry in heat for different amounts of time, rub differently, and spray lacquer differently under different weather conditions -- in a backyard setting where you are paying $80 bucks for a couple gallons of solution the experimenting needed to master your specific finishing contingencies can really hit the wallet).<br /><br />That said, there is nothing more beautiful than a glowing crucible, and taking ladle to gate in a home setting when you have a few beers in you and thus you decided not to wear protection and then molten brass splatters over you and your buddies because of condensation in the sand is kick ass fun.<br /><br />So all that is to say email me in a few weeks when things have hopefully dried out here and I can help you out. owenandjoy at bellsouth dot net.Ochlophobist https://www.blogger.com/profile/13751003558600087713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6519837413200053629.post-62844207169737618662011-05-06T19:59:37.085-07:002011-05-06T19:59:37.085-07:00The new title is rather fitting. I am glad to fin...The new title is rather fitting. I am glad to find Muir making his way over here with you. <br /><br />Is your family near any flooding areas in Memphis?<br /><br />Also, related to the previous post, you had once mentioned a backyard foundry could be found for around 400 bucks...can you offer a resource for accomplishing this?Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03786053375869899146noreply@blogger.com