new bronze

[gulfcoastblackpowder]

I didn't realize Double D has a pizza company!

I've used an oxy-acetylene torch to burn off the coating on some hardware before, but that's a good idea.  I'll have to give it a try next time.

[RocklockI]

Today I hammered some hardware ,tomorrow I'll blacken it /cold blue .

or maybe a simple browning ?



I do like beating steel with a hammer .


Gary

[gulfcoastblackpowder]

It's looking good!

[Zulu]

Gary,
I am assuming that you are heating that stuff red hot and then beating it with a ballpien hammer.  Does that affect the nut threads at all?  It looks like the same thing I do when I make the metal work for my ammo chests.
Zulu

[GGaskill]

I was going to say you better check to see those nuts still go on the bolts, although you could run a tap through them if they don't.

[gulfcoastblackpowder]

If you did the hammering while the nut was on the bolt, you wouldn't have to worry about the threads, right (assuming you don't heat them to the point of deformation)?

[Victor3]

I was going to say you better check to see those nuts still go on the bolts, although you could run a tap through them if they don't.

 Heavens no. In the aerospace fastener business we perform special operations to upset threads like that. It's called a "locking feature." 

[dan610324]

if you heat them to 400 celsius and drop them in linsead oil they will be black
thats the way they did it in the old days
it will also help to prevent rust a bit

I actually did a similar thing on some cast iron pans a few weeks ago
they was so ugly and dirty that I first sandblasted them and then put on a very thin layer of cooking oil
then I put them in my owen at 300 degrees celsius for 3-4 hours and they was totally black
looked better than new after that

[RocklockI]

these were 'cold forged' on a bolt to keep the threads intact .
i will heat them up and quench for color ,if cold blue is nessary that will be next .

linseed oil !

                 

[seacoastartillery]

     For those of you, like me, who are wondering, "How hot is 400 deg. Celsius?", you would do well to memorize this little formula:
(9/5 x Celsius temperature)+ 32= Degrees Farenheit.  For me, it's much easier than trying to remember where I put the handy little lost conversion calculator!!

1.8 X 400 = 720 + 32 = 752 degs. F.  

     If you are heating steel to this temperature by eye, the color you are looking for is dark grey.  Polished steel goes from blue at 575 deg. F.  to dark grey at 800 deg. F. and to faint cherry red at 1,000 deg. F.  Impossible to do outdoors in sunlight; must do this inside in very dim light.

Tracy

[Double D]

     For those of you, like me, who are wondering, "How hot is 400 deg. Celsius?", you would do well to memorize this little formula:
(9/5 x Celsius temperature)+ 32= Degrees Farenheit.  For me, it's much easier than trying to remember where I put the handy little lost conversion calculator!!

1.8 X 400 = 720 + 32 = 752 degs. F. 

Tracy

http://joshmadison.com/software/convert-for-windows/

I put mine on my desk top and start menu.  It easier to remember where app is than remember a formula...for me.

[dan610324]

a year and a half ago or something like that when me and gary start talking about bronze castings I told him that it would be possible to cast his own barrel for somewhere in between 50 and 100 dollars .

ever since then he have been asking me where that $50 cannon is  
well it seem to have disappered somewhere on the way  
he still asks me frequently

so I guess the only way to get him quiet is to make that casting for him  

50 us dollar is approximately 370 swedish crowns , so I will try to keep my budget lower than that .
each and every step in this project will be documented here with photos and prices of every item bought
even for things that I get for free  

it will take some time as Im in the middle of my wine and cider making season now , so Im rather busy
but every step will be covered

first we need to get all the equipment
flower pot (as crucible)
hair dryer (to increase the heat)
clay (to reinforce the flower pot)
insulation
pipe (tube) for the air  
tape
charcoal
plaster of paris
cat litter sand
lifting tong for the crucible
pouring shank
something to cast the plaster in around the wax original
wax

thats what I can think of now , but there will probably be more items

DO YOU THINK ITS POSSIBLE TO DO THIS WITHIN THE $50 BUDGET ??

of course the budget will  NOT  contain any costs for a lathe or any chemicals  
I will not use any chemicals in this castng , they are way to expensive
and its fully possible to maka a reasonable good casting without them
and I know that gary got access to a free lathe , or maybe for the cost of a few burritos  
but burrito cost is not counted for in my budget  

we talked about 50 -100 dollars, but I will try to keep me below 50

what do you think guys ??

[carronader]

about time you gave your old bones a shake , Captain Pugwash is more interested in sailing the Spanish Main , casting is very interesting , and seeing a flower pot set up would be a bonus Dan. good luck.

[Cannoneer]

Go for it, Dan!
You know I've never thought to ask this before, but have you ever shown any of the bronze barrels that you've cast before? I remember that originally when you started talking about casting, that you wanted to make a model with dolphins to present to your son.



                                          

[gulfcoastblackpowder]

I'm very interested to see this too, Dan!

I think there may be a couple of other materials left off the list that may have some importance: copper and tin.  Of course, these vary greatly in cost, depending on the size of the piece.  The wax would too.  What are you planning on casting?

[RocklockI]

I too am interested in this !

This claim is what lead me to go try this bronze stuff 1.5 years ago ........ I had no clue .

It didnt work but somewhere along the way i got hooked and poof Dan had his student .

He never mentioned it agian till now . 50 bucks ......i'll say no way , 100 bucks ......  I cant wait to see it !

Gary good luck Dan





 

[RocklockI]

about time you gave your old bones a shake , Captain Pugwash is more interested in sailing the Spanish Main , casting is very interesting , and seeing a flower pot set up would be a bonus Dan. good luck.

termite , come on help me to help you ,i could sail the spanish main the barbary coast , down the cape and around the horn and land Mobey frigkimmm dicky single handed B4 you got got a wheel done ....

where you bean tom ...hidin from spiders ?

[carronader]

 patience Muskrat...patience.  Hand made...no added colours or preservatives...........no animals were harmed in the making of these wheels..............no Burrito Bribery was deployed..............and no well respected cannon makers were consulted. One man in a dungeon in darkest North London.

[dan610324]

GARY , you got to be kind to that londoner , scottish or whatever  

yeah it will come photos here as soon as they are finished

the only thing I can think of now thats missing in that list is an empty paint bucket  

tin and copper is also missing but I got a lot of it , and I must check whats the scrap price is for copper now
I would guess its approximately 30 crowns per kilo that you get paied for it if you sell it to a scrap dealer

thats approximately 2 dollar per pound

well I just have 370 swedish crowns to spend on this
this will be tough  
maybe it will be a micro cannon  

doesnt matter , I will do it
its possible

lets say that I need 4 kilo bronze for the casting  ( approximately 8,5 lbs)
that means approximately 170 crowns for the copper and tin
so there is 200 crowns for the rest of the equipment (thats about 27,5 dollar)

holy macaroni , this will be though
I think I need help from a "londoner" here  

what model it will be is a secret

[RocklockI]

Dan , I will throw you a bone , go to a flea market and use bronze from plumbing fixtures , call them your version of a confescated church bell . Make it easy on your self !


Gary

[dan610324]

noooo
will never use an unknown alloy in a cannon
only 90/10 in antique models
not the strongest alloy , but for me its the one and only for a scale copy of an antique cannon


when did they start to use the 88/8/4 alloy ??  copper/tin/zink
maybe it could be used on a semi modern barrel
its a lot easier to cast

and I may need all help I can get to do this , I have never in my life made a flover pot casting this big .
dont think I ever have been over 2 kilo with this type of furnace before
this will be a scaled up version of my second furnace (the first that actually melted the bronze)   

[Spuddy]

This ought to be good.

[dan610324]

the problem now seem so be to find plaster of paris and cat litter sand to a good enough price
but Im not in a hurry so I can search

I dont want to ask a friend for used cat litter sand to be able to keep it in my budget 
then he probably think that Im gone nuts
maybe I can find something similar to use as a porous filler in the plaster of paris
but so far I have no idea what it should be
I know something similar is used in flower shops to mix with the soil
dont remember the name of it , but its some kind porous vulcanic stone thats crushed into sand size

problems ??  yes
but I still think I can do it

if I just search around and try to gather as much as possible for free I might be able to keep it in the 50 dollar budget

[Double D]

Oil soak used in automotive repair shops to soak up oil spills, is cheaper than cat litter and the same stuff.

[dan610324]

good idea , thanks

that will be a lot easier to find and hopefully to get a small amount for free
or for a very very small amount of money

[RocklockI]

what is the cat litter for ?

[dan610324]

its to mix with the plaster of paris to make it a little bit more porous to help gases to escape during the pour
it will also help the mold to not crack because of the heat as it will help the mold to not take the heat from the molten metal as its more porous than plaster of paris

it will also help to strengthen the mold

its the same reason as why you mix cement with sand and crushed stones to mix concrete

[Victor3]

DO YOU THINK ITS POSSIBLE TO DO THIS WITHIN THE $50 BUDGET ??

 Dan,

 If you cast a bronze barrel and provide detailed pics with good instructions on how you did it, I'll pay you $50 to help make up for what you spent on the project.

maybe I can find something similar to use as a porous filler in the plaster of paris
but so far I have no idea what it should be
I know something similar is used in flower shops to mix with the soil
dont remember the name of it...

 I believe what you're describing is called "perlite." I've seen it used on the backyard casting websites as a filler in the material to make furnaces.

[dan610324]

thanks for the name , now I got 2 options

but if you throw away money that easy you will be a poor man 

[RocklockI]

yes pearlite is the name . very lite white lava like rock .

I just ordered some wheels for the howie ,16" .