I think this is interesting. Here is some spilled bronze. The bronze spilled out the crucible and into the bottom of the furnace where it drizzled out the drain hole. Notice how the copper has started to separate from the bronze alloy. Maybe this is a result of the other alloying metals burning away or just uneven cooling causing the hotter metal (copper) to cool separately from the lower melting temperature metals. (Click photo for larger view)
Here's a glimpse into the hot (to put it mildly) inner chamber with the crucible in place. If you look inside the crucible you'll see an old bronze plumbing valve with pieces f copper tubing still soldered in place. The copper tubing melted along with the bronze so this metal must have reached at least 1900 degrees F. When melting valves be sure to remove the handle if it's not also bronze. Many are potmetal and they burn up and produce toxic zinc-fumed smoke. Beware of melting a lot of soldered copper or bronze joints for the same reason.
I'm lifting the hot crucible out of the furnace in this photo. This was a very bright sunny day so you can't really tell that the crucible is glowing orange. This is the 5th melt for this crucible and it's still looking great.
It doesn't look like it but this is indeed bronze being poured. I'm casting a personalized insence stick holder for a friend of mine. Here name is Yvette and one time she told me how she has trouble finding things with her name on it (like key chains and stuff). Well... when you've harnessed the power to melt and pour metal that problem no longer exists! Hey... I never see my name on key chains either! (Click photo for larger view)
At bronze and iron melting temperatures typical homemade refractory mixes will FRY! Notice how the interior of my furnace is burnt and glazed.
Here's a look at some of the castings after they've cooled for about an hour. I decided to cast them in smaller groups rather than all at once. The mass of three castings on the left weighs about 4.5 pounds and the other mass of castings is about 4 pounds. The round castings weigh close to 1.5 pounds each and the rectangular ones are a few ounces less.
Here is a bronze casting and the cut-off gates. Notice how clean and solid the inside of the casting is. There are no gas pockets nor bubbles. Just clean bronze. The small thing on the left is actually a small riser. It was at the opposite end of the casting as the sprue and was meant just as a steam and air vent. I tried casting this twice without the riser and the mold didn't fill. So I guessed that the steam couldn't escape fast enough from the regular vent holes and cooled the bronze. The sprue solved the problem letting air and steam flow out the mold as metal entered. (Click photo for larger view)
Here are some of my finished bronze castings after the gates were cut off and they've been cleaned up a bit with a file. The can still use some more filing and a brushing with a wire brush. In the center is the inscence stick holder (a hefty 3.5 pounds!) I designed for a friend with sophisticated design taste. The inscence stick is stuck in the small hole at the top end. I think she'll put it in the center of her dinner table designed by acclaimed furniture maker Lenoil Revilo. (Actually there's no such furniture maker... that's just my name spelled backwards...)
Hot babes really dig a guy that can cast metal!!
Decorative bronze castings make great gifts for hot chicks! Let's say you walk up to a girl you've been watching and hand her a nice bronze casting (especially something with her name on it!). You follow up with a line such as; "Hey baby I made this for you in my art studio!" That is pure gold! You'll instantly earn bonus points in her mind! However there could be too much of a good thing... Suppose for example she responds with; "Oh I really like a guy who can melt metal! Can I come see your studio?" Oh no!! This is disaster if; In such a situation you must think fast to avoid complete embarrasment. What usually works for me is one of the following lines. "Uh sure... You can come to my studio. How about the Thursday after next summer?" Or "ummm, yeah ok are you free on the 4th of August 2019?" Never underestimate the power of the foundry... Go to the; Previous page.
A. You still live with your parents.
B. Your "studio" is nothing but a ragedy furnace in the corner of the yard and a couple burnt flasks. And/or
C. Both of the above at the same time!