does anyone have experience w/purchasing casting (from their own patterns) for some project they were building? Better yet can they recommend someone in northeast Pennsylvania that does onezies? I'd like to build a replica of an early Hardinge vertical mill. Nothing over 40 lbs. I don't think. Thanks.
A direct offlist e-mail would be even more appreciated.
Foundries are fewer and fewer, and the ones that are still around, are because they charge a pretty high price.
A bud just did a small run of Cast Iron engine parts.
IIRC the price was based on a per pound cost, poured, with a minimum of $40 or $60 per flask.
To get that price, he had to provide matchplates to the satisfaction of the foundry, and take his chances that the sandcrabs at the foundry didn't wreck the patterns. The patterns were built by a proffesional patternmaker. Not really cheap. Flasks that required handwork to ram up were really expensive, as I recall.
There are still a few small outfits around. Most are running on borrowed time, between the costs of staying in business, and the ever increasing gamut of environmental laws being put in place.
Why would I reply offlist? That is pretty much counter to the whole point of the newsgroup, innit?
Cheers Trevor Jones
Where abouts in NE PA? There are a lot of foundrys in the area. Benton, Stradsburg, Weatherly, Wilkes Berra. What metal did you want to use?
John
Chris wrote:
One of the big problems is that all the foundrys around here are very busy. Having professionally done patterns makes getting the job done easier. Other problems are scheduling it to be poured with other castings of the same metal. They want to pour a full furnace load.
The foundrys that have kept up with the enviormental regulations will do well. The ones that are running on borrowed time are the ones that didn't reinvest into newer equipment for upcoming epa regs.
John
Several years ago, someone on RCM recommended an Amish run foundry (think no phone, and no internet), that I think Pa. I think the name was Cattail Foundry.
google found this article with a name and an address
Search RCM archives, I think that self addressed stamped envelope is the contact method.
Carl Boyd
Well, I was at Cattail Foundry (10 miles more or less, northeast of Lancaster, if you don't want to launch MapQuest) in the summer of 05, and they were very much in business then, and the prices they quoted for the work we were proposing were VERY much within reason for the parts. We could have them in any conditionor finish, (as cast, barely cleaned, sprues cut off and ground, ready to be machined, or points inbetween) nice people to speak with, deal with.
I'm just sorry my collaborator couldn't finish up the design so we could go on with the project. (Diabetes overcame his eyesight, then his ambition.)
But Cattail would be my first choice, even if I had to drive a hundred miles or more. The 40 pound part would be well within their capability.I sawparts and atterns there of greater ambition.
From sitting in the truck, parked at the door, it looked like we were going to enter a dairy-barn, rather than a foundry/machine shop. (Have you ever seen a lathe run by compressed air?)
Patterns and core boxes lying about, looking exactly like the stuff in the museum of the company I worked for. Men and boys working there were quiet, reserved, and of such a politeness that made me cease to wonder why they lived that way in a world of modern everything.
Flash
A search of
Mike
I was last positioned in the WB area (Bear Creek to be precise). Location is pretty much irrelevant - I'd be more then willing to drive down to Lancaster or wherever. I had thought the Amish didn't work cheap. Great peeps no doubt. I hadn't expect them to get into that kind of stuff. Live and learn. I'll check that out, and thanks for the tip/s. I *could* go as far building a cupola furnace - what's the probability of getting decent castings going that route? I have built a *foundry* so far, or tried to :). Pictures can be seen at
As far as pattern making, I dunno, I thought it wouldn't be too bad. I have a copy of "the Charcoal Foundry" by Gingery (Lindsay pubs.) and figured that would be tutorial enough for more or less simple patterns.
This is what I want to make (or something close):
can't log on w/o registration.
For a one off consider lost foam casting. You make up the part in styrafoam or urathane foam, and the runners, pack sand around it, vent with wire or soda straws and pour in the metal. The foam flashes and burns out. You can coat the foam with a refactory for an even better finish. or you can buy Lindsays pattern making books [lots of work for a one-off]
The other Lindsay casting books are very good. I like Chastain.
Unka' George [George McDuffee] ============ Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains.
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), U.S. president. Letter, 17 March 1814.
good.http://lindsaybks.com/bks/foundry/index.html>
You might want to show them the pattern with sprues and vents first. Lots to go wrong there.
jw
jw
what if I made sample patterns, rammed them up, and poured in aluminum. Shouldn't they be safe at that point? I appreciate the point about consulting w/the facility though (if they ain't right, they'd tell you right then and there anyway).
======== If lost foam sounds like a possibility for more info click on
Good luck and let us know how you make out. Unka' George [George McDuffee] ============ Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains.
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), U.S. president. Letter, 17 March 1814.
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