something less noxious than styrofoam for lost foam casting?

Have I been killfiled or something? It seems as if noone ever has any meaningful responses to my questions.

I saw your post but didn't have an answer. So, while my killfile is huge, you seem not to be in it. Maybe you're asking hard questions?

Yup, you're asking questions that are too hard. On the bright side, once you go through all the agony of finding the answers you can let us know and sign yourself "himog, the renowned casting expert".

How about that foam the flower arrangers use. It's green, rigid, and light. Does that stuff stink when it vaporizes? There are a jillion kinds of foam....

Yes, it is possible to foam wax. Perhaps there is candlemaking group that would know how this is done.

Doug

One of the web pages I saw had a guy using dry wall compound and styrofoam. buildyouridea.com I think. Maybe it wasn't on his site, but someone mentioned using acitone to melt out the styro after the compound sets to avoid the smell. 'course, you'll have other problems after you do this... not the least of which is that you have a highly flamable mould. And then there is disposal of the mixture. I'm sure you could use the acitone several times before it becomes saturated. Anyway, be safe and check around. I have found several casting forums (there is a list on CNCzone.com) good luck.

A friend of mine did lost chocolate casting once. Smelled wonderful.

Steve

himog wrote:

Nah, ashes up IIRC.

Not really anything you can do about the fumes. Just do it outside in a good breeze, and pour hot or keep a flame on hand to ignite the vapors I guess. It'll still make plenty of soot and won't change the stink in the sand...

Tim

-- "California is the breakfast state: fruits, nuts and flakes." Website:

I've been thinking about doing some lost cat casting. Should be fun.

Mike Mandaville

Steam explosion. I had weekend call on the big experimental mag cell in the late '70's, went in, and the crew coming off shift told me of trying to catch a stray they intended to throw in the sludge hatch. This was an 8' square hatch over 6'deep molten salt at 700 deg. C.

I told them they were damn lucky they didn't catch it, because the resulting steam explosion and grease fire would have covered anyone near.

Pete Keillor

If your going with foam, any foam, your going to have the smell......its just one aspect of using lost foam......Outside, and lots of good ventilation

============================================== Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked! "The original frugal ponder" ~~~~ } ~~~~~~ } ~~~~~~~ }

here's an idea for getting rid of the fumes, something I've been wanting to try.

[That's an interesting variation on the lost-foam process. Do you know what they meant by "ceramic paint"? If that's just a shop-vac (it looks like it) I wonder if it's really eliminating the fumes, or just blowing them someplace else.]

Andrew Werby

How about the cornstarch that they make non-styrofoam packing peanuts out of? Dissolves in water. Looks remarkably like non-colored cheetos.

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Ouch! I don't think that is a good idea. I know that Plaster of Paris has too much water, and when it gets hit by the molten metal it explodes in steam, as well as loosing all strength as it loses the water.

There are materials made specifically for the task. They are baked dry as the wax is baked out with normal lost wax casting. I believe that it is referred to as a "slip".

Until the neighbors complain.

But I would not try this kind of work *inside* the shop in the first place. Too much chance of causing a fire -- especially if you spill the molten metal. (Unless the shop is designed for the task). This aside from the problems with the fumes. Note that a concrete floor will spall when hit with molten metal. You want a deep sand flooring if you have a choice.

Good Luck, DoN.

Deep fried and sprinkled with cheese, it basically *IS* cheetos...

Side note to amusement: Horses absolutely *LOVE* those things if they get a chance at 'em. Found that out one day when we got a shipment of assorted "stuff" in, and while we were unpacking it, one of them snatched a mouthful. We freaked, of course, not having any idea if it was going to be a colic-causer, but afterea frantic call or three to some vets who all said it was harmless, decidd to let the ones interested in 'em have at it. Turned out that once they'd been introduced to 'em, several would come out of their freshly filled grain buckets for a handful!

Yeah, they don't show a membrane over the sand. When there is a membrane, the vacuum powerfully compacts the sand and pulls the fumes, too. They got a nice finish. Good work.

Doug

Maybe try here;

Nope! As long as it's dry and reasonably permeable, steam explosions aren't a concern. I would imagine cracks form on contact allowing gas release.

Plaster of paris also maintains strength after dehydration, ask me how I know- I've taken molds made with it it above 1000°F (dehydration temperature of the hemihydrate) many times without it crumbling!

I don't know what commercial ceramic slurries are made of but it ain't slip. Slip (as made from clay) shrinks on drying, exactly what you don't want to use.

You should treat it as such, but when worse comes to worse, fortunately it takes up to a minute before the aggregate gets up to boiling temperature and starts raining metal on you. Enough time to spread some water on the spill and cool it off.

Seconded!

Tim

-- "California is the breakfast state: fruits, nuts and flakes." Website: