something less noxious than styrofoam for lost foam casting?

Lee, I looked into lost foam casting some time ago. The ceramic paint is sold by foundry supply companies and maybe some pottery supply companies. The big advantage is it's strength, according to the foundry I visited. Also, it removes easily. Did you notice that the plastic foam ended up in the sand? It seems likely that most fumes would also be captured by the sand. The vaporised plastic would be cooled rapidly by the sand. Do you have a pottery supply near you? They sell kiln wash (I think that's what they call it) which is a coating that is painted on the inside of a kiln to protect it. It has a small particle size and so would give a better finish to your part. ERS

Reply to
Eric R Snow
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Would have served them right too. That's cruel.

Reply to
Keapon Laffin

==================== Many of the old time foundry books [see

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] indicate that molasses was used as a binder with sand to make cores. In preparation for a pour, many molds would be rammed up and mice would go in the molds after the molasses. The result was at best a ruined casting, and generally a burst mold, possibly with injury to the workers. A cat (or fat rat) should be spectacular.

Reply to
F. George McDuffee

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