Re: New Sherman on the way [TANKS]

["Dave McGrath" <blackj2ck-at-hotmail.com>]

I built my furnace using refractory, i bought the refractory and bricks from 
a supplier locally. I used 1x4x9 inch fire bricks as the center section of 
the barrel. I placed 6 bricks around in a octagon shape, tide the bricks 
with metal wire to hold them, i then made an outside metal form out of 
heating duct. I used the furnace refractory and perlite, mixed together 
until it was almost a dry consistancy, i don't know how much exactly just 
that it took 1 and 1/2 gallons of refractory. I placed the barrel around the 
bricks, spaced it evenly and packed the perlite and refractory into the 
barrel, not to tight but lose enough that its not crushed solid. This made 
my barrel about 20 inches around and 9 inchs high, after that i made 4 inch 
high pieces for the top and bottom. This setup has lasted several years, as 
i used the bricks for the center lining i have not had the problems that 
alot of casters have with a formed center, and not worring about having 
special clay or cemet means it was fairly cheap in the end. Aswell if you 
incorporate the bricks into the top and bottom this will give you a center 
that is totally bricked in. My biggest problem is i dropped my top and it is 
now starting to crumble. Some of the other guys on the web have a swing up 
top, were i lift mine off. Make a few easy tools, a metal crucible, a burner 
and your ready to go. Time permitting i am going to build a large scale 
smelter out of brick this spring so i can melt down alot of the raw aluminum 
i have. My crucible for the fournace is only 4.5 by 8 inch inside and this 
is not a very easy size when you get aluminum from car heads and other 
parts.

Here is Dan's webpage he has some info on what he did and he has a 
downloadable design for a fournace along the same lines as what i built.
http://www.dansworkshop.com/The%20New%20and%20Improved%20Lil'%20Bertha.shtml

I built my burner using Olivers idea. Plus he has alot of info on building a 
fournace.
http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/oliverburner1.html

Yeah doing wheels and stuff like that is not that bad, but building the 
links for track - would look great and very scale - but way to much work. 
I'm gonna use the TTS system aswell, as it is easy to build and works great. 
I'm more interested in getting a tank into the field and start shooting some 
paint at this point.

I will put some pics on my webspace so you can see the fournace and some of 
the things i have cast with it, including my lathe.

Dave.

http://www3.telus.net/davesdungeon/

>From: Joris Meijerink <Meijerink-at-gmail.com>
>Reply-To: tanks-at-rctankcombat.com
>To: tanks-at-rctankcombat.com
>Subject: Re: New Sherman on the way [TANKS]
>Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2006 11:20:46 +0100
>
>Hi Dave,
>
>>I can post how i made my fournace if your interested. Maybe i should 
>>attach a page to my web space for the casting stuff.
>
>I would like to see how you made your fournace and what kind of stuff you 
>have produced with it. I'm planning to cast my wheels and stuff to. Maybe 
>also the track but thats a lot of work and thinking of first making it work 
>with TTS and cast the track in a later stage.
>
>Joris