- This topic is empty.
-
Topic
-
brigettecuneo
Good afternoon fellow casters. This new caster has a question, I’m hoping you can help.
I’m gathering together all my must have tools and necessary items for casting. For someone just starting as you know, it can be expensive at first. So with that in mind, I like to find stuff I have around the house first that I can modify and use for my needs. Perfect example is a toaster oven we had sitting still in the box from a previous holiday gift my girl never liked. It’s now my new powder coating oven.
brigettecuneo-
Replies
-
Today I’m finally getting around to using or trying the induction hot plate. I did try direct contact with both brass and aluminum molds. They did not work and the unit turned off. I do have some iron molds but did not try them for this.
I then tried a pizza pan the same circle size as the hot plate and it does heat excellent and evenly. So far so good. Using a digital gun thermometer both the rg’s and regular molds are pre heating right in the zone.k7sparky
Today I’m finally getting around to using or trying the induction hot plate. I did try direct contact with both brass and aluminum molds. They did not work and the unit turned off. I do have some iron molds but did not try them for this.
I then tried a pizza pan the same circle size as the hot plate and it does heat excellent and evenly. So far so good. Using a digital gun thermometer both the rg’s and regular molds are pre heating right in the zone.Not at all surprising. Induction is a magnetic property.
If the moulds are not magneto-ferris it will do nothing. :'( Al and brass are not 
Your Pizza pan is Fe not Al.
Your Fe moulds will heat fine
Now the GOOD news. It makes a bearing beater. Heating bearings is my preferred way of dropping them on shafts as apposed to pressing. If it has a temp control 400F is not a bad temp if the bearings are not sealed. Else just watch the bearing and when it starts to smoke grab it and drop it on. OH YES! Do ware heavy leather gloves.
AlvinYork
Apologies for going off topic but I’m going to replace the bearings in my mini lathe and I’m curious about heating the bearings instead of pressing them on. K7sparky, do you mean to say just heat the bearings and you can put them on with hand pressure (gloved of course)?
That’s what our service shop did with ball bearings for motors and generators all the time. They had an induction bearing heater that looked OLD in the early 70s. I’ll do my best to describe the commercial unit. Coil of wire around the bottom of a U shaped bottom core and removable bars to lay across the top. Basically a transformer with a removable core side. Bearing is slipped over the a bar – laminated I think – and unit is turned on. A couple of minuted for a large size bearing was plenty hot for the inner race. Just starting to smoke a tad as I remember from the mid 70s. Bearing acts as a shorted turn on a transformer and gets hot fast. Yes they were sealed bearings – unless a Government contract specifically stated “open bearings” they used sealed.
They did not need pushing at all just dropped on with a clunk
As an aside I would guess 95% or better of bearing failures I’ve seen are from over greasing. Cavity full grease blows out past seals makes a mess inside and out. No room for grease to expand, binder forms a hard shell just outside of balls, no oil can pass through the baked binder, balls run dry and bearing fails.
On a friends dozer I put a final drive bearing in his oven -unhappy wife- (at 400F I think) took it out and dropped it on the shaft – have to be fast as the shafts will suck the heat out in a hurry. Think it was around 15# so it took awhile to heat up. It was open bearing running in gear oil.
I assume you are using sealed bears. Not sure how hot you can heat them. I would experiment on an induction hot plate or in an oven and when you just start seeing smoke or see oil, grab it and slap on. If you have a temp gun (HF on sale) or a tempie stick I would try around 300F for a first try SWAG. It will need to cool to room temperature before assembly as outer race will grow also – just like our moulds
May have to waste a few bearings on the learning curve. Bearings can be found cheap with Google. Think I had to buy 10 of the last ones I got 6203 for about #2.50 ea. Also be prepared to push a bit if needed. Thick gloves!
Sorry about the Hi-Jacked thread – glad Al runs a loose ship :-[
Very interesting. Not sure if I’ll try it yet, but very informative post.
Thanks, k7sparky.Back on subject, I just use a basic electric hot plate and put the molds on sprue plate side down. I read somewhere that the sprue plate is the “coolest” section that the melt will flow through so it’s best to heat it directly.
Perhaps that’s something you could try on the induction plate, put the moulds sprue plate down first (steel so should make the induction work). My moulds don’t seem to be any the worse for heating them that way.Very interesting. Not sure if I’ll try it yet, but very informative post.
Thanks, k7sparky.Back on subject, I just use a basic electric hot plate and put the molds on sprue plate side down. I read somewhere that the sprue plate is the “coolest” section that the melt will flow through so it’s best to heat it directly.
Perhaps that’s something you could try on the induction plate, put the moulds sprue plate down first (steel so should make the induction work). My moulds don’t seem to be any the worse for heating them that way.On my next round, I will try using it upside down. That might work on the bare surface. Thank you for that tip.
One thing I did notice on the rg mold while pre heating it from the bottom was the hollow point pins got a lot hotter faster before the main housing heated up. I’ve read in Al’s notes about keeping those pins nice and hot for best results. So maybe a combination of flipping the molds on both ends might make it just that much better. Thank you for the help, and on a side note, very interesting info on the induction system. No worries on my end, more knowledge is a good thing. Take care gentlemen.paulwynn
On my next round, I will try using it upside down. That might work on the bare surface. Thank you for that tip.
One thing I did notice on the rg mold while pre heating it from the bottom was the hollow point pins got a lot hotter faster before the main housing heated up. I’ve read in Al’s notes about keeping those pins nice and hot for best results. So maybe a combination of flipping the molds on both ends might make it just that much better. Thank you for the help, and on a side note, very interesting info on the induction system. No worries on my end, more knowledge is a good thing. Take care gentlemen.I know this is an old post but….
The induction heating that is heating the pizza pan (Fe) is also going to heat the pins. (they are also Fe, correct?)
So, for rg moulds an induction hotplate, saw blade (magnetic), and maybe a steel lid sounds like the best possible way to heat them.
The pizza pan I use is just a plain metal ( steel, I’m assuming) , and the pins are stainless I believe.
So far the system has been working very well for my needs. I think the best feature is the digital temp dial for getting your molds right at that sweet spot prior to casting. If I did not have the extra pizza pan, I think an old saw blade might also be just perfect, just be careful of the teeth.Good luck Sir.
The induction heating that is heating the pizza pan (Fe) is also going to heat the pins. (they are also Fe, correct?)
So, for rg moulds an induction hotplate, saw blade (magnetic), and maybe a steel lid sounds like the best possible way to heat them.
Just checked one of my RG4s. The pins are magnetic.
I like the idea of a paint can lid depending on the base size of the magnetic field of the hot plate. If it covers it, good deal if not proceed with caution.
The magnetic pizza pan would shield what ever is sitting on it fairly well. My favotite junk yard for thin Fe sheet metal comes to mind.
The mould by it’s self on an induction heater would be a problem. Magnetic components that would heat are the screws, handles, pins, pin holders and spruce plate. You are correct the moulds need to be above Fe shield – (They call it using a shield Chester)
I found an old electric griddle that is better than nothing but still looking for an old hot plate or a magnetic one – also a 500 S&W to go with my moulds getting tired of washing the pyrodex out of the in line. Found it is necessary to wash soon as the residue turns to concrete in less than 24 Hr.
The induction heating that is heating the pizza pan (Fe) is also going to heat the pins. (they are also Fe, correct?)
So, for rg moulds an induction hotplate, saw blade (magnetic), and maybe a steel lid sounds like the best possible way to heat them.
Just checked one of my RG4s. The pins are magnetic.
I like the idea of a paint can lid depending on the base size of the magnetic field of the hot plate. If it covers it, good deal if not proceed with caution.
The magnetic pizza pan would shield what ever is sitting on it fairly well. My favotite junk yard for thin Fe sheet metal comes to mind.
The mould by it’s self on an induction heater would be a problem. Magnetic components that would heat are the screws, handles, pins, pin holders and spruce plate. You are correct the moulds need to be above Fe shield – (They call it using a shield Chester)
I found an old electric griddle that is better than nothing but still looking for an old hot plate or a magnetic one – also a 500 S&W to go with my moulds getting tired of washing the pyrodex out of the in line. Found it is necessary to wash soon as the residue turns to concrete in less than 24 Hr.
Another thing I did not mention is, on my pizza pan all around the end is like a raised lip. The main bolt from the handles kinda sets on there and balances the entire mold and handle upright better. Keeps the wood handles also out of heat range.
I like the paint can idea also. That’s probably even better then mine.
As far as your 500. I hope it comes sooner than later. I absolutely love those SWC molds. Have only been playing with the big pins sets on each so far, but it’s been a lot of fun.
Take care Sir.
AlvinYork
k7sparky
paulwynn
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.