Molding Bench

[chucketn]

(09-26-2013, 10:11 AM)oldgoaly Wrote: Chuck, with green sand it all depends on your weather! if it is dry your sand will dry out, if it's humid it will not dry out as fast. It can vary a lot and by keeping it in closed containers will help! Many people go for oil based sand, it can dry out also, but very slowly.
You want your bench to hold the flask and you still have room to reach down along side the flask and pull you sand up, that way when you spill it is in the bench not on the ground or shop floor. Make it comfortable for you! too low is hard on your back bending over, too high it's hard on your back too.....it's hard work! If your serious about casting build a good one you will be happy you did.
Think of your foundry as a working triangle mold bench> pour> mull > the back to mold bench. You want stuff close but not to trip over stuff. I usually pour 4 molds at a time, plus space for ingot molds. Plan for 2 people cause it is much easier having help!
Btw there are lots of "oh s**t these guys are nuts videos" on youtube. Be safe!

(09-26-2013, 10:23 AM)dallen Wrote: moisture content in greensand was a battle that I don't want to have to deal with again, here just a while back when I moved my muller I mixed up some and with the heat of and Oklahoma summer I was fighting the moisture in it, so I went back to using oil bonded sand.

with your muller that you say your going to build you shouldn't have too much trouble with moisture in the sand your biggest hurdle will be to understand when you have enough water in it and then quit putting any more in. if you see dark spots in the sand after squeezing some in your hand or clumps in the tub you have too much moisture in it.

as far as control goes you will probably have to adjust everytime you go to mold up a pattern. the plastic is find but don't DUMP HOT sand into it, the concrete laundry tubs a lot of people use them if they can find them cheap, heck if I could find an old cast iron bath tub I'd use it cause of the amount of sand that it can hold. My problem is I don't (too lazy to build one)have a molding bench I mold on top of my muller.

anyway build your bench strong, if it wiggles when you try to shake it, ramming molds on top of it will tear it apart.

DA

Thanks for the comments, guys.
I'm still scared enough of casting to be very cautious. Hope to remain so!
Chuck