Hello /diy/ I've been very interested in creating a backyard

>>1031393
neat

Op here, I'm surprised that no one has done this, and especially with primitive tech doing something like it last week I'm surprised it didn't ring up a huge amount of interest in it. That's why I even posted this thread, to concentrate all that interest into the actual topic instead of fighting over that sexy aussy

Found this. Following clips on the channel.
https://youtu.be/Y_mTgHj6M1Q

Not reusable but def under 100$

>>1032410
That does look like a very good idea. I guess I gotta find me some clay in the ground somewhere or in the store, I can deal with it being temporary, making it permanent would be an investment over 100 bucks for sure

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Dickfarmer checking in. U wanna do it for about $25 then here ya go OP.

https://youtu.be/hHD10DjxM1g

It's been a long journey. I have followed this video an made one that is mounted on a trailer to pull with my pickup because it is massive. I highly recomend you follow the video to some extent and get a feel for it before buying refractory cement and proper tools. It can get costly VERY quickly.

I also reccomend, latter on if you choose to consider buying some Petrobond off amazon. It is expensive but the results for molding are astonishing.

Google "green sand molding"

Also might google or youtube the kwikie burner in case you want to go bigger. It's an exceptional nosel and works just fine in a small foundry or a little larger like mine.

I'll be lurking if you have anymore questions. Or drop an email for communication.

I dont know a lot but i have almost a year of trial and error under my belt. I can save you a lot of heartache.

Before pic of foundry.

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>>1032412
False. Id call mine semi permanent as the plaster gets hot as fuck and pretty brittle. I used a 6 inch diameter pipe for the inner chamber knowing it would melt out. The pipe was free and id planned on welding some rebar in for support but got lazy. Outer is 20 inch diameter natural gasline pipe. While thing is about 3 1/2 feet tall? I forget. Its a pain to hook everything up and extremely hot and dangerous. The tools i have made need work. When it cools off this fall im building another trailer mouted foundry but plumbing it to my natual gas line in my other house. I'll get a generator for my shop vac and probably burn propane off site. That way i can do fire ant holes or take it on road trips to party's for shits and giggles. Plus it'll be easy to cash out when i can finally afford to build my shop and my 5th and final foundry

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I've done a couple of smelts with some success, but you may have to try a few times before you get the results you want. Here are a few good links:

Refractory Mix:
http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/refractories.html

I like to add in cellulose insulation to help with thermal stress. I don't have a set ratio, but usually enough to where the mix sticks together and is not so dry that it crumbles. Also, fire clay isn't necessary. Any clay will do. Make sure to let it dry completely and do a low intensity fire to start off. This will help get rid of steam pockets.

Iron/Copper Ore
http://www.lagunaclay.com/distributors/
http://www.mindat.org/

The easiest option would be to buy granular magnetite (http://www.axner.com/magnetite-granular.aspx) from a pottery supply store. This comes to about $30 for 50 pounds which will more than enough to get you going. I like to mix mine with flour and bake it into small balls to keep the ore from moving through the furnace too quickly. Also, you could try to go out and collect on your own using mindat.org localities as a reference, but be careful and get permission. I've gotten about 80 pounds of copper ore this way.

Info and designs:
http://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/

Seriously, this will have everything you would want to know about smelting. It's by a reenactment group and has detailed information on smelting experiments along with designs at the bottom of the page.

Hope this helps

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The consistency of the mix.

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Building the base of the smelter.

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Finished smelter.

>>1032621

You don't know how to make your own coal?

>>1032511
Thanks i bet that would work but I'm trying to do it old school style. Just debating if I feel like doing cardio for 5 hours+ with bellows or hooking up a variable speed fan to it
>>1032621
You are a shiny golden GOD. I was trying to figure out what the hell I was gonna melt, like painters magnetite or bags of lab made magnetite made into balls with another material like you said

>>1032621

Its a good alternative, but my sand was free. I think 4 bucks a bag at lowes. And plaster of paris was 15 bucks a bag.

Spent under $20 building my first one in a metal 5 gallon bucket.

Good on ya though anon. Wish i had more access to clay.

Ive thrown away clay chuncks larger than a buick at my last job.

Knew id regret that.

>>1032662
3$ hair dryer from yard sale or thrift stor is better than fanning for HOURS. In either case good luck!

>>1032641
I can, but sometimes it's just easier to splurge on the eight bucks for the bag when you have limited free time.

>>1032662
>>1032668
I like to use a plugin camping air mattress blower. The hose makes for easy attachment and it provides more pressure. Also, it is better to connect it to the smelter with a t-joint so you can use a wooden dowel rod to clear the pipe if it gets blocked. I think with this setup I used a cap attachment to adjust air pressure.

>>1032683
Well, sounds like a good idea, but my foundrybis a bit larger. I got a 6.5hp shop vac from lowes and at times i feel it isnt enough

>>1033939
Next step up is a squirrel cage blower. Cheapest way to get one of those is to ask at places that repair A/C for used from scrapped units.

https://youtu.be/84_Oa52sxfc

Might find this video interesting. Guy uses all the metal dust from his various projects and a very shitty bloomery made from cinder blocks to smelt it down into something useable.

>>1031393
I'm planning on doing this in the fall as well. I just have to gloat that on the back 20 acres of my grandmothers place there is a ton of hematite nodules. I can appreciate smelting anything at all but making iron from ore is going to be awesome. Also have access to tons of red clay like 10 inches beneath the surface so I'm going to go full /diy/. I'll make a thread when I really start prepping.

>>1034027
I got one like 4 foot square. Just need a sump pump motor or something for it. Gonna be sick af doing 100 pound poors.

What's even the order and timetable for putting in the materials? Is it charcoal then iron repeat till full all once the fire is going or is it spread out over a couple of hours consistently adding more and more iron oxide and charcoal charges

>>1035681
You do a preheat with charcoal first then layers of charcoal and ore until full. The charges will then slowly move though the combustion zone and you will have to keep adding charges. You generally stop this when you run out of charges or your airflow becomes blocked, but you will also occasionally tap the smelter to runoff the slag to give you more space before the airflow gets blocked.