Rocket Man VW Heads... What alloy?

On Jan 10, 9:18*am, "Maxwell" #$$9#@%%%.^^^ wrote:
|
| So what's a good alloy? *Ideally, something cheap & commonly available
| (and doesn't say 'Coors'!)
|
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The after market racing heads are usually made from 355 or 356, and heat
treated to T-6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you talking air-cooled heads?

356-T6 is usually selected for its HIGH STRENGTH rather than its
ability to pass heat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regardless of it's previous use, I wouldn't recommend
reclaiming anything. Every time you melt aluminum you gain and loose
elements, and usually reduce or at least changes it's physical properties..
It's too cheap and easy to just use an off the shelf alloy with known
physicals.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm afraid you've confused me with some of those Double-Dipper Retired
Military types :-) Whatever I use for casting will have to come from
the junk yard.

I can get two engines-worth of 1.3:1 rockers for $200, which is about
the only thing I'd care to buy. I'll hit the junk yards over by the
airport to see if I can come up with the studs & hardware.

My casting ability is limited to about one quart of melted aluminum,
which should be enough for the type of heads I'm thinking about.

This puppy is going to need two cores. Pulling an accurate core is
where I've had trouble in the past. That is, using the Old Fashioned
method of baking cores. (Smells like a batch of cookies... until the
cores reach the carbonizing stage. In the past, I've scheduled Core
Production for those times when I'm home alone... then try to air-out
the kitchen before my wife returns :-)

It's unfortunate that, with almost a thousand 'subscribers,' grass-
roots ideas such as this, the primary glider and so forth, garner so
little attention. On the other hand, I continue to suffer what the
physicians refer to as 'mini-strokes' that leave me wanting when I try
to recall something like a pass-word or telephone number... with the
'chuggers' Group being a good case-in-point. I've no idea in the blue-
eyed world what 'chuggers' expects for my screen-name or password.
(Kinda reminds me of the two geezers who went for a local hop in the
one's freshly licensed home-built, which began with a neat diving turn
to pass UNDER a local powerline. But he finally climbed up to a sane
altitude and except for sneaking in a bit of input now & then, the
flight was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, as they began lining up for a
landing the pilot made no reduction in power until his friend shouted,
"Keee Rist! Jim! Are you trying to get us killed?" To which Jim gave
his friend a guilty look. "Actually, I thought YOU were flying
today.")

Still flying today.
-Bob

wrote in message
...
On Jan 10, 9:18 am, "Maxwell" #$$9#@%%%.^^^ wrote:
|
| So what's a good alloy? Ideally, something cheap & commonly available
| (and doesn't say 'Coors'!)
|
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The after market racing heads are usually made from 355 or 356, and heat
treated to T-6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you talking air-cooled heads?

356-T6 is usually selected for its HIGH STRENGTH rather than its
ability to pass heat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Which sand cast alloys do you thing will conduct heat significantly faster?







Regardless of it's previous use, I wouldn't recommend
reclaiming anything. Every time you melt aluminum you gain and loose
elements, and usually reduce or at least changes it's physical properties.
It's too cheap and easy to just use an off the shelf alloy with known
physicals.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm afraid you've confused me with some of those Double-Dipper Retired
Military types :-) Whatever I use for casting will have to come from
the junk yard.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why, you can buy certifed spec metal for $1.50 to $2.00 a pound.







I can get two engines-worth of 1.3:1 rockers for $200, which is about
the only thing I'd care to buy. I'll hit the junk yards over by the
airport to see if I can come up with the studs & hardware.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you talking about Chevy rockers?




My casting ability is limited to about one quart of melted aluminum,
which should be enough for the type of heads I'm thinking about.

This puppy is going to need two cores. Pulling an accurate core is
where I've had trouble in the past. That is, using the Old Fashioned
method of baking cores. (Smells like a batch of cookies... until the
cores reach the carbonizing stage. In the past, I've scheduled Core
Production for those times when I'm home alone... then try to air-out
the kitchen before my wife returns :-)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you use for sand and binder? How do you mix?

On Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:11:47 -0600, "Maxwell" #$$9#@%%%.^^^ wrote:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you use for sand and binder? How do you mix?


you can make your own greensand.

basically you get some buckets of sand. plonk a gently running hose
into the bucket and let it float off everything but the sand.
keep the hose running until the water coming off is clear. this gets
rid of crap and non bentonite clays.

find or buy some bentonite clay.
you can buy sodium modified bentonite in 25lb bags.
you need bentonite clay because of its peculiar charactersitics. it is
different from all the other clays and the difference is what makes it
useful in casting.

ok let your washed sand dry off a bit.
weigh the sand and mix in 5% thereabouts by weight of bentonite.
this is the important bit; you need to put a coating of bentonite
around each sand particle. you dig your clean hands into the sand and
bentonite and with a handfull between your hands you run them back and
forth to work a coating of clay around each sand particle.
(your hands end up really smooth from this)

ok now you let your mix dry right out. this can take a week.

when you want to use the greensand you mix in 5% of water by weight
and nead the greensand so that it is uniformly wet out.

if you pat up a sausage out of it about 2" dia and a foot long you
should be able to hold this by an end and wave it all over the place
and none of the sand will part company.

you then need to do some test pours to see if the porosity of your
greensand means it is too coarse.

if you can handle that intelligently I'll go on to tell you why most
people get their furnaces wrong and what you need to do to get it
right.
Stealth Pilot

"Stealth Pilot" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:11:47 -0600, "Maxwell" #$$9#@%%%.^^^ wrote:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you use for sand and binder? How do you mix?


you can make your own greensand.

basically you get some buckets of sand. plonk a gently running hose
into the bucket and let it float off everything but the sand.
keep the hose running until the water coming off is clear. this gets
rid of crap and non bentonite clays.

find or buy some bentonite clay.
you can buy sodium modified bentonite in 25lb bags.
you need bentonite clay because of its peculiar charactersitics. it is
different from all the other clays and the difference is what makes it
useful in casting.

ok let your washed sand dry off a bit.
weigh the sand and mix in 5% thereabouts by weight of bentonite.
this is the important bit; you need to put a coating of bentonite
around each sand particle. you dig your clean hands into the sand and
bentonite and with a handfull between your hands you run them back and
forth to work a coating of clay around each sand particle.
(your hands end up really smooth from this)

ok now you let your mix dry right out. this can take a week.

when you want to use the greensand you mix in 5% of water by weight
and nead the greensand so that it is uniformly wet out.

if you pat up a sausage out of it about 2" dia and a foot long you
should be able to hold this by an end and wave it all over the place
and none of the sand will part company.

you then need to do some test pours to see if the porosity of your
greensand means it is too coarse.

if you can handle that intelligently I'll go on to tell you why most
people get their furnaces wrong and what you need to do to get it
right.
Stealth Pilot

What's the point? If you are going to buy bentonite, why not buy a quality
molding sand like silica or olivine as well?

At any rate, good luck on your green strength test. Even the finest seasoned
and mix green sand will in no way meet the expectation of your 2" x 12"
sample as stated.

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:04:43 -0600, "Maxwell" #$$9#@%%%.^^^ wrote:


"Stealth Pilot" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:11:47 -0600, "Maxwell" #$$9#@%%%.^^^ wrote:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you use for sand and binder? How do you mix?


you can make your own greensand.

basically you get some buckets of sand. plonk a gently running hose
into the bucket and let it float off everything but the sand.
keep the hose running until the water coming off is clear. this gets
rid of crap and non bentonite clays.

find or buy some bentonite clay.
you can buy sodium modified bentonite in 25lb bags.
you need bentonite clay because of its peculiar charactersitics. it is
different from all the other clays and the difference is what makes it
useful in casting.

ok let your washed sand dry off a bit.
weigh the sand and mix in 5% thereabouts by weight of bentonite.
this is the important bit; you need to put a coating of bentonite
around each sand particle. you dig your clean hands into the sand and
bentonite and with a handfull between your hands you run them back and
forth to work a coating of clay around each sand particle.
(your hands end up really smooth from this)

ok now you let your mix dry right out. this can take a week.

when you want to use the greensand you mix in 5% of water by weight
and nead the greensand so that it is uniformly wet out.

if you pat up a sausage out of it about 2" dia and a foot long you
should be able to hold this by an end and wave it all over the place
and none of the sand will part company.

you then need to do some test pours to see if the porosity of your
greensand means it is too coarse.

if you can handle that intelligently I'll go on to tell you why most
people get their furnaces wrong and what you need to do to get it
right.
Stealth Pilot

What's the point? If you are going to buy bentonite, why not buy a quality
molding sand like silica or olivine as well?

At any rate, good luck on your green strength test. Even the finest seasoned
and mix green sand will in no way meet the expectation of your 2" x 12"
sample as stated.


rubbish.
I *actually* do castings.
the shake test is one I can demonstrate in 5 minutes with two
handfulls of greensand from the black bin in my workshop.
I'm writing from first hand experience.

can I suggest you get off your arse and *do* something in life.
your pleasure would increase immeasurably.

Stealth Pilot

"Stealth Pilot" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:04:43 -0600, "Maxwell" #$$9#@%%%.^^^ wrote:


"Stealth Pilot" wrote in message
. ..
On Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:11:47 -0600, "Maxwell" #$$9#@%%%.^^^ wrote:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you use for sand and binder? How do you mix?


you can make your own greensand.

basically you get some buckets of sand. plonk a gently running hose
into the bucket and let it float off everything but the sand.
keep the hose running until the water coming off is clear. this gets
rid of crap and non bentonite clays.

find or buy some bentonite clay.
you can buy sodium modified bentonite in 25lb bags.
you need bentonite clay because of its peculiar charactersitics. it is
different from all the other clays and the difference is what makes it
useful in casting.

ok let your washed sand dry off a bit.
weigh the sand and mix in 5% thereabouts by weight of bentonite.
this is the important bit; you need to put a coating of bentonite
around each sand particle. you dig your clean hands into the sand and
bentonite and with a handfull between your hands you run them back and
forth to work a coating of clay around each sand particle.
(your hands end up really smooth from this)

ok now you let your mix dry right out. this can take a week.

when you want to use the greensand you mix in 5% of water by weight
and nead the greensand so that it is uniformly wet out.

if you pat up a sausage out of it about 2" dia and a foot long you
should be able to hold this by an end and wave it all over the place
and none of the sand will part company.

you then need to do some test pours to see if the porosity of your
greensand means it is too coarse.

if you can handle that intelligently I'll go on to tell you why most
people get their furnaces wrong and what you need to do to get it
right.
Stealth Pilot

What's the point? If you are going to buy bentonite, why not buy a quality
molding sand like silica or olivine as well?

At any rate, good luck on your green strength test. Even the finest
seasoned
and mix green sand will in no way meet the expectation of your 2" x 12"
sample as stated.


rubbish.
I *actually* do castings.
the shake test is one I can demonstrate in 5 minutes with two
handfulls of greensand from the black bin in my workshop.
I'm writing from first hand experience.

can I suggest you get off your arse and *do* something in life.
your pleasure would increase immeasurably.

Stealth Pilot

Then whip one up in 5 minutes, and send us the pic.

On Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:16:12 -0600, "Maxwell" #$$9#@%%%.^^^ wrote:




At any rate, good luck on your green strength test. Even the finest
seasoned
and mix green sand will in no way meet the expectation of your 2" x 12"
sample as stated.


rubbish.
I *actually* do castings.
the shake test is one I can demonstrate in 5 minutes with two
handfulls of greensand from the black bin in my workshop.
I'm writing from first hand experience.

can I suggest you get off your arse and *do* something in life.
your pleasure would increase immeasurably.

Stealth Pilot

Then whip one up in 5 minutes, and send us the pic.


after the last time? c'mon even george bush thinks that twice is
stupid.

On Jan 12, 11:04*pm, "Maxwell" #$$9#@%%%.^^^ wrote:

...

What's the point? If you are going to buy bentonite, why not buy a quality
molding sand like silica or olivine as well?

Kitty litter is cheap.

--

FF

On Jan 14, 12:46*pm, Fred the Red Shirt
wrote:

Kitty litter is cheap.


PLEASE don't mention anything about "kitty" around a casting sand
heap ........ Bad Karma :-)
=================
Leon McAtee

On Jan 14, 9:59*pm, "
wrote:
On Jan 14, 12:46*pm, Fred the Red Shirt
wrote:

Kitty litter is cheap.

PLEASE don't mention anything about "kitty" around a casting sand
heap ........ Bad Karma :-)
=================
Leon McAtee

Leon,

You and I may know that bentonite is a local phenom that is generally
a pain in the a**. Others think it is a ephemeral magic substance.
We live in one of two places on earth (the other is in central Russia)
that have an excess of the stuff. While we can get a ton or so from
down the road, others have to resort to kitty litter or draining the
local Hooter's mud wrestling pits (in Wyoming, Hooters are goose calls
or pickup horns).

For those of you who don't drive on greenish, slick as snot, expansive
clay as a rule, or build your houses on land that rises and falls
annually by a couple of feet due to humidity, bentonite sucks.

Should you want some....let Leon or me know and we can UPS or
otherwise ship 50 pound bags of the stuff. We have it in our back
yards.

Mark