Best products from r/MetalCasting
We found 19 comments on r/MetalCasting discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 17 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. Tabletop Hi-Temp 2200 Degree Electric Burnout Oven Kiln Vent Hole PROGRAMMABLE Controller Furnace Jewelry Making Dental Cast Wax 3D Resin PLA Burnout Made in The U.S.A.
- Maximum working temperature of 2200°F, designed with a programmable controller
- Features a pre-drilled vent hole on the top of kiln and high temperature thermocouple
- Ideal for a wide variety of burnout applications, such as carv-able wax, 3D resin, PLA, dental, and more
- Accommodates 3" x 5" flasks or smaller - *flasks in photo sold separately
- Made in the U.S.A.
Features:
2. Goede Stainless Steel Foundry/Forge Burner
Stainless steel constructionBrass gas fittingAdjustable air choke and end expansion chamber for max. efficiencyStandard 3/8" hose hookup,works with standard 20# propane tank1-3/8"O.D. end chamber to fit inside 1-1/2" or larger opening.
3. Jones Stephens L42-006 Melting Pot
- Cast-iron pot with pouring spout 6" top diameter
- 2-3/4" deep cast iron
- Cap. 22 lbs
Features:
4. Yeeco AC Current Voltage Meter Dual LCD Display 80-300V 100A Digita Volt Amp Tester Voltmeter Ammeter Voltage Amperage Panel Meter Monitor Multimeter Volt Amp Measuring Detector with CT
- Eczema & Psoriasis Therapy Medicated Body Wash for dry skin or sensitive skin
- Homeopathic remedy containing active ingredients that help calm and clear symptoms of eczema and psoriasis while delivering a gentle cleansing experience
- Naturally soothing certified organic Shea Butter, African Black Soap and other natural ingredients are known to moisturize and comfort skin.
- Phthalate-free, Contains Vitamin E, Contains Aloe, labeled paraben-free, sodium lauryl sulfate-free
- Made with certified organic Shea Butter and other natural ingredients. Active ingredients include: Fucus Vesiculosus Tinc. - Remedy for Eczema. Hydrocotyle Asiatica Tinc. - Reduces itching. Melissa Officinalis Tinc. – Reduces irritation.
Features:
5. Alja-Safe Lifecasting Alginate 3-lb Box - Plaster Casting Kit
World’s first alginate that does not contain crystalline silica (a known carcinogen).Perfect for making single-use molds of the face, hands and other body partsCaptures detail better than other alginates, giving you a more accurate reproduction of your originalCast plaster, Matrix NEO (polymer mod...
6. P3 P4400 Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor
- Choose from the Kill-a-Watt's four settings to monitor your electrical usage
- Monitor your electrical usage by day, week, month, or year
- Features easy-to-read screen
- Electricity usage monitor connects to appliances and assesses efficiency
- Large LCD display counts consumption by the kilowatt-hour
- Calculates electricity expenses by the day, week, month, or year
- Displays volts, amps, and wattage within 0.2 - 2.0percent accuracy
- Compatible with inverters; designed for use with AC 115-volt appliances
Features:
7. Auber Instruments PID Temperature Controller,W/ 30 RAMP/SOAK,SSR Output
30 programable steps for ramp, soak and other logic actionsPID control with fuzzy logic enhancement for the best stability controlDisplay in either Fahrenheit or Celsius temperature unitSupport both heating and cooling mode.Model: SYL-2352P. US Seller, ship from GA!
8. GM1150 Digital Infrared Laser Thermometer Non-contact -50 ~ 1150C -58~2102F in IR Temperature Gun Instrument LCD
9. ProCast 3 KG Gold Melting Furnace Machine U.S. 110V Kiln Casting Refining Precious Metals Melts Gold Silver Tin Aluminum 2102°F
- Electric Melting Furnace For Gold and Silver
- Furnace Includes Tongs and Crucible
- Unit features improved Kanthal heating coil for long lasting melting with fewer replacements
- Assembled and ships from U.S.A
- Melts material up to 2102 degrees Fahrenheit
Features:
10. Melting Furnace RapidFire Programmable Tabletop Kiln Melter Jewelry Gold Silver PMC Metal Clay Enamel Bead Making Ceramic Firing
- The RapidFire Pro-LP Kiln offers the ultimate combination of portability, function, and performance demanded by professional artists, at a fraction of the cost of comparative products
- Ideal For: Precious metal clay firing, ceramics, glaze testing, enameling, glass fusing, and more!
- Large firing chamber (6" x 6" x 5") with front-loading door for easy access.
- Designed with a programmable digital controller with 30 settings & lighted cooling fan
- Made In the U.S.A
Features:
11. Hot Max 500G Big Max 500,000 BTU Propane Torch
- Premiere 500,000 BTU propane torch on the market.
- Trademarked molded handle for more comfort and control.
- Comes fully assembled.
- Burns clean and efficient propane - no caustic chemicals.
- Perfect for home, farm, industrial, and construction.
Features:
12. Small Melting Ceramic Crucible Dish Cup Set of 2 Melting Gold Silver Copper Whip Tongs Handle 2A
- Ceramic Silica Crucible Torch Dish Cup Kit
- 2 Size Ceramic Crucibles + Tongs
- 100 Gram 250 Gram Capacity
- Designed for Torch Applications
- Easy To Use
Features:
13. Pewter Ingot (2lbs - Britannia Alloy - Lead Free) by MS MetalShipper
✔️ PEWTER INGOT 2LBS - BRITANNIA ALLOY - 92% TIN | 7.5% ANTIMONY | 0.5% COPPER. Our Pewter Ingots are approximately 2 pounds each and are made up of 92% Tin, 7.5% Antimony, and 0.5% Copper. This is lead-free pewter and is very good to use for casting. We sell this Pewter in ingot form as shown i...
14. 30 Lb Petrobond Casting Sand Gold Silver Copper Jewelry Clay Alternative
Includes 30 lbs of sandFor use with gold, silver, bronze, copper, and moreCasts highly-detailed pieces
15. Jax Pewter Patina, Black, 16 oz
16oz bottle(1 pint)Produces a dark black antique finish on pewter, lead, brass,bronze,copper,tin-lead alloys and solderMade in the usa
16. #3-4 Kg ProCast Foundry Clay Graphite Crucibles with Pour Spout Cup Propane Furnace Torch Melting Casting Refining Gold Silver Copper Brass Aluminum
Rated to withstand temperatures up to 1560°F - 2912° F (850°C - 1600°C)Designed for melting gold, silver, copper, brass, aluminum, and more metalsIdeal for use with propane melting furnaces/forges
17. Moldable Plastic Pellets by Polly Plastics (80 oz. Value Pack) | Thermoplastic Beads | Great for Cosplay, Projects, Repairs, Hobbies, Art, Sculpture
HEAT & CREATE – Melt our moldable plastic pellets with hot water (>150F) and mold to any shape you like, by using your hands or using tools.STRONG & REUSABLE – Plastic pellets can be re- melted again and again so you can build, reshape and add to your work as often as needed. Paint it, drill it,...
If you're doing lost pla, you need some way to burn out the pla from the investment. Since you're doing jewelry, you don't need a huge kiln, something smaller will do. I finally broke down and bought a burn-out kiln that's designed for just that kind of thing. Programmable so you can have it heat up to specific levels for specific times. I've only used this a few times, but wish I'd bought it a year ago. It's small (about the size of two toasters), but works great once you figure out how to program:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H43Q81K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The controller on this is from a third party, so if you'd rather save the money and do it yourself, you can make your own kiln.
Other than that, you need a furnace, crucible, tongs, some muffin tins, leather gloves, and propane. With the furnace, you can build your own and then swap in commercial parts later. For example, I started with this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHD10DjxM1g
but now I'm swapping out my homemade jets with:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B019X6E7L4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I'd suggest checking out lots of videos on youtube, seeing how people go through the process and noting what equipment you need. Mix and match as you go - metal casing is thousands of years old, so you don't need a huge initial outlay to get started. Would definitely still go with propane if I were to do it all over again.
that cruciable is VERY small.... you want something bigger for sure. If its a backyard forge, and you are going to be melting aluminum, you can try a cast iron crucible. you can get one on amazon... they are sold as lead melting pots for making bullets. a 10lb lead pot will hold about 2+ lbs of aluminum. Cast iron works better than steel (like old fire extinguishers). Steel will leach into the aluminum and eventually your castings will get some rusting.
As to where to cast... think of what you have as a BBQ gril... a really really high powered BBQ. anywhere you can grill, you can cast :) as you arent burning wood (I assume you arent).
You could cast on your driveway/parking lot, but you should considder opening a 50lb bag of and and pouring it into a spot and putting your furnace directly on the sand, and then another bag spread out under your pouring area incase you have any spills, the sand will keep your driveway from exploding.
I would definately think twice about casting near the snow or water. if the metal COVERs some water/snow it will turn to steam and "explode" (not really an explosion, more the steam is projecting the molten metal). if you cleared the snow, and then poured down some fresh sand, you should have a pretty dry area to pour.
edit : here is a link to a 20lb lead pot, see if it will fit your furnace : http://www.amazon.com/Jones-Stephens-L42-006-Lead-Melting/dp/B000CNKFRI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1452183743&sr=8-4&keywords=cast+iron+lead+pot
if its too big, they have 10 lb pots also.
Good luck! Glad to be of help :)
I strongly suspect it's worth adding a layer of kaowool on the outside of your kiln once it's rebuilt; that insulation will pay for itself fast. Let me know if you want help running numbers on insulation value.
Be careful with the kill-a-watt. In theory you could wire it that way, but it's only rated for 15A, not 30, and you might well fry it. If you want a wired-in meter that doesn't do watts and power factor, they're fairly cheap.
Here you go. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KVSU60/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_km5QBb3DGQ2QP
This is s product called aginate. You mix it with water 1:1 by volume and it sets into a semi solid gel. It's derived from sea weed, and is very safe. This is the sort of product used for dental molds and sets within minutes. It's perfect for casting hands.
Pro tip: a quick spray of wd40 or some other spray lubricant on your arm/hand will help reduce the number of air bubbles that cling to the skin when molding. They will come through in the cast.
Edit: this is to get a plaster original. DO NOT POUR MOLTEN METAL IN TO ANYTHING WET! This stuff might work with wax, I haven't tried.
So the burn out klin, is that purely to melt the PLA from the investment (mold?). Or would you also want to use that to melt your required metal?
As for going with Propane, that would be for the furnace to melt the metal? You prefer it over electric on something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/ProCast-Melting-Refining-Precious-Aluminum/dp/B01D7IITLS/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1542309580&sr=8-15&keywords=electric+kiln
The burnout oven is the most expensive part of the setup if your looking to make rings or other smaller stuff I would suggest you get one of these this will be my next purchase the small size and rapid heating makes it perfect for casting small pieces
https://www.amazon.com/Rapidfire-Digital-Programmable-Controller-Beadmaking/dp/B00CUKD1UY/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=table+top+furnace&qid=1572903793&sprefix=table+top+fur&sr=8-4
I’m using
Hot Max 500G Big Max 500,000 BTU... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00282LP34?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
will pair it with a well insulated metal trashcan, one or two layers of ceramic blanket with satanite, and fire bricks at the bottom. Could it get as high as 2300 F? I’d rather not buy a higher range temperature gun if I don’t need to. Thanks for the help.
I use (to melt alluminum in small amounts in open air) the bernzomatic ts8000 with standard propane and a crucible i bough off amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IBSCMCC/ref=sspa_mw_detail_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1) make sure to buy boraz to season the crucible and a pair of thick proective gloves that go a decent way up your forearm, and make sure you pour into your cast over sand or dirt.
Hmm, the SmoothOn website (https://www.smooth-on.com/products/mold-max-60/) says it has a 560F max, and some of the pewters I find online (eg https://www.amazon.com/Pewter-Ingot-2lbs-Britannia-Alloy/dp/B01F5SBCY4) list a melting point of 563F and pouring temp of 650F.
Depending on how big you plan on going with your items, I highly recommend getting an oil-sand like petrobond.
It really drops the learning curve/complexity because there is no gas that needs to escape.
The sand can be recharged with a bit of motor oil after it gets "depeleted" but, of course, avoid breathing the fumes after you pour.
Sorry, I just got into this, and forgot to use the correct terminology. You're right, foundry.
I looked into the crucible and This is what I have decided to buy.
Two more questions if you don't mind.
and
I used a wooden form pressed into delf sand to make the mold. I tried making a form out of wax but it was crumbling and falling apart constantly. I hadn't heard of using foam yet.
Has anyone tried low temp moldable plastic for the form? It melts at lower than boiling water, but I'm concerned it might burn up and leave black carbonized ash embedded in the metal. If you've tried it, how did it go?
Polly Plastics Moldable Plastic Pellets. 5 lbs. In Heavy Duty Resealable Bag. Bonus Idea Booklet Included https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C559GC0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_h91vCb37W9YK3