| Furnace burners potentially create more than | | | | burner design is simple, yet effective, but |
| enough problems for the hobby metal casting | | | | there are some components incorporated in the |
| worker, it is not unusual to read about | | | | design that only require basic lathe turning |
| people who are attempting to build a furnace, | | | | skills. But general workshop knowledge is |
| only to be confronted with problems and | | | | sufficient to build this item. There's no |
| frustration with a complex burner? | | | | rocket science involved.The blower consists |
| | | | of a second hand household vacuum cleaner |
| It is quite simple to construct a crucible | | | | (the type that has a second outlet for the |
| furnace, but the stumbling block seems to be: | | | | hose connection that blows). The vac also has |
| "The burner". Why?Problems seem to manifest | | | | an electronic vari motor speed control, which |
| themselves because:For some reason, people | | | | enables a regulated low-volume airflow to be |
| choose to fabricate complex burners from | | | | delivered during the burner start up |
| detailed drawings without the skills, tooling | | | | phase.This feature is MOST important during |
| and machining facilities in which the | | | | the furnace start up.Does this burner work? |
| original designer employed during the design | | | | You bet it does, the burner is capable of |
| & building process.With the necessary | | | | melting a 5 Kg (11lbs) charge of Aluminium |
| workshop skills coupled with a reasonable | | | | from a cold start in less than 40 minutes.The |
| selection of equipment & tools, will have a | | | | gas supply is provided from a Liquid |
| marked effect on how well you, as a hobby | | | | Petroleum (LP) cylinder (Propane in the |
| foundry worker, will be able to construct the | | | | states) It is essential that the gas supply |
| equipment required for the successful melting | | | | be controlled by an adjustable industrial |
| of metal.There are no short cuts when it | | | | diaphragm gas regulator gauge suitable for LP |
| comes to building equipment for your hobby | | | | gas, there is no other SAFE way to regulate & |
| foundry, to cobble something together in a | | | | deliver fuel gas to a furnace burner. A ball |
| rough fashion is only asking for trouble in | | | | valve should be installed in line as an |
| the future, it is well to heed the old trade | | | | emergency shut off valve.There's no reason to |
| school teacher quote: | | | | build & operate complex burners that require |
| | | | special size jets, and shrouds, which must be |
| "If a job is worth doing, you might as well | | | | operated at a certain gas/air pressure? There |
| do it properly in the first place" | | | | is nothing more frustrating than an apparatus |
| | | | that won't operate as it should; why spend |
| He is right, you know.You can learn how to | | | | half the day mucking around with something |
| build an effective simple furnace burner, | | | | that is an absolute pain to use, when you |
| which is well documented in the hobby foundry | | | | should be enjoying your metal casting |
| ebook "Metal Casting Made Easy" available at | | | | experience!The people who design & build |
| our web site. But to explain everything in | | | | complex burners for other's to copy, possess |
| detail here would take up far too much time & | | | | lathes, milling machines and many other |
| space.Following is a simplified | | | | expensive machine tools to build the burners, |
| description:The burner consists of a long | | | | but if you choose to build it even slightly |
| plain black mild steel pipe. The burner end | | | | different to the original design specs, there |
| nozzle consists of an inverted cone. There is | | | | is a good chance the burner just wont work |
| a mid section where a venturi is installed; | | | | properly!To learn more about building hobby |
| the gas jet is located near the venturi.The | | | | metal casting tools and equipment, visit: |
| simple brass jet protrudes into the forced | | | | |
| air stream, which travels through the burner | | | | A rich info resource centre for the hobby |
| tube. The gas jet orifice is quite large and | | | | metal caster.This article may be reproduced |
| operates under low pressure; the air | | | | as long as the URL links and reference |
| delivered by the blower to the burner tube is | | | | remain. |
| low pressure, but moves at a high volume.The | | | | |