Found Dreaming

Swamp cooler? I never thought of that. Maybe such a thing would make it possible for me to melt more than two pots of bronze before I begin to get faint from overheating.

Richard

I appear to be phasing myself out of California, Harry. I have only spent two months there, May and June, since last Thanksgiving. I signed a six month lease on my apartment today instead of a year. I am questioning the expense, given I use it so seldom. The trouble is I have a great sculpture works...

What's winter?

R

People do come and go. They get fascinated by something, do it for a while, and then they're on to something else. But then some of us, when we set out on a path, we follow it all the way, to the end—past the hard part, past the hopeless part, past the boring part, until we have attained some degree...

I keep a bucket of roadside red clay around for tuyere plugging. It's about one part clay to two parts sand. When I stick the burner in I pack the clay in around it. Now I have to figure what to do about the fire coming out of the drain hole in the bottom. It's not really a problem, but it's annoyin...

I was thinking that all this business about insulation was overrated. Unless of course you are using a little propane burner in your garage in the suburbs. This Hot Shot makes more heat than I can use, and for free—except for the electricity to run the blower. I'm building a new big furnace for my #...

My small furnace is a 3 inch outer shell of local clay/sand with a 1/2 inch Mizzou hot face. I use a Lionel Hot Shot oil burner. I melt bronze in a #8 Starrbide crucible. I pre heat to maybe 300 F with a Reil. From there I turn on the oil and it takes less than 30 minutes to my pour temp of 2300 F. ...

Good Lord Jammer! I get heat exhaustion working around my little furnace. 50 tons of hot iron; I can't imagine. That is for the young guys.

Richard

Of course I'm in Mexico, but down here we go to the hardware store and buy a tank: 20, 30, or 40; that's kilos I guess. Then you call the gas man and the truck comes. I give him the empty tank and he gives me a full one. I have two 20's right now and plan to buy a third. I like 20's for the ease of ...

Never pass up free metal.

Richard