Found Dreaming

Retco online is the only place where Ive been able to find Petrobond Clay for sale by the lb, and they want $3.09 per. They also sell 50lb of premixed petrobond with 90 mesh silica sand for ~$60 plush shipping, also not a bad deal. They are in Elk Grove Illinois (at least their offices are), so hopefully shipping to Cincinnati wont be so bad. Ifsco is in Cali, so Im guessing it would be considerably more expensive for them to ship, and the smallest qty they offer is 100 lbs (but to be honest, I bet I could use that much lol), and I have no idea about budget casting supply prices.

Do you mind sharing your supplier David? If not, I do understand - possible business opportunity I suppose. But my supply of Bentone 34 is drying up, and after seeing Barry's truck-box molding-bench idea, Im ready to expand my foundry! Im torn though between buying premixed, and mixing myself. First, I dont have access to a muller. The big plants have big mullers which apparently get the sand VERY well prepped for molding, I mull by hand. I also dont have access to good sand without buying it and shipping it. If Im going to buy and ship sand, might as well buy and ship premixed, premulled, high quality stuf to begin with. Like I said, Im torn...

4cylndrfury wrote:Do you mind sharing your supplier David? If not, I do understand - possible business opportunity I suppose. But my supply of Bentone 34 is drying up, I mull by hand. I also dont have access to good sand without buying it and shipping it. If Im going to buy and ship sand, might as well buy and ship premixed, premulled, high quality stuf to begin with. Like I said, Im torn...

Sorry for choppin your quote up.
No I don't mind sharing heck we all gotta help each other. It's Smith and Sharpe in Minneapolis Minn. Do a google for foundry supplies in Minn. they will show up. They carry a pretty good size line of products. Guy I talked to when I called them was friendly and answered all my questions with out trying to get rid of me, which means hes was bored or he was actually trying ot help. Anyway the price he quoted me was two dollars a pound on the Petrobond II powder plus shipping so that would make a 50 pound bag around 150 to 175 dollars shipped to my doorstep, I didn't ask about the Cat as I was interested in the II which people say you don't need the Cat for, besides I have a source for Methyal Hydrate, or good old racing alchoal fuel. stuff smells just like the Cat that I got from Retco. And 40 bucks for five gallons beats buying their Cat. and if I find it won't work I can always burn it in my lawn mower and get the yard done faster.

You might want ot check the quikrete site for the office nearest you and call em or email em and see who they sell 1965-55 sand too in your area. I emailed then and they came back with two places local to me in Oklahoma, althought they didn't have the one of the guy I get my white sand from.

A little something that I ran onto in Argentina, they said it was used to condition clay for tennis court.

Too bad it wouldnt fit in the carry on

that is a good sized bit of kit I hope you took lots of pics of it.

only took two pictures of it, and this is the better of the two. Its actually quite simple as the only thing that moves is the two wheels. I think it has a rearend from a car in it for a right angle drive as you can see the motor is mounted flat and sideways, so there is some sort of a R/A gearbox underneath it. Them two wheels are monstrous there like 6 inches wide and over 18 inches high.

The guy that I rode around with, Super at the plant. Said that they used it to mix clay for the courts that you can see in the background in the right of the picture. stuff looks like Red Oklahoma Clay.

any code inspectors in here, close your eyes the wiring you see on the pole is pretty typical for that part of the world with something outside, and all the brick you see in the wall were made by hand and fired in open stacks with wood.

David

Ok its been awhile since I visited this thread thought I better update myself.

I build this thing kinda out of Steve Chastians book, so with me not reading the book (only looked at the pictures) and basically just flying by my ass while building it. It actually works pretty damn good, the wheel could of probably been a little heavier, the machining sure enough could of been better, the welding I need to finish but whats on there won't break, and I just think I figured out what I am going to do with the door.

I would like a door that by raising a handle stright up the door followed, and when pushed down pass center it would lock so it wouldn't flip open. I think I have that one figured out, need to see if I can rework a hinge I have then I should be set on that.

Now the good part it mixes sand like no tomorrow, fifty pounds is pretty much the limit with oil bonded sand, although I have had eighty in it, but it gets the crawlies and wants to climb out of the tub. I can shake out my big wood flask that I have, all in one side flip the switch it goes, it doesn't wait, it pulls right through the mass and does the mash potato thing.

Sand is I'm no expert, and what I am using at the moment is some pretty course play sand modified with some find Silica Sand around 100 to 120 grit. the Sand rams up very good, locking up tight enough that I don't have to worry about it falling out (I ram by hand) it vents pretty good, has a burn back of about 3/16 to 1/4 inch ( I should take some pictures of a mold after I pour).

Anyway all in all, I'm pretty happy with the muller, I would advise anyone in the casting hobby/business to get one, buy it, steal it, talk your buddy into building it, but get one it takes a ton of work off of you. I flip the switch go get the flask come back flip the switch again I'm ready to ram up the part I want to pour.

One thing thought, don't do like I did and get the drive tube off center, good thing I still haven't welded it in. Them four tack welds holding it in place have to be the best ones I ever made.

David.