locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

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Harry
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Re: locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

Post by Harry »

No problem David, I certainly understand how you feel but I am in the position where I think they will be beneficial to me. I know the little brass tubes I got from the hardware store work great for cutting sprues but they certainly are not like my real sprue cutters. The purpose built ones I have are a heavier gauge so they dont bend up as easily from tossing them on the shelf or tapping to shake out the sand and they have a rolled over end that makes it nice for pushing against rather than a sharp edge.

I will send your $ back now though and get the ones for HT and myself ordered.
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dallen
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Re: locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

Post by dallen »

I can understand all the reasons for having the right tool for the job, I'm not trying to make a living doing this, its a hobby. and like all hobbies you spend money on them as i have this I just ordered 10 pounds of Silicon Metal, price on the metal wasn't bad, warehouse charge they charge for what leaks out of a busted bag really sucks 45.00 but I paid it because they could charge 10.00 a pound instead of the 1.87.

I just can't see spending 35 bucks on a tube that they told you at the start was gonna be 25.00 and with the 65 I already had in with what more was thats almost a hundred bucks. I just can't see it. I need a syphon nozzle a lot more then I need a sprue cutter that cost that much.
David and Charlie aka the shop monster

If life seems normal your not going fast enough" Mario Andrette
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Harry
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Re: locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

Post by Harry »

I can certainly understand and sympathize with the sentiment David. I wasnt trying to convince you that you needed them, more like convincing myself that I do. I am pretty certain I will be quite happy with them and even though the price is not as good as I thought it was going to be initially I have not found them cheaper elsewhere... in fact they are pretty tough to find anywhere. I do commend you on finding alternatives, I had read in the past of using a solid taper when ramming to create the sprue but for me that seemed like too much trouble to ram up around it.
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints the sinners are much more fun...
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dallen
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Re: locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

Post by dallen »

no I wasn't thinking that Harry, I was just venting. I really wanted the sprue cutter but I'm not gonna or I just can justify that much in my brain cell (only have one left) that its worth that much, you know almost 100 dollars for two damn brass tubes hell I'll make tapered tube roller and start making the damn things myself.

All a guy would really need is a good fast press and a die and mandrel and tube of the right diameter.

So you over your bug or are you gonna give everyone in the forum the crud you had????
David and Charlie aka the shop monster

If life seems normal your not going fast enough" Mario Andrette
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Harry
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Re: locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

Post by Harry »

If a guy had the equipment for making these things he could probably market them to foundry places and sell a couple dozen a year. Thats why they are so expensive, no one wants to make them because there is no real volume market.

I am still coughing some crap up but for the most part the bug is dead. I think I tried to get back to working a little quick and ended up taking a couple more days off and just resting. Yesterday I did 800lbs of sand in a dozen molds for 22 parts in about 4 hrs, kind of felt worn down by the time I was done but then that is a pretty good run any time so I think I am just about up to snuff. Have quite a few molds to do today, need to get my second molding bench set up so I can add another 1000 lbs to the heap. I dont think I could get through that much sand in a single run but it would be enough to do a run in the morning and another in the evening and let the sand cool overnight before using again.
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints the sinners are much more fun...
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Re: locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

Post by HT1 »

I always run out of flasks before I run out of sand, Harry you must have a few hundred flasks laying about
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Harry
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Re: locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

Post by Harry »

HT, I mold and pour at the same time. Thats why it is so important to me that my furnace have fine control and stay where it is set. I can get it so that I have a new pot ready every 10 to 20 minutes without worrying about it overheating. This afternoon I poured 10 molds that accounted for about 500 lbs of sand over the course of about 3 hours. The part was large enough that I could feed back a 3 lb ingot and some sprue returns into the heel left. The furnace was set so that each pot was ready in just under 15 minutes which was enough time to mold up a new flask and shake out the last one so they were all done in 2 flasks.
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints the sinners are much more fun...
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Re: locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

Post by HT1 »

I dont have anyplace to shake out hot sand, so I'm done when all my flasks are filled. two heats, 60Lbs. and I'm done for at least a few hours. If I built a few more flasks, I could get out to three heats before I ran out of sand, but I doubt the first sand poured would be cool enough to mull with only 3-4 hours of cooling time. I'm pouring almost all brass, so it takes some time to cool
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Re: locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

Post by Harry »

Even with aluminum I always let my sand cool overnight before using again.

I use a steel trash can, it was about $30 at the hardware store and holds between 7 and 800 lbs of sand. If I do more than that then one of the bins on my steel sink will be empty so I can shake out there. Each of the two bins on the sink holds 500 lbs. I use a big steel feed scoop that will pick up about 10 lbs of sand at a time so its not a lot of trouble but getting down to the bottom of the can which is at floor level is more work than a raised bin.

I have another one of these sinks I need to get set up to increase my capacity to a ton. This second molding bench will be on wheels so I can put it over by the molding floor to ease shakeout then drag it over close to the muller to save steps in shuttling the sand. It will also give me a second molding station for the few times when I have a helper. I have found it economically tough to hire a helper with only one molding station because it leaves me standing too much, if I had a second bench I could really knock out a lot of molds with one person doing nothing but that the whole time and me molding when not pouring or shaking out parts.

I really wish I had mad my foundry area a little wider for extra room. I will have to shoe horn in the new bench but I think it will be worth it.
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints the sinners are much more fun...
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Re: locating a 1/2 in tapered sprue cutter

Post by HT1 »

Steel trash can??? You know tractor Supply company sells big steel tubs for watering animals, I bet one of those would be perfect for shakeout and storing sand
http://www.tractorsupply.com/livestock/ ... ub-2202111

Build a wood base and put some casters on it, and it would be great for that burnt sand, waiting for it's turn in the muller
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