kettenkopf

Ausf,

If you want to pursue Zamak Pz. links I could be your man. I have done both LWC aluminum Pz. IV links after the Bandai pattern and also M-18 Zamak links using CRMC that is centrifigal rubber mold casting. We would have to discuss compensation for shrinkage in the link master, but if you can supply a metal original I can cast your track complete with pin holes. I have folded this capibility into my part-time jewelry business so it will cost you in time and materials as it is a business for me.

If you can do LWC aluminum then, by all means, do that, but be aware it will take you a solid week of work easily. The upside is your cost is almost nothing as it is mostly labor on your part, the downside is repeating the process for a second set post original pattern creation is way more time-consuming then the CRMC method.


Rich

Tanque

Haven't had much time to get back to this but as of this evening... almost there...

Jerry

Tanque

Late this afternoon I was able to make a first melt with the baby!

I was impressed with how fast even at an initially fairly rich heat I was able to melt some odds and ends scrap to pouring temperature.

The burner gas valve was barely 1/4 open and the blower was at approximately 80-85% of top speed. I wanted to be cautious as I
detected some wisps of steam in the cool early evening air( it's why I waited ) coming from the furnace body. By next melt I shouldn't see that.

I selected a difficult to mold pattern as my first part although I couldn't locate my my backing supports so I couldn't ram the flask as tightly
as I wanted. This shows as some roughness above the rear opening of the part: a cooling blower housing for my tanks' gas engines. As rough as
it appears ( and ugly!) it is a very usable part and has a good ring to it. I'll machine or file the roughness out to assuage my founder's pride though
a perfect part is always preferable....

I keep adding to this post. I used a #4 crucible for this melt. Filled only to a bit less than 1/2 capacity. The scrap used was from an old TV antenna
that a neighbor brought down. This was a quick test; admittedly my prep work on the molding was rather shoddy and last minute
but I didn't want to fire a melt for the sake if it only...I didn't even skim the crucible of slag. Cutting corners is risky but it this case to the
quality of the casting only. I will add that I should be pouring on a sand floor or dirt but due to the small quantity involved I poured with flasks on wood and
had a raised ingot mold at the ready. It can't be seen but everything hot was supported by firebrick. I know better than to subject winter
humidified cement to anything really hot.

Photos are in order ( at least the way I uploaded them):

1 minute after firing and closing lid
3 minutes after closing lid
just before pulling lid
after pouring
part yet in sand
pattern and part ( with sprue/risers yet intact)

So success! It works! Huzzah!

Jerry

Tanque

An addendum. I find that I have excess materials and enough for someone of a like mind to make another furnace. I will sell them at cost
if anyone wants them. It would be for a local person to come by and get them.

I have the following:

1 1/2+ sacks of the refractory I used in this project( more than enough to replicate this)
an extra 5 gallon steel can
partial bag of playground sand ( used to fill the center plug for the furnace body)
10,000 rpm motor ( you'll have to make your own blower )

These materials are more than enough to get you on your way. I'd take any additional photos that might be helpful but this thread has most of
what info you would need. This is not a project for the beginner or faint of heart and once the materials are out of my hands I will take no responsibility
for their use or misuse. Melting metal at the temperature a furnace made with these materials is capable of is dangerous and can severely hurt or kill you.
Even a small one like this.

Jerry