My Brother's Foundry

[MinnesotaEric]

I popped over to my brother's shop where he'd just started filling an order for his air filter housings. Over the last thirty years many people have learned how to do short-run foundry work from him.

Anyway, not welding, but I think it is interesting.

 

[cqaigy2]

We played with that in metal shop in high school. Found out what happens if you mix a small piece of magnesium in with aluminum. It caught on fire and started the aluminum burning too. A school chum and i took the crucible outside and set it down. Cracked the crucible. Luckily the shop teacher was there as we were going to just pour the crucible out on the gravel. Teacher stopped us and said it could explode when dumping it out because of moisture in the gravel.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

We played with that in metal shop in high school. Found out what happens if you mix a small piece of magnesium in with aluminum. It caught on fire and started the aluminum burning too. A school chum and i took the crucible outside and set it down. Cracked the crucible. Luckily the shop teacher was there as we were going to just pour the crucible out on the gravel. Teacher stopped us and said it could explode when dumping it out because of moisture in the gravel.

Over the years, my brother has helped any number of people and schools learn how to set up and do foundry work. An engineer by trade, years ago he started teaching himself so he could make replacement parts for his ancient fleet or motorcycles. Since then he has made everything from furniture parts to aircraft parts.

 

[jaxs]

Velly interesting,thank you. I suspect he is in high demand as a teacher and demonstrator. With the recent heat wave,how can he stay in there long enough to do that? When he pulled it out of sand I thought it was half a blower housing but you say air filter. Your bro's mug doesn't ring a bell but your's reminds me of a fellow who consorts with a pair of curmudgeons calling themselves Mikey and Frosty. Am i correct?

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Velly interesting,thank you. I suspect he is in high demand as a teacher and demonstrator. With the recent heat wave,how can he stay in there long enough to do that? When he pulled it out of sand I thought it was half a blower housing but you say air filter. Your bro's mug doesn't ring a bell but your's reminds me of a fellow who consorts with a pair of curmudgeons calling themselves Mikey and Frosty. Am i correct?

Jaxs, I don't know a Mikey and Frosty. Heat wise, my brother has never had a reason to insulate his garage as those kilns of his can bake everybody off to the outside.

 

[BucketHoe]

Molten metal, beer and a crowded work area, always a great combination

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I spent 6 years of my life working in two different foundries, running lines, pouring iron, shakeout ect...

With any luck I won't EVER have to do it again, the smell of the hot iron about makes me sick to my stomach thinking about what those jobs were like, I have no desire do that again!!

SR

 

[RoyJackson]

Worked in 2 foundries over the years...one was aluminum, the other cast iron (wood stoves). The aluminum foundry was fairly clean, for a foundry.
Foundrymen are pretty tough...one of the owners of the aluminum foundry always maintained "Foundrymen are in one of two places...they're either at work, or they're in jail..." Not too far off the mark.
I much prefer working in other industries though...

 

[dadohead]

I served my wood patternmaking apprenticeship at Caterpillar in the early 80's. The pattern shop was attached to the foundry but light years away in conditions... well lit, air conditioned, and quiet. Walking into the foundry was like entering another world. The new guys were put to work on the chipper line. Their hands were always wrapped with rags trying to soften the constant impacts from the pneumatic chipping hammers... I still can't believe that job even existed.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Molten metal, beer and a crowded work area, always a great combination

You forgot the cussin' too! Cussin' is an important part of my brother's process of communication. Smile.