Metal Casting - Part 2
A Sand Casting Manual for the Small Foundry
by
Steve Chastain
Here's the second half of Steve's comprehensive foundry manual, and I think it's even better than the first volume.
Chapters
include solidification of metals: the differences between pure metals and
alloys. Then aluminum alloys are discussed: effect of alloying, grain refiners,
heat treatment, hardening, melt reactions, practice and more. Chapter 3 covers
copper alloys: bronze, brass, aluminum bronze, and more.
Chapter 4 launches into iron: the effects of carbon and silicon, ductile iron, alkali fluxes, alloying elements, etc.
The
next three chapters cover gating, directional solidification, heat loss from
risers, making insulated riser sleeves, 
pattern
allowances for shrinkage, match plates, making rubber molds, making a vacuum
chamber (for rubber molds), making a match plate, and more.
Chapter 8 provides useful foundry projects: a sturdy flask lock, a knee operated air valve, variations of the aluminum flask, making piston castings, cylinder head castings, and casting piston rings. You'll see old photos of Ford flathead V-8's being produced.
And
you get the usual biblography, appendices, list of suppliers and all that.
You don't have to know a lot to pour useful castings, and have
fun doing it. Once you try it, though, you run the risk of becoming addicted
to melting metal. And once that happens you'll want to get beyond the
basics and become a "gourmet" sand crab cooking up really 
impressive
castings. Check out the photos of Steve's pistons and engine head, and
you'll see what I mean.
More
good stuff from the head sand-crab. Same quality as his other books. Consider
it carefully. 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 softcover 208 pages
No. 1564 ... $19.95
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