Success!
The propane burner gets more than hot enough to melt the aluminum in open
air. It is so hot in fact that you cannot stand to be within 6 feet in
front of it. Even holding the transmission case off to the side I was
getting very uncomfortable. It took about 3 minutes to get the case to
melt using about 15 psi of gas pressure. The picture below shows the first
drop of molten aluminum that fell to the ground. Small chunks held
with the pliers melt in about 20 seconds.
Now I just
have to build the foundry furnace!
Lessons and Tips
Read, Understand and Prepare! Familiarize
yourself with the project and understand all the steps before
beginning.
Read the FAQs available at Ron Reil's site. Learn
first what other people have done wrong so that you won't repeat
the same mistakes.
Take your time. Don't Rush. The old saying
"haste makes waste" applies not only to materials but
also to your precious free time.
If there is something you don't understand then
seek out people in your community involved in forge and foundry
work, establish a relationship and politely ask for advice. Most
important, respect the time they give you and don't abuse the
privelege.
If you follow all of these tips and the
instructions contained here you should be able to successfully
build your own working propane burner.
