| Australian grassroots motor racing grew up | | | | high quality cast parts that would be |
| with the home built special. Many examples of | | | | otherwise unobtainable. If you have never |
| these historic cars are still in existence | | | | contemplated casting your own metal parts, |
| today. Some were built as circuit racers, but | | | | then you'd be amazed at the many different |
| many were built for the ever-popular hill | | | | things that can be made, especially if you |
| climb events held at the various climbs | | | | have a well-equipped machine shop. It is |
| scattered around Australia.To build a | | | | possible to make those hard to get parts |
| competitive home built racecar today requires | | | | right in your own home foundry workshop... |
| many skills. | | | | for a very low cost.The foundry process is |
| | | | basically carried out by producing a pattern, |
| Most importantly the racecar enthusiast | | | | |
| constructor will need to have | | | | |
| | | | which is normally made from timber, but |
| hands on knowledge of metal fabrication | | | | patterns can also be made |
| skills, i.e., knowing how to | | | | |
| | | | from many other materials, one particular |
| weld or braze metal, or machining skills may | | | | compound that can be |
| also be required to operate | | | | |
| | | | used to reproduce broken parts to make a new |
| lathes and milling machines to produce many | | | | pattern is RTV silicone.Once a pattern is |
| of the special one off | | | | produced, it is imbedded into the foundry |
| | | | sand to make a cavity, green sand is a common |
| parts. Just as in the early days of | | | | type of foundry sand, but there are many |
| Australian motor racing, today's constructor | | | | other types of easy to use sand moulding |
| needs to be extremely resourceful.If the | | | | mediums. After the sand is rammed around the |
| budget is tight, the home race-car builder | | | | pattern, or the silicate sand has set, the |
| can use many avenues | | | | pattern is carefully removed from the sand |
| | | | mould, and the mould is closed and made ready |
| to keep the construction costs down to an | | | | for the pour..A simple gas fired furnace can |
| acceptable level, being multi | | | | be constructed to melt the metal which |
| | | | |
| skilled will allow the home fabricator to | | | | is then poured into the sand mould to create |
| construct all manner of things | | | | the casting. Once the |
| | | | |
| instead of resorting to expensive of the | | | | casting has cooled, it is removed from the |
| shelf custom made parts.Many people are | | | | sand mould, cleaned and |
| unaware that metal casting techniques can be | | | | |
| used in the home workshop to cast lightweight | | | | prepared for the machining & finishing |
| aluminium parts. Metal casting is not that | | | | operations. Quite often, the complete |
| difficult to do, and in the last couple of | | | | operation; from pattern to finished casting |
| years there has been a worldwide resurgence | | | | can be achieved |
| of home metal casting, i.e., people have been | | | | |
| busy setting up a simple home workshop | | | | in just a few days, and that is the great |
| foundry to cast special metal parts that | | | | advantage of being in full control of the |
| would otherwise be quite expensive if sourced | | | | whole operation, you can manufacture and |
| professionally.Basically all you really need | | | | finish everything in house, while reducing |
| is to build some simple foundry equipment, | | | | the overall cost to an absolute minimum.Once |
| | | | you are familiar with the basic foundry |
| and learn & practice the basic skills, and | | | | techniques, and you |
| before long you will soon be | | | | |
| | | | understand the techniques involved, you will |
| creating some amazing things in metal with | | | | be able to create many |
| your own mini foundry.A basic understanding | | | | |
| of foundry knowledge and self - built | | | | things in metal that you would otherwise not |
| equipment | | | | thought possible.To learn more about metal |
| | | | casting visit our web site, you can download |
| is the key to your metal casting | | | | a free ebook on setting up a small back shed |
| success.Proven foundry methods and techniques | | | | foundry for metal casting, |
| are employed by model | | | | |
| | | | visit: written by Col Croucher. Australia. |
| engineers, home mechanics, car & motorbike | | | | This article can be reproduced as long as |
| restorers etc, to create | | | | full credit is given to the author and the |
| | | | web link remains within the article. |