Metal Casting: A Sand Casting Manual for the Small Foundry, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

Stephen D. Chastain (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2003

Learn how to cast metal in sand molds using simple techniques and readily available materials. Steve Chastain, a Mechanical and Materials Engineer, shows the beginner how to make a sand mold and then how to hone your skill to produce high quality castings. Written in non-technical terms, the sand casting manuals begine by melting cans over a charcoal fire and end by casting a cylinder head. All for little cost in your own back yard! The Sand Casting Manuals are good for both the beginner and experianced metalcaster.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steve Chastain holds a degree in Mechanical and Materials Engineering from the University of Central Florida. He has published several articles on metalcasting, machining and automotive engine restoration. His "Small Foundry Series" of metalcasting books are sold in over 30 countries and used by many schools and Universities. He runs a small foundry and machine shop, producing casings for antique cars and equipment. He has worked as an OEM in the industrial electronics industry.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Chastain Publishing (November 2003)
• ISBN-10: 0970220324
• ISBN-13: 978-0970220325
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overview of Metal Casting, June 12, 2004

By 

James Kreter (Riverside, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Metal Casting: A Sand Casting Manual for the Small Foundry, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

Mr. Stephen Chastain's newest addition to the amateur foundry
literature is a two volume set titled "Metal Casting for the Small Foundry" and builds on his established technical expertise and straightforward explanations in his two prior works "Iron Melting Cupola Furnaces for the Small Foundry" and Build and Oil-Fired Tilting Furnace". Mr. Chastain has condensed an enormous amount of material into these two volumes. By my count he has extracted information from 35 references and conveys the information in a clear manner and readable manner. No other work does this for the beginning foundry enthusiast. A summary of Volume 1 Table of Contents follows:

Chapter 1 The Sand Casting Process
Basic Foundry Equipment

Chapter 2 Foundry Projects
Making a Match Plate Vibrator
Mold Making
Making Wooden Flasks
Making Flask Hardware
Making a an Aluminum Flask
Rammer

Chapter 3 Melting Equipment
Crucibles and Ladles
Furnaces for the Small Foundry
Beginners Charcoal Furnace
Stepping up to a Gas Fired Furnace
Forming Sheet metal for Furnaces

Chapter 4 Temperature Measurement
Thermocouples
Making a Thermocouple Thermometer
Optical Pyrometers

Chapter 5 Foundry Sands and Binders
Molding Sand
Clays
Mullers and Mulling
Cement Binders
Development of Oil Bonded Sand
Petro-Bond
Furan Binders

Chapter 6 Coremaking
Cores
Core Binders
Core Finishing
Core Jigs
Core buoyancy
Strainer Cores

Bibliography 19 references

Appendix Thermocouple tables

Suppliers 23 suppliers/vendors

Index

In short, Mr. Chastain have provided a fairly complete reference
for the beginning and intermediate metal caster in a concise,
readable format. He touches on information that takes nine
separate books in my current library but provides practical
techniques and examples of projects lacking in these
works. Volume 2 builds on this knowledge for the intermediate
and advanced amateur foundry enthusiast. A of the Table of
Contents follows:

Metal Casting vol. 2

Chapter 1 Solidification of Metals
Freezing of Pure Metals
Frizzing of Alloys
Phase Diagrams

Chapter 2 Aluminum Alloys
The Effect of Alloying Agents
Grain Refiners
Solution Heat Treatment and Precipitation
Hardening
The Composition of Aluminum Alloys

Chapter 3 Copper Alloys, Brass and Bronze
Copper Based Casting Alloys
Silicon Bronze
Brasses
Manganese Bronze
Tin and Leaded Bronze
Aluminum Bronze
Solidification Range of Copper Alloys
Brasses and Bronze Foundry Practice

Chapter 4 Metallurgy of Iron
Carbon
Silicon
Carbon Equivalent
Alloying Elements
Ductile Iron
Alkali Fluxes

Chapter 5 Gating Systems
Parts of a Gating System
Filters
Design of Gating Systems

Chapter 6 Risers and Feeding of Castings
Directional Solidification
Chills
Heat loss from Risers
Making Insulated Riser Sleeves

Chapter 7 Patternmaking
Shrinkage
Machinable Allowance
Fillets
Wax Extruder
Follow Boards
Core Prints
Stop-offs
Building a Vacuum Chamber
Making a Matchplate

Chapter 8 Foundry Projects
Make a sturdy Flask Lock
Make a Knee operated Air Valve
Cylinder Head Casting
Piston Casting

Chapter 10 Automotive Castings
Casting Piston Rings
Production of the Ford Flathead V-8

Chapter 11 Miscellaneous
Molding Deep Fins
Lifting Force on Cope

Bibliography 16 additional references

Appendix Aluminum Casting alloy table

Suppliers 23 suppliers/vendors

Index

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you want to learn how to cast, start here, April 4, 2005

By 

Seth Chapman "the289man" (Charleston, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Metal Casting: A Sand Casting Manual for the Small Foundry, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I have always wanted to cast parts to fix my lawn mower, go cart, and such. I half way tried it once with not much luck. I was determined to cast a rear axle support for my go cart that had broken. I ordered this book after reading good reviews on some casting websites.
The book makes sure you have the right tools and materials to start you out on the right foot. Then it goes step by step through small projects to give you practice. It even teaches you the fundamentals to take it to the next level. It took a few tries, but I have finished my rear axle support and added in my own design to make it better. I just ordered volume 2 10 minutes ago.

Great DIY book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable resource for casting, June 8, 2010

By 

Lance Rubin - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Metal Casting: A Sand Casting Manual for the Small Foundry, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I am happy to have this great book. The book was apparently written some years ago as you can tell from the pictures, but the information is invaluable. Anyone wanting to cast brass will find this a treasure! I would have rated this book higher if the pictures were of a higher quality, and the information was more comprehensive. By comprehensive, I am referring to the specifics of building the nozzle for the furnace... This information was not fully covered. However it is still a very valuable resource.