ADRIAN YAO
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Propane Tank Foundry

Picture
Home-built gas-fired foundry to melt aluminum and brass for investment casting
media:
​​propane tank, refractory, ceramic blanket, angle brackets, black iron and brass piping
Disclaimer: This project involves considerably hazardous steps and should not be attempted without experience. The propane tank that was used in this project was a Bernzomatic 20lb vacuum-purged propane tank that was sold empty straight from the manufacturer, which means no propane gas should have ever been introduced into the tank. Regardless, careful steps to first remove the brass valve were taken, and water was purged in the tank to ensure that no flammable gases were present when cut with an angle grinder. If you are to replicate this project, please do so with utmost caution and common sense.

Finished product
Finished product
Graphite crucible in foundry. Test fire
Graphite crucible in foundry. Test fire
Graphite crucible in foundry
Closed-lid
Welded ring onto lid to allow easy opening with hook
Welded hinge onto lid and body
Lining interior walls with 2" of high temperature ceramic blankets
Lining interior walls with 2" of high temperature ceramic blankets
Casted refractory on lid (with retaining tacks welded in)
Casted refractory base and base block
Casting refractory cement. From left: base block, base, and lid
Welded nails into roof of lid to retain refractory cement
Late night welding...
Mounted gas burner onto foundry frame
Mounted gas burner onto foundry frame
Mounted gas burner onto foundry frame
Cut off top of propane tank to form the lid
Smoothed out 4.5" access hole
Successful rough cut of access hole. Interesting to see float valve in propane tank.
Testing Ron Reil style propane burner
Ron Reil style burner
Testing Ron Reil style propane burner

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Copyright Adrian Yao ©2016. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • Projects
    • Remember Their Faces
    • OnWords & Inwards
    • Custom-Built Lightsaber VI
    • Custom-Built Lightsaber V
    • Custom-Built Lightsaber IV
    • Custom-Built Lightsaber III
    • Drizzy
    • First Aluminum Lost-PLA Cast
    • Crucible Lift and Pour Tongs
    • Custom-Built Lightsaber II
    • Custom-Built Lightsaber I
    • Propane Tank Foundry
    • Remote-Controlled Paintball Gun
    • Red & Blue Portrait Series
    • Machined Aluminum Pens
    • Bottle Service
    • Music Cube
    • Sculpture Self-Portrait
    • Multi-purpose 3-axis CNC Machine
    • LED Self-Portrait
    • MOT Spot Welder
    • Baker Hell Car
    • Patent Prints
    • A Colorful Family - Portrait Series
  • Contact