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How To Make The Mini Metal Foundry

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There are lots of things in this life that simple. We should all strive towards a more simple life. It makes everything better. You might look at this foundry and wonder, why on earth, but it is a multifunction DIY project. 

There are lots of things in this life that simple. We should all strive towards a more simple life. It makes everything better. You might look at this foundry and wonder, why on earth, but it is a multifunction DIY project. 

From a prepping standpoint, you are going to be able to cook with hot coals in this foundry which makes it an off-grid cooking and water boiling opportunity.

Materials

  • Steel Bucket
  • Plaster of Paris
  • Play Sand
  • 1 inch steel pipe
  • Hole Saw
  • 5 gallon bucket

Instructions

(remember, always wear eye protection and don’t leave skin exposed when melting the metal, see our disclaimer before proceeding).

Your first step is to set up a work area that could get messy. You are going to mix 21 cups of play sand and 21 cups of plaster with 15 cups of water and mix thoroughly. Do this in a 5-gallon bucket. This is your fire-resistant base and will make up most of your foundry. 

Pour your refractory base into the steel bucket and get a smaller, plastic play bucket.  This should be about 1/3 the size of your steel bucket. Press the plastic bucket into the mixture and it should raise the mix to the top of the bucket. fill the plastic bucket with water. At this point, you are creating the hole in your foundry

Give this mix about an hour to harden.

Meanwhile, you can make a crucible by depressurizing and hacking the top off an old hand-held propane torch. You need a steel vessel to fit down into your drying foundry hole when it’s complete.

Remove the plastic cup after about an hour and a half.

While the plaster is still a bit soft use 1 3/8 hole saw to cut into the steel bucket and through the foundry. Do this it a 30-degree angle sloping up. This is designed to protect you if the crucible fails and hot metal comes out of the pipe. 

For a more in-depth look at how to DIY this project, check out this video.:

There are lots of things in this life that simple. We should all strive towards a more simple life. It makes everything better. You might look at this foundry and wonder, why on earth, but it is a multifunction DIY project.