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Iron Casting Techniques

Perhaps the most difficult part about casting iron is obtaining the proper tools. Other than tampers or striking bars, most of the tools used in iron casting aren't everyday items. But with the proper equipment, iron casting is a process that produces robust castings you can use to restore old machines or produce new machines with a touch of iron.

Things You'll Need

  • Cupola
  • Separating powder
  • Striking bar
  • Oiled sand
  • Tamper
  • Flask
  • Mold
  • Plywood board
  • Sieve
  • Thin pipe
  • Spoon
  • Wire
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Instructions

  1. The Mold

    • 1

      Split your mold, or pattern, in half. One half will eventually be placed in the bottom of the flask, the tool that holds the oiled sand together, while the other half is placed in the top.

    • 2

      Place the drag of the flask on top of a plywood board. A cast iron flask has two parts: the cope (the top section) and the drag (the bottom section). First place the drag upside down on the plywood board.

    • 3

      Place one half of the mold in the center of the drag on the face revealed during separation of the mold.

    • 4

      Sprinkle separating powder over the drag and the mold. Separating powder allows you to easily remove the mold from the sand later on.

    • 5

      Place a sieve over the drag and sprinkle enough oiled sand over the mold to cover it. Push down on the sand lightly with your hand until the sand is firm around the mold.

    • 6

      Pack unsieved sand around the mold until the drag is full, then pack it tight using a tamper.

    • 7

      Scrape off excess sand using a striking bar to ensure the bottom of the drag will be level.

    • 8

      Flip the drag over and place the cope on top of it.

    • 9

      Place the second half of the mold on top of the first so the shape is complete again.

    • 10

      Sprinkle separating powder over the whole setup.

    • 11

      Repeat Steps 5 through 7 with the cope.

    • 12

      Place the cope upside down on the plywood and, on both sides of the mold, push a thin pipe through the sand to create a runner and riser for the molten iron to pass through.

    • 13

      Remove the mold from the cope and drag.

    • 14

      Cut a channel from both the runner and the riser into the mold using a spoon. The channel doesn't have to be enormous but it shouldn't impede the flow of molten iron.

    • 15

      Place the cope on its side and push a hole through the top of the mold using a wire to prevent an airlock.

    • 16

      Remove all the excess sand and place the cope on top of the drag.

    • 17

      Cut a pouring channel to the runner using a spoon. Be careful not to cut into the mold. The channel is where you will pour the molten iron into the runner. It needs to slope downward to ensure a steady flow.

    • 18

      Remove excess sand from the cope once more.

    Pouring

    • 19

      Start the cupola to melt the iron and fill your desired pouring tool with molten iron. The pouring tool varies depending on the size of your mold.

    • 20

      Pour molten iron into the runner channel until molten iron fills the top of the riser.

    • 21

      Let the iron cool. Break the sand off of the cast.

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