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Aluminum melting furnace

Aluminum Melting Furnace An Insightful Guide

Ben htgp-cim shows a quick and inexpensive device that can melt several batches of aluminum for casting before thin metal equipment starts to break down.

In reality, the 5-gallon barrel furnace lasts a long time, easily a dozen times. It uses barbecue charcoal as fuel and a hair dryer as a blower, and can melt a small batch of aluminum in about 10 minutes.

Most of the materials to build it can be found in the dumpster; the only costs here are the charcoal fuel, duct tape, and a $1 yard-stock blower. Recycle old lawnmower parts, computer/stereo parts, and beer and soda cans to make awesome new stuff out of them.

For the furnace, two five-gallon metal barrels (with lids), a section of 3-inch furnace pipe, a blower, and of course some duct tape were used.

For the crucible (the small bucket that holds the molten metal), a 16-ounce propane bottle was used; the top was cut off and some bolts were added to allow the crucible to be gripped with pliers.

I made some basic tools from scrap steel from an old bed frame spring. You’ll need tongs to hold the crucible, some sort of shepherd’s hook to tilt the crucible while pouring, and a plain stick with a slight bend at the top for poking things and skimming off dross (impurities in the aluminum).

Using the equipment shown is dangerous due to the extremely high temperatures of the molten metal, fumes, etc. Be careful and wear leather gloves, face protection, and other protective clothing to be safe. Do this outdoors and when it’s a little windy so the fumes and smoke will dissipate quickly, and also in dry conditions because molten metal dripping on wet surfaces can cause minor hot metal explosions (like water and hot oil in the kitchen). I take no responsibility for any injuries that may occur from your use of the equipment and techniques shown here.