Bob Ouellette
Well-Known Fanatic
SquirrelSlayer said:for information purposes only you can do a youtube search about constructing a simple blast furnace. I have thought about making one to melt down junk brass and aluminum, but I already have too many hobbies and have downsized most of them already.
Watch some videos of people pouring molten brass and steel that's some hot dangerous stuff, I know I would burn my house down on accident if I tried. Good thing I know my limitations.
All I need is for some nosy old lady to call the cops saying my foundry is a moonshine still or meth lab. If a crimminal was smart enough he would probably not be killing people he would be in politics with the rest of the smart crimminals.
It really is quite easy. You could also build a simple wood fire and an air source to achieve temperatures hot enough to melt/burn steel. Just get a $30 shop vac from Home Despot and put that bad boy on reverse. I've done a few melts and pours over the years. The scariest thing I saw was an aluminum pour into an unheated ingot mold. It shot molten metal all over the guys doing the pour. Luckily, it was light enough to roll off of them. Brass is fun to melt and pour, but it's heavy and you have to get it to about 1700-1800 degrees to get it molten.
I doubt you'll have someone calling the cops. I used to drag my blacksmithing forge outside and forge right there in the front yard. The neighbors thought it was cool because they haven't ever seen it.