Very Simple Aluminum Furnace

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  • Опубліковано 30 жов 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 2,7 тис.

  • @PoppaBlue59
    @PoppaBlue59 10 років тому +18

    Al melts @ 1220 F. Good job. I did this once, with my Dad's brand new grill and a shop vac/blower. Bad idea, since the grill was made of thick cast aluminum. Not only did I blast furnace a hole in the back of the grill, I set the back yard on fire to boot. However, it did guide me towards a career. I have been a firefighter now for 28 years. I fixed Dad's grill with a piece of metal road sign and some self-tapping screws. He was still awful pissed off at me though. There is just no pleasing some guys. Cheers from Texas.

  • @Eytaris
    @Eytaris 10 років тому +63

    Nice try ;) I've worked in aluminium casting industry, it's pretty fun^^. For safety, I strongly recommend to dry the cans before melting them. a single drop of liquid in the crucible can make it explode (it happens at my work once in a 40 tons furnace, over 6 months of maintenance stop for the furnace, the loading machine and some equiments around. 14 years after the accident, you can see some marks on the walls and the ceiling of the foundry, but fortunately no one had been injured).

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому +6

      Yikes! Sounds like a fun job.

    • @Eytaris
      @Eytaris 10 років тому +4

      mrhomescientist I am a maintenance tech, so I don't work directly in the process. heavy industries like this are heaven for techs, even with the risks. these accidents are very rare, they happen usually when somebody unaware of safety directives throw an empty can, but still wet, into the dried scraps boxes just before the loading. If you like big machines and technologies and if you have the chance to visit an aluminium industry plant, take it, you can learn a lot^^

    • @mr.gabriel382
      @mr.gabriel382 7 років тому

      Same thing happened at a Alcoa plant in AZ. Blew the whole building up.

    • @Fyredrake0470
      @Fyredrake0470 6 років тому +1

      Learned that one the relatively hard way. I have a tiny bucket forge and was melting a can that still had some soda in it. It was cool at first, until a tiny bit of the hot liquid landed on my forearm. Never again.

    • @leo03f
      @leo03f 6 років тому +1

      Did you wear shoes there?

  • @bigbadgerz3006
    @bigbadgerz3006 9 років тому +10

    I've just gotten interested into melting metals and making ingots and a lot of the videos I've seen have made it look really hard. This video on the other hand, made it look very easy and actually possible, so thanks!

  • @johnnybolla
    @johnnybolla 10 років тому +22

    In my experience if you sorta skim off that slag periodically you get a better ingot at the end, I used a steel spoon for that. However, that stuff is protecting the rest of the molten metal from oxidation, so leave a layer on there until it's time to pour. Fortunately it floats.
    I NEVER do this because I HATE safety dinks, but brother, you gotta wear some shoes. Sometimes it pops and little (or not so little) bits of molten aluminum go flying, and if that hits bare skin you'll be very unhappy. And sometimes you dont see where the drops land, and then you step on them in the grass, and well, it hurts.
    Ask me how I know this.

  • @12101DyM
    @12101DyM 9 років тому +43

    If you pour the aluminum while it's still hot you get much more turnout. What you said was slag looks like it's mostly cooled aluminum

    • @user-ye2xq6zn2p
      @user-ye2xq6zn2p 8 років тому +1

      Thats what i thought

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  8 років тому +5

      Technically it's dross, aluminum that's oxidized in the air. There was a lot of metal still stuck underneath it, though, so a higher temperature and skimming that stuff off would definitely help.

    • @daniellynch7464
      @daniellynch7464 7 років тому

      Reluctant Couch I done this once and I got lots of cooled down aluminium wich I thought was slag
      but was pure aluminium

  • @pathosbedlam6293
    @pathosbedlam6293 11 років тому +5

    If you use the metal tubing and the silicone hoses and hose clamps from a front mount inter-cooler setup for a turbo car as the pipping it will be a lot more secured to the hair dryer, and a lot more reliable. Other than that good idea, it seems to work really well. As for what shoes to wear, Mack Boots are awesome, and I've had the pair I'm wearing now since 2008. They still have plenty of rubber grip left, nearly like new actually, and I did security in them for 5 years. They breath very good, and I never get sweaty white spots on my feet from them, but as soon as I wear cheap sneakers for a day it's another story. I love my Mack Boots. Totally worth the $140au I paid for them.

  • @campingequipmentcentral505
    @campingequipmentcentral505 8 років тому +9

    Amazing - never thought about it with the amount of cans we use at my house. Thanks I am going to give this a try!

  • @TheBackyardScientist
    @TheBackyardScientist 9 років тому +124

    Very cool crystals on the aluminum. I really like your videos. I hate all the people worried about safety... Just a bunch of unadventurous people scared of their own shadow!

    • @btonkini
      @btonkini 9 років тому +4

      I totally agree!

    • @prof.esrever7823
      @prof.esrever7823 6 років тому +6

      Hey it’s the back yard scientist

    • @offroadz4861
      @offroadz4861 6 років тому +1

      Safety is good for dirt biking and stuff like that but not all

    • @maizedong9729
      @maizedong9729 5 років тому +4

      Wait till you spill on your feet

    • @brianrausch7757
      @brianrausch7757 4 роки тому +2

      No we just like making fun of stupid ppl. We would love for u to keep talking too.

  • @fatbongripz4207
    @fatbongripz4207 Рік тому +2

    i find it hilarious that this man has been looking for comments about shoes and deleting them for almost a decade

  • @n3rdst0rm
    @n3rdst0rm 5 років тому +34

    Wife- Honey what happened to my hair dryer.
    Husband- nooooothing

    • @24KGarbage
      @24KGarbage 4 роки тому

      that's exactly what happened with me :)

    • @dioni82
      @dioni82 4 роки тому

      It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.

    • @doirlin9470
      @doirlin9470 4 роки тому

      By far more dangerous than the "clothing issues"

  • @ocayaro
    @ocayaro 10 років тому +11

    Nice work. You should mention that aluminium melts at 660.3°C or 1220.54°F

  • @OtisShantyOfficial
    @OtisShantyOfficial 11 років тому +60

    How the hell did i get here?

  • @chaytonruijsenaars3971
    @chaytonruijsenaars3971 8 років тому +7

    every time we go camping (every once or twice a year) i get all the soda cans in a pile and feed em one by one into a steel soup can and when it cools i usually find that its just a stack of crushed cans that can be pulled apart with a tiny bit of melting going on at the very bottom, I'm thinking about taking an air mattress pump and a steel pipe and feeding it some air, bellows would be way cooler and wouldn't need batteries or be loud as shit, lol I'm the type of guy who will hand make my own bellows out of whatever, car tires and stuff, that should get that camp fire aluminum ingot i wanted all along

  • @zepal76
    @zepal76 10 років тому +1

    This the best UA-cam video. Who would of thought something this simple
    could cause a riot, must be all the positive energy.
    Keep up the good work.

  • @fireandcopper
    @fireandcopper 4 роки тому +1

    For just slapping some things around the house ya have, it worked surprisingly well, I love things like this where its barebones but effective for some experimentation

  • @myriadcorp
    @myriadcorp 10 років тому +332

    When making a fire hot enough to melt aluminum always wear shorts, sleeveless shirt and bare feet. :)

    • @alecsantoyo3324
      @alecsantoyo3324 10 років тому

      Lol ^

    • @Leo-pd8ww
      @Leo-pd8ww 10 років тому +6

      Yolo

    • @driver4562
      @driver4562 10 років тому +14

      Bare feet plus molten metal = hot foot.

    • @cjfata4515
      @cjfata4515 7 років тому +1

      I know u

    • @danielbandera5070
      @danielbandera5070 7 років тому +1

      que saben ustedes!!!!! se hace la fundicion de aluminio en verano, totalmente desnudo!! no arruinar la vestimenta jajajaja

  • @mrspacecase
    @mrspacecase 11 років тому +13

    Also be careful with the fumes. Aluminum Oxide is not something you want getting into your lungs! That, plus the other unknown fumes from the surface of the can - paint, plastic, etc.
    Also, try this with copper and see if you can get an ingot. I suggest getting strands of wire from any nearby construction project.
    Cheers!

    • @axeman2638
      @axeman2638 4 роки тому

      copper's melting point is quite a bit higher than aluminium.

  • @jarrettwattenburger1272
    @jarrettwattenburger1272 8 років тому +31

    You should cover the top of the device. It will melt your aluminum faster by trapping heat.

  • @KennethScharf
    @KennethScharf 9 років тому +1

    I'm amazed that this worked because without any refractory your furnace has zero insulation, most of the heat is probably wasted leaving little of the energy to actually melt the aluminum.
    As far as safety goes, I'd suggest long handled tongs to keep the heat away from your hands, thick gloves, a full face shield, maybe a welders helmet with a good dark visor to protect your eyes from the glare, and that makes it easy to see how the melt is going on. Perhaps a leather apron (like a blacksmith might use), well you get the idea.
    Oh, make sure your mold is sitting on dry sand. If any molten metal falls on a wet surface the resulting steam explosion will send hot molten metal flying, that's when that leather apron will come in handy!

  • @pointlinesquare
    @pointlinesquare 5 місяців тому

    Well done capturing this first experiment on video and achieving some melt. I love how every back yard melter invents a slightly different setup based on what's lying around😁. I've been using an air mattress inflater with limited success, I need a hair dryer!

  • @willythemailman3911
    @willythemailman3911 8 років тому +105

    your feet will heal, if you burn up a good pair of shoes, that's a hunnert bucks.
    I do everything barefoot

    • @megamind_994
      @megamind_994 5 років тому +4

      May*

    • @lorigagliano8384
      @lorigagliano8384 5 років тому +4

      Well when you work with melting lead that isn't a good idea lol proper foot wear is always key even if it means throwing them away after constant use

    • @JAYWLEE
      @JAYWLEE 4 роки тому +2

      uh no if you get burned the scars won't heal

    • @JAYWLEE
      @JAYWLEE 4 роки тому +1

      uh no if you get burned the scars won't heal

    • @slevinhyde3212
      @slevinhyde3212 4 роки тому +4

      Actually burns can be way worse if plastic melts on your skin...
      You'd better get your skin to touch lava directly.. Counter intuitive but clothes dont' protect from burning except clothes that are specifically made for that.

  • @yorickmori7509
    @yorickmori7509 11 років тому +38

    Ever since the beginning of the human race, we have been fascinated by fire...

  • @RayMAKES
    @RayMAKES 8 років тому +29

    I like the cobbled together nature of your little foundry. Screw the safety Nazi's, i get them all the time. the reality is the safest thing you can do is NOTHING at all. Your feet, your choice. keep up the good work!!

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  8 років тому +4

      +Ray Pena Thanks! I sort of regret that this has become my most popular video. It was really a last-minute thing that I shot only because the video I wanted to do didn't pan out, so I didn't think things through as well as I should have. I plan on making another aluminum-related video in the future to address the safety issues that 80% of people comment about.

  • @mcguiretime
    @mcguiretime 10 років тому +2

    man what a cool video you have here, thanks. As soon as I leave this apartment, Im going to be doing this for sure. Dont worry bout the shoes man, people get to excited over any little thing these days. Take care!

  • @codyterrill5947
    @codyterrill5947 9 років тому +1

    Next time I would suggest having two furnaces. One for meltdown, the other for the mould. After each melt, I'd suggest transferring the molten aluminum into the 2nd preheated mould furnace held at a higher temperature so that it will stay molten. I was aircraft metals tech in the Air Force. One thing I can say is that what happened to those cans is a reaction called eutectic melting. Basically, 90% of applicable aluminum is an alloy called copper aluminide, or AlCu. The aluminum is trapped inside a matrix of copper which is what gives it its strength. Kind of like microscopic honeycombs or a cobweb. Now what you're seeing when you quenched it is an uneven and rapid cool down. If you insulate the 2nd furnace with firebricks somehow, you'll get better results with the finished metal, especially if you can control the cooling more gradually by turning down the air supply for several minutes. It won't be perfect but it'll be better. By quenching the aluminum, the copper and aluminum rapidly trap in place. The copper has a lower melting point than the aluminum, so if you cool it gradually, the aluminum will set in and harden and allow the molten copper to re-matrix, and you'll end up with a better, more consistent product throughout. Happy moulding!

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  9 років тому

      Cody Terrill Great info! One correction though: copper's melting point is higher than aluminum. Maybe they behave differently in an alloy. From my research, though, beverage cans contain very little (if any) copper in their construction.

    • @codyterrill5947
      @codyterrill5947 9 років тому

      mrhomescientist right! It's been a while since I've had my nose in the books. Sorry if I let off some inaccurate information. However it doesn't take too much copper to create that alloy. It's less than 3% in base form I believe. Usually pure aluminum is only found in lab-grade specimens when being tested for other applications. I'd say the majority of other aluminum alloys is AlCu. Since copper is expensive, I believe they may add other alloys into the AlCu, such as tin, in order to create a cheaper cost to produce. Which in turn, will lessen the percentage of copper in the alloy. Now that you mention it, those flakes could be solidified tin. I believe tin is slightly more dense than aluminum which would explain why they sank to the bottom of the melting pot. Correct me if I'm wrong. I don't have my periodic table available :p

  • @charliewood4158
    @charliewood4158 9 років тому +118

    Safety 3rd

  • @Christophersanchez1326
    @Christophersanchez1326 8 років тому +8

    I made something like this at home and it works. computer hard drives melt down well in this setup.

  • @eranxlevi1fan211
    @eranxlevi1fan211 9 років тому +3

    you are so creative by using a hair dryer. AWESOME!!!!!!

  • @jeff1865
    @jeff1865 6 років тому +1

    to reduce slag, add common table salt. I found that it reduces the slag tremendously.
    I am about to rebuild my furnace ( old 20# LP Gas tank, past its last fillable date) with 1-inch thick fiber fire blanket (2600F) from amazon cost $7.00. cannot wait to start casting stuff ... and who care what people say about YOUR SAFETY. its YOUR SAFETY not theirs !!! you want to wear shorts, or be nakid so be its YOUR FREEDOM to do so !!! OOH RAH !!!!
    Your idea of the hair dryer is pretty good, I will have to add that to my rig! (thank you for the idea)

  • @ohmynoun
    @ohmynoun 8 років тому +1

    As kids, we had many regular campfires into which we'd toss our soda cans and watch them melt. We always thought that was super cool.

  • @bobbrueckner7498
    @bobbrueckner7498 8 років тому +3

    Try building a rocket stove out of some cinder blocks and put your charcoal chimney on top of it.You may get enough draft through the rocket stove and you may not need the hair dryer.Or you may be able to eliminate the charcoal chimney altogether and melt the cans right on top of the stove.

  • @joeyhunter...1493
    @joeyhunter...1493 10 років тому +4

    I have been looking into metal smelting for some time now, and your video has helped me out a lot. Even giving safety tips and precautions (like shoes). Also have you considered cast iron cup in place of steel?

  • @jasonwright2641
    @jasonwright2641 9 років тому +19

    Lol i was just about to comment "Man you should really have worn shoes" but then I noticed OP will delete shoe related comments

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  9 років тому +4

      Thanks for actually reading!

    • @jasonwright2641
      @jasonwright2641 9 років тому +5

      Hey man ya didnt burn your feet so its all good, if you ever make a video and you want to know if you did anything wrong just put it on youtube. People on youtube love to point out mistakes, yet look at them they are sittin on their computer, NOT making an aluminum furnace which I think is really badass btw

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  9 років тому +2

      Jason Wright Yeah no kidding. Nobody reads descriptions or turns on annotations either, which I use all the time to update videos when people point out things I could have done better. Appreciate the comments!

    • @jasonwright2641
      @jasonwright2641 9 років тому

      Id like to make a furnace after making a clay mold so I can make an aluminum paintball gun, didn't think it was this easy so I'm stoked to try it!

    • @packedpunch1369
      @packedpunch1369 9 років тому +2

      Jason Wright Something tells me shoes wouldnt help that much anyways.. It would burn right through the shoe wouldn't it??

  • @androidgaming8476
    @androidgaming8476 8 років тому +1

    This is the simplest melting video I have seen that worked

  • @cantekdemir1972
    @cantekdemir1972 9 років тому +6

    me in summer : Im gonna do this
    me back from summer: What a minute..... i forgot to do something

  • @eujeeves
    @eujeeves 10 років тому +46

    don't forget to inhale this stuff.. aluminium particles is really really good for the brain

    • @bernardosax54
      @bernardosax54 9 років тому +2

      It'll mainly be carbon and ash since the aluminum doesn't expel into the air. Still not good for you.

    • @eujeeves
      @eujeeves 9 років тому

      Bernardo Buttler Haha and I always shake my head at people who wrap fish or meat in aluminium foil and cook it on bbq, all that toxic going into the food.

    • @bernardosax54
      @bernardosax54 9 років тому

      Shame Shame Shame. smh.

    • @bernardosax54
      @bernardosax54 9 років тому

      I'm talking about how breathing in the smoke isn't good for you.

    • @eujeeves
      @eujeeves 9 років тому +1

      I'm talking about how aluminium in everything is just bad in general

  • @maksphoto78
    @maksphoto78 10 років тому +81

    Ah, molten aluminum. Perfect for pouring into ant nests.

    • @Tom-no4jm
      @Tom-no4jm 5 років тому +2

      And onto Madagascar cockroaches

    • @bluehernandez3594
      @bluehernandez3594 4 роки тому

      Bad waste of metal if you ask me

    • @marionunez9516
      @marionunez9516 3 роки тому +1

      You wasted my time! I wanted back! No design, no creativity, nothing useful.

  • @r.livingston7745
    @r.livingston7745 8 років тому +28

    Why not just crush the cans first. One at a time placed in to gradually soften and collapse, seems inefficient.

  • @Working_Man
    @Working_Man 2 роки тому

    The laugh is the best. Love the video. I have tried this before and I can tell you it works better than you think. Aluminum has 1221F melting point which you can easily accomplish with oxygen force. Anything above that I think you would need other chemicals to get to higher temps.

  • @MrOner07
    @MrOner07 2 роки тому

    3:14 his laugh made me smile...lol..great video sir.👍🏿 will try it out myself

  • @justinryan5433
    @justinryan5433 7 років тому +7

    when i was doing this i messed up and had my tongs touch my elbow and left a pretty cool burn mark

  • @NMonterosso
    @NMonterosso 11 років тому +20

    I donno if anyone has said this yet but you really need to wear a filter mask when doing this aluminum fumes are very toxic I know this because I am a welder and I have worked with aluminum for years. Go to a hardware shop and ask for a mask that is raited for aluminum welding.

  • @markem9415
    @markem9415 9 років тому +230

    I'm not sayin' wear shoes next time, but.........wear f*ckin shoes next time!

  • @zx_burton_xz6017
    @zx_burton_xz6017 10 років тому +1

    By far the best smelting video I've seen and u also said how it was made

  • @knivesknivesknives
    @knivesknivesknives 9 років тому

    probably the most simplest method I've seen thanks M8

  • @potheadpickle
    @potheadpickle 10 років тому +11

    03:13 His happy Evil Genius laugh... Lmao...

  • @cfjulian1225
    @cfjulian1225 11 років тому +12

    The plastic gloves you are wearing are a bad idea is is the idea of no shoes. If you splash aluminum on those gloves, they will melt and stick to your hands, causing a much more severe burn than if you had no gloves on. You should stick to all leather gloves for handling aluminum. No shoes is probably better than laced up shoes. Metal down the laces can really burn you because you cannot get the shoe off easily. You will get a better yield on you aluminum if you crush the cans first. The method you are using exposes the surface to the air as it melts and allows it to oxidize. Crushed cans will allow you to put several cans in at the same time. A top on the melt pot would help keep oxygen out. It would be a good idea to use a refractory coating on the steel pot you are melting in. That will stop the aluminum from sticking to the steel and eventually eating a hole through it. Lacking real flux, you can use table salt on top of the metal to slow down oxidation, just skim it back before pouring or use a skimmer and remove it first. The salt is lighter than the metal and will float.

    • @NoNoDontTouchMeThere
      @NoNoDontTouchMeThere 2 місяці тому

      There was an experiment done and it turns out metal doesn't stick to your hands. That being said it's still dangerously hot and can burn you.

  • @largol33t1
    @largol33t1 8 років тому +10

    4:30 - but you forgot to spray the the cookie sheet with Pam!

  • @8188bsck
    @8188bsck 9 років тому

    That giggle was worth watching the video alone.

  • @agrxdrowflow958
    @agrxdrowflow958 8 років тому

    I can't believe the PVC elbow didn't burn up more! I love it. Simple.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  8 років тому

      +Scott Wolford Yeah it was actually a fair distance underneath the coals, blowing up into them from below. I don't think the video made that very clear.

  • @CrimsonSkyz500
    @CrimsonSkyz500 10 років тому +13

    You have the crystals because you didn't remove all the slag.

  • @MrFoniek
    @MrFoniek 9 років тому +28

    nuuuuuuuuuh not the mtn dew m8

  • @Rusvi1
    @Rusvi1 11 років тому +25

    I'm gonna try it naked.

  • @madwilliamflint
    @madwilliamflint 10 років тому +1

    That's cool. Might want to change that pvc elbow piece to something that could withstand a bit of heat. I imagine that'd melt pretty quickly if you really got this thing going.

  • @jhonunderwood5975
    @jhonunderwood5975 8 років тому +1

    We had a charcoal grill with aluminum grates. I did a cookout. When I was done I closed the lid on the grill and left it. The next morning there were chunks of melted aluminum under and the in the grill. The grates were gone. I didn't intend to melt them. I don't remember how the wind acted during the night. I'm sure it played a roll in the melting of the grates.

  • @fixitsamo
    @fixitsamo 10 років тому +10

    goo job

  • @Landaux
    @Landaux 10 років тому +12

    its a good thing it didnt splash out of there or POP and burned your bare feet. Safty first dude.

  • @pingapang8155
    @pingapang8155 9 років тому +6

    3:13 the can spat on you for putting it there!!

  • @beefmeats4870
    @beefmeats4870 8 років тому

    Thanks so much for the help I went and bought every thing I needed for this design and made it then I went to the local school dumpster and food a TON of cans so far I have about 8oz of aluminum Thanks again bro!!!

  • @thomaslouiseberndtthomasse781
    @thomaslouiseberndtthomasse781 10 років тому

    Hi m8.
    I was thinking...
    To produce more heat, try to use coke instead, it will not produce any ashes at all and it will heat about 3-4 times more and longer than charcoal.
    And to prevent heat loss, see if you can find a conical container to your chimney, and in the top of your chimney cut some "groove's" with an anglegrinder.
    The idea you used wit the hairdryer is perfect.. :-)
    Best regards from Denmark.

  • @twinsmm1
    @twinsmm1 11 років тому +13

    imagine how much aluminum foil is in land fills.

    • @stargazer7644
      @stargazer7644 4 роки тому

      8.1% of the Earth's crust is aluminum.

  • @theologyoverwhiskeyandmayb5634
    @theologyoverwhiskeyandmayb5634 8 років тому +3

    I weld barefoot in my shorts. No problem that keeps you safer anyway. Lol.

    • @Tatusiek_1
      @Tatusiek_1 8 років тому +2

      The Hillbilly Home Coffee Roaster yeah its actually safer without shoes because if the molten metal hits your foot it will burn you and also roll off but if there is shoes it will get trapped and cause a major flesh wound

    • @mrrees7076
      @mrrees7076 8 років тому

      i use safety boots and get zero burns.

    • @isaacthomson683
      @isaacthomson683 8 років тому

      Leidenfrost effect

    • @megazab13
      @megazab13 7 років тому

      Yes I agree, I've seen very bad burns from welds that when down into your safety boots.

  • @thanhchiem5761
    @thanhchiem5761 11 років тому +4

    and this video is sponsored by Mountain Dew

  • @elijah7171
    @elijah7171 10 років тому

    Why is it so satisfying to watch aluminum melt

  • @kenairockband
    @kenairockband 8 років тому

    I'm glad to see you sharing your knowledge on how to make hotter fire, etc.. I'd highly recommend some PPE in the future. A face shield, an apron, and at the very least- boots. Mama don't cook bacon naked for a reason.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  8 років тому +1

      +kenairockband Thanks for the kindly-worded comment. Most people are real jerks about it. Yes I should definitely wear safety gear, and I mention that in the description and annotations. It was a lapse of judgment when I made this video last-minute, and it won't happen again. I sort of regret that this has become my most popular video.

  • @jeffreydan
    @jeffreydan 8 років тому +3

    just curious, what would be the purpose of doing this? thanks.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  8 років тому +4

      Some people cast scrap aluminum into useful parts. I just did it for fun! Now I have a sweet brick of metal that used to be 40 soda cans.

    • @jeffreydan
      @jeffreydan 8 років тому

      +mrhomescientist lol that's awesome!

    • @waleedcj991
      @waleedcj991 8 років тому

      +mrhomescientist how much time please tell me

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  8 років тому +1

      +kate jackson I don't know the exact time because this was a few years ago, but it wasn't very long. Things started melting within minutes of turning on the air supply.

    • @bikingmnviking3801
      @bikingmnviking3801 8 років тому

      +Jeffrey Dan Aluminum is super easy to tap and work. Plus alloy some copper in there and you have pretty close to aircraft grade aluminum. Be nice to be able to lost-wax cast a custom bike part... like I need a camera and/or LED light mount to my rockshox because the handlebar stuff gets in the way.

  • @jamesnw
    @jamesnw 10 років тому +6

    The hair dryer was free!? Good find :)

    • @firefox00-7
      @firefox00-7 5 років тому +2

      Yeah he stole it off his Missus bahahahah

    • @gj9617
      @gj9617 5 років тому +1

      @@firefox00-7 only fair, she nicked his shoes for one of her dumb arse projects!! 😁

  • @Spl1tSouls
    @Spl1tSouls 10 років тому +12

    how much mounten dew do you drink man

    • @Spl1tSouls
      @Spl1tSouls 10 років тому +1

      Seth Powell dude why be a dick maybe he drank them on that day

    • @Spl1tSouls
      @Spl1tSouls 10 років тому

      Jamie McCullough
      good for you

  • @custombikedesigns343
    @custombikedesigns343 4 роки тому +1

    Why so many haters!if he choses to lose his eyebrows in the process of making a UA-cam video that just increases ratings anyhow! Nice video!

  • @jasonmitchell432
    @jasonmitchell432 3 роки тому

    Neat! I tried this but in the center of a very hot bonfire. Got it hot enough to melt, but not hot enough to pour.
    Relatedly, I think by turning the hair dryer off and letting it cool while you talked, you lost some molten aluminum in the process. I don’t think everything left in there was slag. I think you’d have had more of an I got if you’d kept the blower blowing WHILE you pulled the cup out and poured it

  • @cootjans12
    @cootjans12 10 років тому +10

    Seems you are well protected incase accidents happen

    • @grabba73
      @grabba73 10 років тому +1

      y u bein sarcastic. thats rude.

  • @matus158
    @matus158 10 років тому +21

    why do you apologize yourself due to omitting some safety precautions? It's your business... ;)

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому +2

      You wouldn't believe the number of people that feel the need to comment on it, despite how many times I write about it. It's good to correct myself in case someone else tries this - I wouldn't want anyone getting hurt for repeating my mistakes.

    • @djanthony2111
      @djanthony2111 9 років тому

      mrhomescientist why arent u using shoes?

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  9 років тому

      dj anthony I wasn't thinking. I threw this idea together pretty quickly and didn't think through my safety precautions. I now always use a welding jacket, welding gloves, a face shield, jeans, and boots whenever working with molten metals, as should anyone else that attempts this.

    • @djanthony2111
      @djanthony2111 9 років тому

      mrhomescientist I'm a 14 year old boy that lives in the uk,is it legal for someone my age to do this?,i want to try and do this but i dont know if it is legal.

    • @manfredpetterssonplatni2680
      @manfredpetterssonplatni2680 9 років тому

      dj anthony Melting metal has no age restriction but grown ups from your neighorhood could get suspiscous and contact your parents, Atleast that happend when i made one

  • @lancethrustworthy
    @lancethrustworthy 10 років тому +8

    You're doing this barefooted???
    You just put yourself in the Dummies Hall of Fame.
    Congratulations.

    • @lancethrustworthy
      @lancethrustworthy 10 років тому

      Oops. I'm sorry I didn't read every little bit on the page. I still think you're stupid. ;)

    • @MilkyMangrove
      @MilkyMangrove 10 років тому +6

      Dan Lewis
      Hiding behind big words doesn't make you any different than FPSAmerica. In fact, you pretty much contradicted your "Please grow up." statement with your infantile remark "Your videos stink." The best way to deal with his redirection of your original comment would have been to remain silent.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому +7

      TheHibbster If you thought that was bad, you should have seen his comments before he edited them.

    • @jblue062003
      @jblue062003 10 років тому +3

      mrhomescientist You are the man! Having haters just means you're doing something right. Keep up the great videos!

    • @lancethrustworthy
      @lancethrustworthy 10 років тому +1

      I call 'em as I see 'em.
      You want love? Get a dog.
      If you put up bad/dangerous/stupid videos and if I want to, I sure do have the right to express my opinion about 'em, you dirty anti-freedom commie. Go back to the Taliban where you belong, fool.
      Time for you to man up and take criticism, dummy. You put it out for folks to see.
      Live with it.
      When you do a good video, and I see it, I will say so.
      Admit it, fool, you don't really care about the quality of your videos.
      If you did, you wouldn't have folks telling you about it. Wake up.
      Can't stand the heat? Get the fuck out of UA-cam. Simple as that.

  • @robinisrobin3327
    @robinisrobin3327 9 років тому

    Glad I found your video! I am doing the same thing, just a little different setup. What got my attention was the camping cup. I wasn't sure it would be thick enough but bought it anyway just to try. I know now it will work. Thanks for sharing!!

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  9 років тому

      Good luck! Mine didn't last all that long, though. It became perforated after just 3 or 4 aluminum melts. It goes with the 'cheapo' theme of the video, but there are definitely better crucibles to be found/made!

    • @MrAmpuja
      @MrAmpuja 9 років тому

      Robin IsRobin I would recommend you to make something like Grant thompson did, with the sand and plaster of paris.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  9 років тому

      MrAmpuja I tried making that refractory mix but I didn't get it to work out. It just cracked and crumbled on me!

    • @MrAmpuja
      @MrAmpuja 9 років тому

      mrhomescientist Did you try to add more plaster of paris? Cement is also pretty good as a substitute.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  9 років тому

      MrAmpuja Nah I just tried the one time. Definitely worth revisiting.

  • @richardbryce4162
    @richardbryce4162 8 років тому +1

    I love the shoe disclaimer/warning in the description :) I like your style.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  8 років тому

      Thanks! It's a shame almost nobody reads it.

  • @Naudrim
    @Naudrim 8 років тому +4

    you should have had a lot more aluminum, keep the fire going longer next time

  • @paddyoclown
    @paddyoclown 11 років тому +5

    i like burning thing too 0o

  • @MrDjvance
    @MrDjvance 10 років тому +11

    the 2015 ford trucks will be made out of aluminum maby you can melt a ford truck in 2015.

    • @FreedCornet743
      @FreedCornet743 10 років тому

      wouldnt be worth anything 2nd hand after the depreciation, so he could definatley

    • @rock3tcatU233
      @rock3tcatU233 10 років тому +5

      And the funny thing is, the melted goo will be worth more than the truck.

    • @theluisanator
      @theluisanator 10 років тому

      The planes you ride on are made of aluminum and plastic too

    • @tacesinclair9008
      @tacesinclair9008 10 років тому

      Luis Valenzuela The are made from tempered stell lol

    • @tacesinclair9008
      @tacesinclair9008 10 років тому

      Tace Sinclair Steel*

  • @ashish_jb4
    @ashish_jb4 5 років тому

    I've ordered a hair dryer. I've been trying this for months. I understand your happiness

  • @Randallpw
    @Randallpw 10 років тому +2

    ... Nice shoes. Sorry man, I couldn't resist. Great video though. Have you done a cross section to any of the ingots you've poured? I've been wondering how many air bubbles ends up in this type of pour.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому +1

      That's actually a good question. I see a lot of videos that 'degas' the aluminum before pouring, and supposedly that really needs to be done if you want to use it for structural items. Worth a look!

  • @PartykongenBaddi
    @PartykongenBaddi 10 років тому +3

    Shouldn't that be done in a low-oxygen enviroment to prevent it from being turned into aluminumoxide? Aluminum oxidizes really easily, but when in a solid state, it will form a protective layer on top of the pure aluminum and the oxidisation will stop. Because of aluminums low melting temperature, pure aluminum is the most enviromentally friendly material of those used widespreadly, but because stripping oxygen from aluminum takes a shitload of power (about 10 times more than remelting), remelting should be done in a big facility where the conditions are controlled. :)

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому +3

      Sure, and I lost a lot to oxidation there. Crushing the cans first would help minimize that.

    • @samurphy
      @samurphy 10 років тому

      Good point. CO2 is pretty easy to obtain, and it's heavier than air, so you could fill the crucible with it, though one this small might be harder.. if it were deeper, it would probably hold CO2 better.. You could even generate CO2 at home with Baking Soda + Lemon Juice/Vinegar, capture it in a balloon use that to fill your crucible to keep O2 levels down.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому

      Sean In this setup, it gets difficult because just pouring CO2 down into the crucible would extinguish the coals! You'd need to build some sort of enclosed setup where you could deliver a constant stream of inert gas to the reactants only. I'm actually working out how to build something like that for another project.

    • @samurphy
      @samurphy 10 років тому

      mrhomescientist The crucible is the bit that the metal is melting in, not where the coals are. If you had a piece of pipe with a valve on it, and a balloon filled with CO2 on the end, you could insert the free end into the melting pot then open the valve. the heat currents would probably keep the air mixing a bit, but if you kept injecting it, and if the melting pot was deep enough, I bet it would settle in there. Just an idea, I've never tried it, but I will next summer when I get to melting. Or it might all be just a waste of time because once a layer of oxide forms on top you usually don't get much more than that. The trick is to get the new additions submerged asap so they don't have time to oxidize in the heat. Crushing cans and having a tall skinny melting pot to minimize surface area exposed to air would help.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому +2

      Sean I know what the crucible is, but if you just pour CO2 into the open crucible it would overflow and spill onto the coals outside it, extinguishing them. Plus the high heat would make it prone to escaping faster. Despite being heavier than air, these cover gases (CO2, Ar, etc.) will still diffuse away fairly quickly. I've seen it with SF6 - even though it is 6x heavier than air it escapes containers surprisingly quickly. So, you need a constant flow of gas to replenish what escapes. As I said above, you'd need an enclosed crucible with a gas inlet and outlet, to which you'd supply a constant stream of inert gas. It sounds like you were heading towards that idea in your last post. Experiment with it if you get the chance!

  • @alexchatfield6380
    @alexchatfield6380 8 років тому +3

    brah get some shoes nah just joking good video keep it up subscribed ;)

  • @bimey386
    @bimey386 8 років тому +3

    put a full can in!

  • @howard5567
    @howard5567 3 роки тому

    [12-05-20] In 2015 this might have been cutting edge. But, in 2020 Rocket Mass Smelters are the way to-go, with better electric Bellow Fans. You left a lot of aluminum in your Crucible. For some of us in the 2A community cast 9MM bullets as practice rounds reloading. You do need to adjust the power load to compensate for difference load weight, for accuracy.

  • @kevinaldcroft6291
    @kevinaldcroft6291 2 роки тому

    I used my garden blower and a metal pipe to put air into an old potbelly stove. Worked well.

  • @englandstillhasit
    @englandstillhasit 11 років тому +4

    Very cool now how can we make moulds to make things. I love youtube and people who try to keep ingunity alive instead of using computers all the time.
    Barefoot might well be a bad idea but in most countries they do far worse barefoot a glass of whine anyone?

  • @JoshswhipsandlanyardsJWL
    @JoshswhipsandlanyardsJWL 8 років тому +15

    like u will ever see my comment

  • @TheLazyGuyWay
    @TheLazyGuyWay 10 років тому +4

    mrhomescientist Have you told your mum where was her hairdryer ?

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому +2

      She's the one that gave it to me!

    • @iShotsy2
      @iShotsy2 10 років тому

      mrhomescientist im assuming there is a grate under the charcoal to allow for air flow?

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому

      Faygot
      Right. The coals sit on top of the grate.

  • @Hibbo89
    @Hibbo89 10 років тому +2

    Im with you lot, I'm so making one of these on the weekend!!

  • @MicahBurginGTVPO
    @MicahBurginGTVPO 10 років тому

    Thanks for telling us about those alloys! I was always wondering what the crap I kept getting from my aluminum was. And you really don't need shoes for this, I think that you'd burn right through them if you touched any of that stuff! Water soaked rags work WAAAY better.

  • @stassitokra3774
    @stassitokra3774 10 років тому +4

    is this legal?

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому +5

      Why wouldn't it be?

    • @stassitokra3774
      @stassitokra3774 10 років тому +1

      i was actually thinking of doing this but idk, i live in California and we're not allowed to burn anything in our back yards... ;(

    • @spockmcoyissmart961
      @spockmcoyissmart961 10 років тому +23

      That is because you live in the Socialist State of Kalyfornia.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  10 років тому +2

      Stassi Tokra Not even charcoal for grilling? What a sad place that must be, devoid of delicious steaks and chicken legs :(

    • @fredytexis1
      @fredytexis1 10 років тому +61

      Go to your front yard then.

  • @harrybullocks353
    @harrybullocks353 11 років тому +6

    Nice bare feet there mr safety

  • @josharchibald1712
    @josharchibald1712 8 років тому

    One thing i can suggest is changing your setup so that your blower goes into the side of the can instead of the bottom. That way if your crucible fails you wont have bits of molten aluminium spraying into the air. Its also a lot less messy, i used to have mine set up like that and there would be flakes of wood and other stuff flying everywhere.

  • @Operaghost93
    @Operaghost93 10 років тому

    The video itself is awesome. But I think that what it made if better were your giggles xD

  • @lazaglider
    @lazaglider 9 років тому +2

    Interesting at the point you suggest a steam explosion. I'm going to go for something else. I;d suggest that the coating inside the can began to vaporize with heat, and then flashed. That would explain the brief flame and rapid expansion of gas.
    Just a guess though.

    • @mrhomescientist
      @mrhomescientist  9 років тому +1

      +lazaglider That's probably more likely than steam, since I had dried them before melting. In the heat of the moment (pun intended) I sometimes make somewhat silly observations.

  • @jayv7404
    @jayv7404 10 років тому

    I made an aluminum furnace... I dug a hole in the ground and made a tunnel for air. Then i filled it with wood and charcoal. In the hole for the air, i put a French drain pipe in it, then hooked my Husqvarna backpack blower to it! That thing sounded like a mini jet engine and melted the can quickly! Probably would have eventually melted the steel pot(it was glowing). I would like to know what you think. I might make a vid of it.

  • @4WorldPeace2
    @4WorldPeace2 3 роки тому

    Cool looking glob.
    A shorter extension cord with larger gauge conductors might also be helpful to compliment the hairdryer's cord length so your blower stays efficient.
    Maybe weigh the glob to see what the net weight is per the gross amount of cans?

  • @sbritton1313
    @sbritton1313 8 років тому +3

    that isnt slag... its aluminum that resolidified because you didnt either heat it up far enough, or waited to long, or both... plus if you keep that in water, if you did over 100 cans... you would find out that it has the left over acid that dried out, it will bubble for a week, and smell really bad... but after a couple weeks of that, the real slag will detereriate off, and you will see that you have a lot more aluminum left... I know, I did that with my forge, out of about 60-100 cans, I got about 7 mini muffin forms out of it, and about a muffins worth of "slag" then I put that "slag" in another container, filled it with water and let it bubble and acidic off all the real slag... still have a lot of aluminum left, about 99% I should say...

    • @ahwolf3062
      @ahwolf3062 8 років тому

      I do

    • @DJBlackNGold
      @DJBlackNGold 8 років тому +1

      Actually I'm sure anyone who wants to get into aluminum casting would. also a good use for those extra cans.

    • @forloop7713
      @forloop7713 8 років тому

      He does have a lot of aluminium oxide, almost all the foil oxidised since it has a very large surface are for it's little volume, it didn't melt because aluminium oxide has a high melting point

  • @bikingmnviking3801
    @bikingmnviking3801 8 років тому

    BTW I had heard of this ton in the back pages of popular mechanics... using an old furnace blower. You should be able to score one at a thrift store like axman surplus (rheem has speed control on some of theirs). Squirrel cage fans are also in some air conditioners which would be all over and less power than the furnace but probably more than the hair dryer.

  • @keith1542
    @keith1542 8 років тому

    I like it, even without your shoes. very easy and rewarding, thanks