Welcome • User Guide
ToS • Privacy • Canary
Donate • Bugs • License

©2025 Poal.co

1.1K

(post is archived)

[–] • 3 pts

Only if you've already got all the equipment needed, and a ready supply of scrap aluminum for free or near free.

If you think you are getting into it to be self sufficient, ask how many times are you really going to make something? Sand casting isnt super hard or anything. but modelling and finishing arent a breeze either.

Do you have furnace and all the equipment to to make the items you think you'll be making? If not thats a serious up front cost.

[–] • 2 pts

Good points. Someone's gotta have the apparatus, might as well be me?

[–] • 1 pt

They arent super hard to build, just pricey. Kale wool and refractory cement to make anything in a truely useful size is going to cost a few pennies.

A good bet would be to scavenge copper, melt and sell as a way to fund the operation. All of your neighbors throw out things with copper wound motors in them, lots of copper to be had if you dont mind doing the melt. The shit they coat the copper with comes off as slag in the pot.

[–] • 1 pt

Better have good ventilation. Also, how do you plan on getting the thin layer plastic out of the inside of your can before you smelt?

[–] • 0 pt

Impurities become slag

[–] • 1 pt

To make it most cost effective in my mind, I'd set up a forge and get into blade smithing. Then you can smelt in your forge while you are also making knives

[–] • 1 pt

Probably easier to find the meth heads and buy aluminum from them

[–] • 1 pt

Why would meth heads have aluminum?

[–] • 2 pts

Meth heads scrap. And steal they have pretty much everything.

[–] • 2 pts

Majority are packrats and unaware of at least 70% of the shit they're hoarding.

[–] • 1 pt

Yes and no. (I read all the comments.) I watched a few of these styles of videos, just so I had an idea of all what was involved. (In my down time, I like to learn.) Initial investment can be big or small, up to you. Think like a Devil's Forge, expensive. There's other ways, like an acetaline torch for melting your metals. You'll need something to melt in, too. Purity of other metals and separating those can be expensive, too. Cupellation is one thing, but separating gold from silver, platinum, etc. you'll need to know how and acids, how to neutralize the acids and glass and so on. All this is DANGEROUS as fk. Red hot, liquid metals can explode when they hit moisture. SO HEAT YOUR MOLDS. DO NOT EVER SKIP THIS STEP. (Sand can hold moisture, too, store it properly.) Then there's the sand you'll be casting in. There's all different kinds of sand and different grain sizes. (You can make your own, but again, get educated about what your doing first.) Protect yourself. Leather apron, gas mask for metal vapers, heat proof gloves, proper boots, etc. Free metals for melting can be found on the side of the road on garbage day. Stop and grab them, dissemble and boom, free metals. It's considered an art form, btw. For instance, poured silver can go for about $50 per Troy ounce. Good luck if you try it. Personally, I'd start with bismuth. Super interesting metal. Super dense and it crystalizes as it cools. Fascinating stuff.

[–] • 1 pt

Thanks!

[–] • 1 pt

Forgot to mention, you may want to check out "finishing your pieces" with a buffing wheel and metal correct pastes. Again, more expenses, but worth just checking out. You want a mirror finish on a pour? Then you'll want to know what paste and wheel and so on. Check into a makers mark. You want to sell your pieces? You'll want to stamp them. There's a certain kind of plastic bead. Soak it in hot water, press your piece into it and stamp. It'll keep from destroying the "face" of the pieces. It's reusable, tho. Lots of in's and outs. Spare time? Watch some videos.

[–] • 1 pt (edited )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5cToa5bjb0 can get tons of brass from local open air range at state park

anyways this guy stacks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEnTGg6Zres

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5cToa5bjb0

i've been thinking of picing it up as a hobby

[–] • 1 pt

about 150 cans make a reciver

[–] • 1 pt

It's about 100k for a machine that will mill it into something useful. See DMG MORI.

[–] • 0 pt

I was thinking casting

[–] • 1 pt

Make a cast that will do expensive parts...

But, the right milling machine can do a million dollars of work in a year if you do the right plane parts under the same principle. Casting simply can't compete, especially given the ability to automate weeks into the future, where the machine works 24/7.

[–] • 0 pt

What's the most basic and repairable milling machine one can own? Thinking "no" on anything high-tech for shtf