What's new
What's new

Cast iron foundry for small qty run

jk03

Plastic
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Location
Central Oklahoma
I am looking for a cast iron foundry to pour 12 to 24 pieces at a time. This is an antique tractor bracket no longer available. I also have a few other items if this works out. Does anyone know a shop willing to run small jobs.

thanks
jesse
 
Most foundrys will pour short run jobs but from my experience it's the patterns that are the problems. Are your patterns loose or mounted? And if mounted will they work with the flasks that the foundry uses. Most foundrys don't like to work with loose patterns. And small parts it's prefered to have multiple patterns of the same part mounted on a single plate.
Scott
 
pic of part

Scott
I have an actual part but no pattern. I am new to this forum. Trying to upload a pic of the odd shaped part. Approximately 10" square about 1 1]2" thick.
thanks
jesse
 
jk03,
Best of luck to you; looking for a foundry. Most iron foundrys are run by persons slightly above the level of drug dealer, and slightly lower than a lawyer. I have several patterns out for pouring and my work is not the typical small run stuff. One foundry in Ohio has had some of my proven patterns sitting on their shelfs for two years; and they never get around to pouring them. The foundry that had this same set of patterns before; sent me three thousand dollars worth of total scrap. They then closed their doors overnight, and I almost lost my patterns. Next month I am traveling out to retrieve those patterns again.

I have one water pump impeller pattern that is an aluminum board mount and is multiple pieces per standard flask. It requires no cores and I want hundreds of pieces made. A foundry in Texas sat on this part for several years and never got around to making it. The fellow that I bought this pattern from, originally sent the pattern there. The foundry owner started some song and dance when I told them to ship the pattern back to me. After waiting two years without delivery; suddenly he was going to start ramming up flasks.......sure. Today's foundry owners all are waiting for some magical time when they need work and they feel like making money. Today the metal melt biz is about constant buyouts and seeing how much you can screw your customer, before they run overseas.

I hope to go into partnership, this summer, with a fellow that wants to start a small aluminum foundry. He has purchased most of the necessary equipment and he wants to make a go of a new business. At least some of my parts needs will be filled, in aluminum. I am hoping to get him to pour iron later on. I have told him that I will take all he can pour. He knows me well and is really trying to get going. If he starts to pour; I have a feeling my luck with foundrys will change.

In the past I have had foundrys pour metal on my patterns because some boob forgot to remove them from the flask. Some how them destroying my patterns is always my fault. The best joy is when you sign a contract and they bill you for more than the contract price. Oh the joys of trying to retrieve your patterns after that happens. Twenty years ago I was surrounded by honorable men that would pour any metal you needed and they only wanted to see the color of your money. Now my nearest foundry is a long journey and I would rather visit a bath house in Manhattan before I would go there.

I have never had problems with a stamp shop, gear shop, machine shop, or fabricator. I pride myself on the fact that my second time through the door means a smile and shake from the owner and floor men too. The only good foundrys I can recommend, are all closed. The last foundry I knew that would ram up a loose pattern; closed fifteen years ago. If anyone knows of a foundry that really wants to pour iron, call me now. I have ten jobs that I would pay cash on the barrel for and I would take all they cared to pour.
 
charlie
You are not painting a pretty picture. I did actually find a guy in Kansas City MO who poured one of these out of aluminum but I really want iron. He is a standup guy. Worked for his dad for years then took over the shop when his dad passed on. He takes pride in his work. He just does not mess with cast iron. He did what we asked on the aluminum. I have a line on a shop in St Louis thru a engineer friend but not sure how that will work out. Sorry to hear about your demise. I am learning about the expense of patterns also. that is kind of scary. What is the ratio for shrinkage? We might make our own pattern?

thanks
jesse
 
I have had very good service from Cattail Foundry in Pennsylvania. I've sent patterns and a check for something more than I expect it to cost and received back the number of castings expected and change from the check. It's in Amish country and difficult to reach by modern methods but mail works well:

Cattail Foundry
Emanuel J. King
167 W. Cattail Road
Gordonville, PA 17659

I think that if you google "cattail foundry" that you'll find similar positive comments, and he has experience in casting direct from the part (it's not that hard as long as some shrinkage can be lived with or accommodated in the ramming up).
 
we have a local foundry here in opelika, a bit far away for you guys, but they might be worth a try. diversified metals is their name. they use induction furnaces exclusively from what I understand. at one point I was told by the owners son that they will pour anything, from steel to titanium. no idea about cast iron.

they seem to do a lot of their work using ceramic shell type molds, but they may do rammed up sand, too.

best of luck,

jon
 
Shrinkage is normally taken care of by tapping the loose pattern before it is pulled. Iron generally shrinks one-eighth inch per foot and aluminum shrinks three-sixteenths per foot. This is an average and your mileage may vary.

I have received a few private inquiries asking about what places to avoid. I am only going to talk openly about the ones that are closed. I will only speak in general terms about the ones that are still open. I hate to waste good lead on such clowns.

Washington Foundry was the trap that cast me a pile of total junk. I returned the castings and they promised to pour them again. The second pour was shook out and chilled. It was impossible to machine them or even look cross eyed at those glass hard castings. I heard through the grapevine that they were going bankrupt. A good friend literally stole my patterns back for me. Three months after bankruptcy; they contacted me and wanted to sell me my patterns. Apparently they thought my patterns were still in their pattern barn. You boys across the pond might refer to this as 'cheeky'.

MtPleasant Foundry started off well for me. They started to provide castings that were machined before I got them. Suddenly the castings started to get shifted cores and the machining never was to print. They had stopped pouring my patterns and just started sending me all the rejects that accumulated. I just about died when they poured metal on a pattern that I had made for sentimental reasons. I never intended to sell this casting. I was going to give it to close friends as a keepsake. The foundry owner was a friend of the pattern maker that originally made this eight hundred dollar pattern. The pattern maker knew that this was a keepsake item and they both told me that, since I was not going to make money, no replacement pattern was to be made. I got ten pieces out of a pour of twenty-five and I should just pick what ten freinds were going to get the pieces. The place went bankrupt and the owner lost his house too. He was too interested in equestrian sports and such things to keep his grandfather's business alive.

Klink Foundry took three of my patterns and began pouring them. I got six pieces of one part and they made no more. I was told by one of the men on the floor that they poured a flask that had half of my wooden pattern still in there. The owners lied and told me that they misplaced my patterns. They never replaced the pattern and I was out five grand. I went there early one Saturday morning and strolled back to talk to several fellows doing maintenance work. One very nice old fellow took me in the pattern barn and pointed out to me where my two remaining patterns were sitting. One pattern was smashed and the other was laying in pieces on the floor. I picked up my patterns and departed. I came back with hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls for all the fellows. It was after noon and they were off the clock. We went across the road and took up residence in a garage owned by one of their son-in-laws. I got to hear all the tales of woe. Short paychecks, unsafe equipment, and using the men as scapegoats made me happy that I never worked there. Within a year that place closed.

There is a foundry in zip code 43968 that has had my patterns for two years. They just keep ducking me and never answer a call or letter. I am going there soon and fetch those patterns home, if they still exist.

A very good friend of mine took me to one of the foundrys that has been mentioned in this thread. I filled the trunk of my car with wood and samples. With prints, we departed for a long trip. When we arrived, we were treated like dirt. I said very little and the shady fellow there made me so nervous that I thought better than to leave even a print behind. When we left; my buddy was upset that he had taken me to such a shyster. I just laughed it off and considered it a joyride on a beautiful fall day. Later that fall; I met a few fellows from McConnellsburg and they started telling similar stories, about the same foundry.

The part that galls me most is that all of my competition has moved their casting and finishing offshore. The Chinese may pour a crappy product, but they will pour you a part. They also have quick turn around and their sales offices do talk to you as if you are a person; not a mark. The other guys in my buisness are selling their wares for less than the price per pound to pour. All of my patterns are embossed "Made in USA" and I can not bring myself to remove those words. Maybe my growling belly will someday convince me to change my mind.
 
If you ever need aluminum castings call Mansfield castings at 419 492 2164 talk to Ed. they have always done a great job for me, on time and on price quoted. Old time quality and service, a real pleasure to deal with.
 
I love reading Charlie Biler's posts. He takes a common experience in a range of subjects many of us have suffered through, and puts it in words, (how can I say this adequately?) so, so,....eloquently! :D

Anyway, Charlie, for aluminum, after a run-around everywhere else, i had a great experience with Q-cast foundry about 10 yrs ago. They are a family run operation with continued modernization, and proud of their product and performance. I got a tour on 2 different ocassions, and people in the plant are happy to work there and take responsibility for their part in the operation. They made good reccomendations to modify my pattern for a significantly cheaper price, and they came in under quote and on time with excellent cored castings. They will cast green sand, or shellmold and shell core, or mix 'n match if it works better for your product. (I went shell cores and green sand mould). They are not too far from you, and if he is still manager, Rick Boop is first class to deal with, though kind of on the quiet side as a person.

If this is not still the case, i probably don't want to be disillusioned, though...

http://www.qcastalum.com/

smt
 
I have posted this before .



Spitz Foundry Incorporated
(402) 462-2012
1200 W South St, Hastings, NE 68901


I drove by it for 10 years on my way to work . I applied for a job at a place that had their castings done at Spitz. The castings looked good .
 
Give this guy a try. He do very good work at a reasonable price, and he is interested in old iron.

Foundry Patternmaking - Grey and Ductile Iron Castings - Laser Cutting, CNC Machining and Metal Forming - Custom Engineering and Fabrication
Anderson Industries
Kory Anderson 605-298-5208
301 S. 4th Street
Andover, SD 57422
koryandustries.com Web Site
 
Charlie,

Did you try JHL Foundry in Mt. Pleasant? I rebuilt pneumatic tampers for them 25, 30 years ago.

I know nothing about moulding, but they seemed, at that time, to know what they were doing.

Google found me this:

J H L Foundry, Inc.
P.O. Box 1084
Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania
15666
United States

Phone Number: 724-547-8210
Fax Number: 724-547-3113
Contact Name: James H. Lentz

Back then, they were pouring, I think, mostly grey iron. They learned of me from an uncle, I think, who had a small trucking company near me, in Irwin, who I fixed some other air tools for, and jacks.

Hope they can help you.

Cheers,

George
 
gmatov,
Jimmy Lentz went bankrupt long ago. He was the fellow that tried his hardest to destroy the family business. He succeeded in that task. I find it weird that some how his shop address still exists somewhere on line. The foundry was in Bridgeport.
 
I find it weird that some how his shop address still exists somewhere on line.

further proof that NOTHING ever disappears after it gets online.....
on edit: jk, if you ever find a foundry who does do small runs of cast iron, please let me know who....I've got a couple of small projects in mind, too
 
I really hate to say this... Wonder if there are any grey iron foundries in China or India which could produce useable product AND would be interested in short runs?

But what has beeh discussed above -- writ large -- is no doubt why a lot of business has migrated off shore. Wanting to buy USA isn't worth a hoot if no one in the USA is interested in your business -- for whatever reasons.
 
Charlie
Will do. I am getting a lot of very good advice here. Also have one more option that may materialize tomorrow. Will keep everyone advised.

thanks
jesse
 








 
Back
Top