Looking for a foundry

Ianagos · Oct 26, 2018

Do any of you guys know of a foundry that will pour cast iron for a few items. This is a prototype and if it works out the it would be 10-20 quantities. Largest part is about 140lbs. I’m not too familiar with making molds either but the part is pretty darn simple. It was going to be made as a weldment. I think lost foam mold would be the easiest I could make it out of bars just need to figure how to get the fillets in there. Might just machine foam with fillets in there.
I’m located near Atlanta Georgia I feel like shipping 140lbs of iron will not be very cost effective. Otherwise I would send a letter to cattail foundry.

So who in Georgia will pour a one off like this? Even if it’s a small operation or a club type deal I’m willing to learn. I just do not have the equipment or expertise to cast iron.

Also if you guys have any tips on the lost foam mold I’d appreciate it.

DDoug · Oct 27, 2018

Post up some pix (or screen shots of the file)
Some foundry types can comment on how/why it can be cast (or not)

johnoder · Oct 27, 2018

As illustrated here MOST of the expense is getting ready to go to the foundry - like a pattern

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...castings-look-good-255315/?highlight=castings

Ianagos · Oct 27, 2018

Ok I’ll try to get a picture or two up later

This is the largest part.

Mebfab · Oct 27, 2018

I searched nc for iron foundry. Charlote cast, jc steele are all i could find. There is one in gastonia, does not respond to emails or return calls.

One of my old customers buys from a place in south carolina.

snowman · Oct 27, 2018

Mebfab said:
I searched nc for iron foundry. Charlote cast, jc steele are all i could find. There is one in gastonia, does not respond to emails or return calls.

One of my old customers buys from a place in south carolina.

Northfield Manufacturing Inc - Gray Ductitle Irons; Carbon, Alloy, Stainless steels

The shipping cost is minimal compared to the cost of getting started. The above place does good work. I used to talk to a gentleman named Dave Sylvester there.

Cattail will want nothing to do with anything related to production. With Dave, if you want to start out with a couple prototypes, based off a loose pattern, he'll do it...then when it's time to build a match board pattern, he can get it done as well. Last time I had anything poured it was $50/pour or $2/lb, whichever you hit first. That was a while ago though.

If you search the forum archives, you'll find that finding a foundry that will work with you is a pain in the ass.

Ianagos · Oct 27, 2018

snowman said:
Northfield Manufacturing Inc - Gray Ductitle Irons; Carbon, Alloy, Stainless steels

The shipping cost is minimal compared to the cost of getting started. The above place does good work. I used to talk to a gentleman named Dave Sylvester there.

Cattail will want nothing to do with anything related to production. With Dave, if you want to start out with a couple prototypes, based off a loose pattern, he'll do it...then when it's time to build a match board pattern, he can get it done as well. Last time I had anything poured it was $50/pour or $2/lb, whichever you hit first. That was a while ago though.

If you search the forum archives, you'll find that finding a foundry that will work with you is a pain in the ass.

I did find some posts on how it was quite difficult to find a foundry. That’s why I asked for some more recent posts.

For right now it’s a prototype so quantity of 1-3 if it does work out I’ll then contact a larger foundry with an order of 10-20.

$2 a pound I can work with but if it goes over $3 a pound it’s not viable. For the larger casting that is.

I am considering China to make the castings and I’ll machine them in house. But I’d rather not. I’m not too keen on the importing process and whatnot. Just seems like nobody in the us does cast iron but it can be had cheap in China. And I’m not too worried on them copying the design as the castings require quite a bit of machining.

DDoug · Oct 27, 2018

I agree it looks like more of a fabrication.
Have you sent it out for bid as a fabrication ?

SBAER · Oct 27, 2018

I have had some luck with getting a mid size local foundry to pour 100 ductile iron casting with a matchplate pattern that I made myself. I think the matchplate part is kind of key, by using the matchplate for which the foundry has a semi-automated system, the process was less of a pain in the butt for them. Your part does not look to me like it is suitable for a matchplate type pattern but others on the forum may have better ideas.

Since you have CAD it should be easy to add draft, fillets and scale the part to account for the shrinkage factor, you may be able to 3D print a significant part of the pattern. Below is a picture of some the parts of a 3D printed pattern I am working on today

Ianagos · Oct 27, 2018

digger doug said:
I agree it looks like more of a fabrication.
Have you sent it out for bid as a fabrication ?

I was going to fabricate it myself
Might get a quote for it to be fabricated.
Easily made of 1.25x6 bar 1x4 and 1.5x5 bar. All welded up.

Cast was preferred even at a slightly higher cost though due to material properties.

Also I never thought about 3d printing a mold this thing is pretty large at 26” wide.
I’m not sure how to design the pattern anyways hence why I suggested the lost foam. I could add draft but some of the parts just don’t seem like the could be made into a pattern.

Pattnmaker · Oct 27, 2018

I would say to find a local pattern shop and speak with them. A job shop pattern shop will know the capabilities of the local foundries and what they need as far as a pattern goes.
While a pattern is "expensive" you have to amortize the cost over all the castings you will be making. Foam is not the way to go if you need more that about 3 or 4 castings. I suspect the local pattern shop will be cheaper than making it in house if you charge yourself your shop rate. They will know where to add the draft and how to part the casting.

I know of 2 foundries locally up here that would make that part for you as a loose pattern for up to about 10. It would be either a loose pattern on a follow board or with a cover core. The cover core would be a little more for the initial pattern but could easily be mounted in cope and drag boxes, and would last longer.

Unless the volume was quite high or the part was much smaller. I would not consider making that part as a matchplate. I would go with a separate cope and drag as the part would likely be made in airset sand.

DDoug · Oct 27, 2018

Ianagos said:
I was going to fabricate it myself
Might get a quote for it to be fabricated.
Easily made of 1.25x6 bar 1x4 and 1.5x5 bar. All welded up.

Cast was preferred even at a slightly higher cost though due to material properties.

What kind of numbers are you looking for ?
Something like T-1 is easily & readily fabricated using
normal fabrication techniques.

Ianagos · Oct 27, 2018

digger doug said:
What kind of numbers are you looking for ?
Something like T-1 is easily & readily fabricated using
normal fabrication techniques.

Was gonna just go with a36 hot roll and stick weld it up. Mostly wanted the stability and dampening of cast iron. This will be machined and it cannot move.

Ianagos · Oct 27, 2018

Pattnmaker said:
I would say to find a local pattern shop and speak with them. A job shop pattern shop will know the capabilities of the local foundries and what they need as far as a pattern goes.
While a pattern is "expensive" you have to amortize the cost over all the castings you will be making. Foam is not the way to go if you need more that about 3 or 4 castings. I suspect the local pattern shop will be cheaper than making it in house if you charge yourself your shop rate. They will know where to add the draft and how to part the casting.

I know of 2 foundries locally up here that would make that part for you as a loose pattern for up to about 10. It would be either a loose pattern on a follow board or with a cover core. The cover core would be a little more for the initial pattern but could easily be mounted in cope and drag boxes, and would last longer.

Unless the volume was quite high or the part was much smaller. I would not consider making that part as a matchplate. I would go with a separate cope and drag as the part would likely be made in airset sand.

I could make the pattern I see how I could actually make the pattern but the draft is something I don’t want in the casting. May have to live with it.

I’ll look for a local pattern shop and talk to them aswell. Just if this is going to cost me $2000 to get done that’s enough to make several weldments and I’m still on a prototype if it doesn’t work out I don’t want to be 20,000$ into this and lose all of it.

Jim S. · Oct 27, 2018

Try Pinebrook Foundry in Great Falls, SC. They do one-off castings and short run production, including loose patterns, and match boards. I've had them cast several short runs in ductile and they did a very good job. Most recent was about 10 years ago so I don't know their current status. They were a family owned/operated with maybe 4 total employees.
Jim

Steven-Canada · Oct 27, 2018

Pattnmaker said:
I would say to find a local pattern shop and speak with them. A job shop pattern shop will know the capabilities of the local foundries and what they need as far as a pattern goes.
While a pattern is "expensive" you have to amortize the cost over all the castings you will be making. Foam is not the way to go if you need more that about 3 or 4 castings. I suspect the local pattern shop will be cheaper than making it in house if you charge yourself your shop rate. They will know where to add the draft and how to part the casting.

I know of 2 foundries locally up here that would make that part for you as a loose pattern for up to about 10. It would be either a loose pattern on a follow board or with a cover core. The cover core would be a little more for the initial pattern but could easily be mounted in cope and drag boxes, and would last longer.

Unless the volume was quite high or the part was much smaller. I would not consider making that part as a matchplate. I would go with a separate cope and drag as the part would likely be made in airset sand.

I'd love to know

DDoug · Oct 27, 2018

Ianagos said:
Was gonna just go with a36 hot roll and stick weld it up. Mostly wanted the stability and dampening of cast iron. This will be machined and it cannot move.

If you have a reputable fab shop do the job, many will offer stress relieve anneal,
and shot blast afterwards.

Ianagos · Oct 27, 2018

digger doug said:
If you have a reputable fab shop do the job, many will offer stress relieve anneal,
and shot blast afterwards.

Ok now can you recommend any decent shops in Georgia that could quote on this.

DDoug · Oct 27, 2018

Ianagos said:
Ok now can you recommend any decent shops in Georgia that could quote on this.

No I can't but I'm sure someone else can.

There are many quality shops around.

Ianagos · Oct 27, 2018

digger doug said:
No I can't but I'm sure someone else can.

There are many quality shops around.

Thankyou I’ll try to get a quote at a few. There are several other parts that are simple weldments that I wouldn’t mind sending out if the price is right.

Looking for a foundry

Stainless

Diamond

Diamond

Stainless

Diamond

Diamond

Stainless

Diamond

Hot Rolled

Attachments

Stainless

Stainless

Diamond

Stainless

Stainless

Hot Rolled

Hot Rolled

Diamond

Stainless

Diamond

Stainless

Similar threads