Quote:
Originally Posted by jenchris
recycled Jumbo Jets
|
Might be OK !
Many years ago a mate of mine cast and machined a 10" worm for me out of duralumin complete with mating hub and clutch, after I spent a day smashing up old engine blocks using a 16lb sledgehammer. This easily beat collecting coke cans - standing on top of a block and with a big swing to deliver a resounding WALLOP !, the sledge would punch a neat hole clean through most engine blocks, and after a day I had reduced a half-dozen to about 200kg of rubble small enough to fit in his backyard smelter. The smelter had been cannibalised from a concrete-block BBQ with the addition of coke, a crucible and a vacuum-cleaner running as a blower to achieve a temp high enough to melt the stuff. The results were OK BTW as duralumin alloy has a lower melting point than aluminium, doesn't oxidise so fast (can be exposed to air) and pours easily to make good castings. And best of all its harder, a lot stronger and machines well whereas the coke-can stuff is bloody awful - too soft and binds on machine tools.
At the end of it there was a pile of lumpy bits (mainly bearings and valve sleeves) and slag.