The engine room hatch has a gasket. A second deadlight is cast. The rudder quadrant now has put out dowel pins as several of you suggested. Thank you! The chain to cable connectors are done for the chain and cable steering system. And you get to see me continue to fail to patch a hole in a keel. 🙂 Many … Read More
Casting Deadlights – Part 1
Sodium Silicate Sand Rocks! Especially for the occasional casting or big casting. Traditional Green Sand requires, skill, storage, and a sand muller to recondition your sand. And the difficulty increases with the size of the casting. Sodium silicate sand uses inexpensive fine silica sand, and sodium silicate (water glass) which reacts with CO2 to harden the sand. 200 pounds of … Read More
Casting Porthole Deadlights – First Failure
It didn’t work but I am accustomed to that on the first try. Â Come to think of it, I am accustomed to that on the second and third try too. Â But we have great hope for our plans based on watching the sand slowly crack and fall out while we carefully moved the top have of the mold. Â But … Read More
Casting Test
Remember those winch capstans we were trying to cast? We’ll we’re back messing with it. Â I had one more bock mold that I know is too thin to work, but it made a great test sample. Â Paul and I used 2″ thick ceramic blanket to make a temporary burn our furnace that will let me use larger block molds. Â And … Read More