Casting Party

My friend Dan had a casting party last week. You may be thinking "thespians," but no.

This was a molten metal social event. Dan turned his backyard into a foundary workers dream. There were a dozen people there and at least 2 projects going at any one time. Dan was melting aluminum in the foundary while another fellow fired his lost-wax mold for a small totem.

The keystone for the occasion was Mike Porter's backyard furnace. The furnace or forge is made from an old propane tank. Ingenious. These furnaces get hot. As I mentioned, Dan was melting aluminum, and the totem cast was later filled with molten brass. Mike was there, signing copies of his book, "Gas Burners for Forges, Furnaces & Kilns," which details the making of both the furnace, and most importantly, the burner, which fires the furnace.

The greatest thing about these furnaces are their versatility. Depending on how you build it, the foundary furnace can be easily flipped on its side and used as a blacksmith's forge. Very cool and very portable.