Today's installment is the first foundry production part: the brew reservoir. I made the prototype entirely from discrete stainless parts, but the complex form means that it is much more efficient to make a casting.
The prototype reservoir from 2016.
After a lengthy exchange with the foundry: one bucket-o-castings! Slightly more costly than KFC.
The rectangular blocks on the face of the flange are casting "risers" that provide a reservoir of liquid metal that is drawn into the casting as it solidifies to prevent internal voids from forming.
The large void in the surface means that this one is likely a reject and will go back into the melting pot.
A few days later and the parts arrived at my shop. So easy!
As the foundry molds have to be made anyway, I thought I may as well add the detail of the threaded nub on the side of the reservoir. This is an easy place to unobtrusively attach a thermocouple - the data from which may or may not be useful. Time will tell.
The prototype reservoir from 2016.
After a lengthy exchange with the foundry: one bucket-o-castings! Slightly more costly than KFC.
The rectangular blocks on the face of the flange are casting "risers" that provide a reservoir of liquid metal that is drawn into the casting as it solidifies to prevent internal voids from forming.
The large void in the surface means that this one is likely a reject and will go back into the melting pot.
A few days later and the parts arrived at my shop. So easy!
As the foundry molds have to be made anyway, I thought I may as well add the detail of the threaded nub on the side of the reservoir. This is an easy place to unobtrusively attach a thermocouple - the data from which may or may not be useful. Time will tell.
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