| Australian grassroots motor racing grew up | | | | Proven foundry methods and techniques are |
| with the home built special. Many examples of | | | | employed by model engineers, home |
| these historic cars are still in existence | | | | mechanics, car & motorbike restorers etc, to |
| today. Some were built as circuit racers, but | | | | create high quality cast parts that would |
| many were built for the ever-popular hill | | | | be otherwise unobtainable. If you have never |
| climb events held at the various climbs | | | | contemplated casting your own metal parts, |
| scattered around Australia. | | | | then you'd be amazed at the many different |
| | | | things that can be made, especially if you |
| To build a competitive home built racecar | | | | have a well-equipped machine shop. It is |
| today requires many skills. Most | | | | possible to make those hard to get parts |
| importantly the racecar enthusiast | | | | right in your own home foundry workshop... |
| constructor will need to have hands on | | | | for a very low cost. |
| knowledge of metal fabrication skills, i.e., | | | | |
| knowing how to weld or braze metal, or | | | | The foundry process is basically carried out |
| machining skills may also be required to | | | | by producing a pattern, which is normally |
| operate lathes and milling machines to | | | | made from timber, but patterns can also be |
| produce many of the special one off parts. | | | | made from many other materials, one |
| Just as in the early days of Australian motor | | | | particular compound that can be used to |
| racing, today's constructor needs to be | | | | reproduce broken parts to make a new pattern |
| extremely resourceful. | | | | is RTV silicone. |
| | | | |
| If the budget is tight, the home race-car | | | | Once a pattern is produced, it is imbedded |
| builder can use many avenues to keep the | | | | into the foundry sand to make a cavity, green |
| construction costs down to an acceptable | | | | sand is a common type of foundry sand, but |
| level, being multi skilled will allow the | | | | there are many other types of easy to use |
| home fabricator to construct all manner of | | | | sand moulding mediums. After the sand is |
| things instead of resorting to expensive of | | | | rammed around the pattern, or the silicate |
| the shelf custom made parts. | | | | sand has set, the pattern is carefully |
| | | | removed from the sand mould, and the mould is |
| Many people are unaware that metal casting | | | | closed and made ready for the pour.. |
| techniques can be used in the home workshop | | | | |
| to cast lightweight aluminium parts. Metal | | | | A simple gas fired furnace can be constructed |
| casting is not that difficult to do, and in | | | | to melt the metal which is then poured into |
| the last couple of years there has been a | | | | the sand mould to create the casting. Once |
| worldwide resurgence of home metal casting, | | | | the casting has cooled, it is removed from |
| i.e., people have been busy setting up a | | | | the sand mould, cleaned and prepared for the |
| simple home workshop foundry to cast special | | | | machining & finishing operations. Quite |
| metal parts that would otherwise be quite | | | | often, the complete operation; from pattern |
| expensive if sourced professionally. | | | | to finished casting can be achieved in just |
| | | | a few days, and that is the great advantage |
| Basically all you really need is to build | | | | of being in full control of the whole |
| some simple foundry equipment, and learn & | | | | operation, you can manufacture and finish |
| practice the basic skills, and before long | | | | everything in house, while reducing the |
| you will soon be creating some amazing | | | | overall cost to an absolute minimum. |
| things in metal with your own mini foundry. | | | | |
| | | | Once you are familiar with the basic foundry |
| A basic understanding of foundry knowledge | | | | techniques, and you understand the |
| and self - built equipment is the key to | | | | techniques involved, you will be able to |
| your metal casting success. | | | | create many things in metal that you would |
| | | | otherwise not thought possible. |