Metal Project Plans - Metal work Resources

Metal Work Resources

This page is for resources that a metal worker might find useful. Links on this page can include usful charts, data on materials, information on projects, forums for metal workers, and any other resourses for metal working. If you have any resources you think should be included, please email them to me.

Machine Builders Network

Great site with all sorts of information and plans for building all sorts of machines. Great information on hydraulics, good suppliers list, and a great forum for people building machines to trade ideas and ask questions.

Tape Drill Chart Page

Tap Drill Charts - imperial, metric, pipe.

Links from Al Schoep. www.schoepp.ca

General Metalworking
	MatWeb is a great web site to look for information on all types of materials. You should be able to find the information you need on most any material here, not just metal.
	Metal Web News has a lot of useful information. There is a collection of projects as well as lists of suppliers and educational web pages. A site worth checking out.
	Metalworking.com is the website for rec.crafts.metalworking newsgroup. It was setup to provide a place for people to post pictures which are not allowed on the newsgroup. There is also links for metalworking clubs, publications and educational sites. Don't miss this site.
	Ron's site has a lot of information on blacksmithing, including the construction of forges and propane burners for them. It is a variation of the burner from his site that most of the members of AMEN are using for their foundry furnaces..
	Stewart sells a book and a CD that are very interesting. The CD and the book mainly cover cupola construction and use but there is a lot of information there for anyone interested in metalcasting, whether with a cupola or crucible furnace.

Books
Building A Gas Fired Crucible Furnace, Dave Gingery. ISBN 1878087088 Plans for a great little furnace. This is the plans I used for my furnace, there are pictures of it elsewhere on this site. The book and the plans are easy to follow and understand.
Building Small Cupola Furnaces, Stewart Marshall. While I haven't built a cupola there is a lot of useful information in this book for the hobbyist who is just starting sand casting.
Casting Kaiser Aluminum, 2nd edition 1968, Harold Kaehler. This book is aimed at the commercial foundry but I found a lot of useful information in here, everything from different alloys and their properties to how to make a proper sand mold.
US Navy Foundry Manual, US Navy, ISBN 1559180072. This is an excellent reference book. I found the sections on casting defects particularly useful. It is full of pictures so if you are having a problem you can have a look here and see what is recommended to solve your problem.
*Appropriate Technology in the Small Foundry*, Steve Hurst, ISBN 1853391972. A very interesting book on small foundries in under developed countries. Since most of these foundries use low technology/low cost methods it is very interesting reading for the hobbyist and may provide useful information for your shop.
*The Complete Handbook of Sand Casting*, C.W. Ammen, ISBN 083061043X. A useful book with some problems. Ammen is not an author but a foundryman. This comes across in the book, there is a lot of useful information here but if you're the type to be put off by the occasional typo or grammatical error this probably isn't your book. If you look past those flaws it is a worthwhile addition to your library.
*Machinery's Handbook*, 1914 - present This book is very useful. It doesn't provide you with much in the way of how to do something but a huge collection of material information, feeds and speeds, formulas, etc. It is stuffed with a huge variety of information of use the the machinist. The earlier versions of the book had information also applicable to the blacksmith while the newer version dropped that information for information more relevant to modern machine shops such as CNC. This means that the older versions may be even more useful than a new one to the home shop machinist. The latest edition has over 2,500 pages!
*The Machinist's Bedside Reader*, Guy Lautard, ISBN 0969098022. A very interesting book that contains a collection of articles with hints on tips and techniques for the home shop machinist.
*The Machinist's Second Bedside Reader*, Guy Lautard, ISBN 0969098030. Similar layout to the first book above, just some new tips and techniques.
*The Machinist's Third Bedside Reader*, Guy Lautard, ISBN 096909809X. Yet again similar to the other two books, just new information.
*Handbook of Lost Wax or Investment Casting*, James Sopcak, ISBN 0935182284. This book gives you the basics of lost wax casting and provides instructions so you can build your own equipment, such as a burnout oven, and wax injector. It is aimed more at the jewelry size of lost wax rather than sculpture. Well written with a lot of information.
*Iron Melting Cupola Furnaces for the Small Foundry*, Steve Chastain, ISBN 0970220308. An in depth book on the construction and operation of a cupola. While I have not yet built one according to those that have this book is excellent. Steve provides all of the formulas he used to calculate such items as airflow so that if you build according to his instructions your cupola should work, rather than having to perform a lot of trial and error to get all the correct settings.
*Build an Oil Fired Tilting Furnace*, Steve Chastain, ISBN 0970220316. An in depth book on the construction and operation of a tilting furnace. I have also not yet built one of these. This book is similar to Steve's cupola book above in that he provides a lot of the theory behind his plans as well as the plans.