Build Your Own Iron-Melting Furnace

Build Your Own Iron-Melting Furnace FARM SHOP Miscellaneous 24-5-41 "I use it to make parts for restoring antique equipment," says Steve Chastain about his home-built iron melting furnace that he built mostly from scrap materials. Chastain says his 10-in. dia. furnace can melt as much as 330 lbs. of iron per hour, fired by gas and air from a shop vac. His basic design can be expanded to almost any size to increase capacity. "Old engines fascinate me. I love to restore old machines. Many engines and machines are scrapped because of broken castings. Parts are expensive or nonexistent. I had several machines that could be fixed if I could find a way to cast the parts. "My first project was a set of pistons for an antique 4-cyl. generator set. After that I made manifolds, water pumps, magnetos, and cylinder sleeves. When my friends found out I could pour iron, they started bringing me their projects. Along the way I learned that pouring iron is not as difficult as most people think." Chastain's home-built furnace worked so well he has put together a detailed do-it-yourself book designed to help anyone do what he did. Chastain used to run an electrical component manufacturing firm until he decided to go back to school. He's now back in college studying engineering. His 125-page book explains in detail how he built the furnace, the theory behind it, what parts you should use, and how to operate it. He also explains in detail how to increase capacity of the furnace by building a higher capacity blower. The book sells for $19.95 plus $3.20 S&H. You can buy direct from Chastain or from Lindsay Publications, which is a great publisher of a wide range of do-it-yourself books (ph 815 935-5353 or www.lindsaybks.com). Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Steve Chastain, 2925 Mandarin Meadows Dr., Jacksonville, Fla. 32223; E-mail: Stevechastain@hotmail.com).

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