In this video, I use microwave to do some lost PLA casting. I use my microwave kiln to burn out a plaster mould and to melt some brass. • Melt Metals in the Mic... • Microwave Kilns, Lost ...
*Abstract* This video demonstrates the process of creating a metal hook using a 3D printed mold and a microwave kiln. The creator utilizes various techniques and materials, including boron nitride, cheese wax, plaster, and brass scraps, to achieve the desired outcome. Despite encountering minor setbacks such as a cracked sprue and a stripped screw, the project ultimately results in a functional metal hook. *Summary* *3D Printing and Mold Preparation (**0:00**)* * 0:00: The video aims to showcase microwave metal melting by creating a missing bathroom hook. * 0:47: Boron nitride is applied to a screw and nut to facilitate later removal from the metal casting. * 1:52: Cheese wax is used to secure the screw, nut, and 3D printed sprue within the mold. * 3:01: A plaster and sand mixture forms the investment for the mold. *Mold Burnout and Metal Melting (**4:25**)* * 4:25: The mold is dried in an air fryer and then wrapped in aluminum foil for microwave burnout. * 5:54: Due to another mold already occupying the primary microwave kiln, a secondary one is used for the burnout process. * 7:57: The mold reaches 400°C, and the burnout cycle is adjusted for further heating. * 8:00: Brass scraps are melted in a preheated crucible with boric acid added to manage slag. *Casting and Finishing (**9:07**)* * 9:07: Zinc loss is observed during the brass melting process. * 9:56: The molten brass is poured into the mold using a vacuum casting setup. * 10:13: The screw is successfully extracted, but it is noted that using a non-stainless steel screw may have led to it being stripped due to the softening of the metal. * 12:42: The finished hook is slightly smaller than intended because the 3D printed model did not account for metal shrinkage. i used gemini 1.5 pro to summarize the transcript
Hold on to your horses! While AI summaries of transcripts sound neat, there are some things to consider... Accuracy ain't guaranteed. AI isn't perfect, and jokes, sarcasm, or even key points might get lost in translation. The summary could be misleading! Copyright could be a party pooper. Summaries might contain bits of the transcript, which could be a copyright issue. Less engagement might sting creators. Having everything laid out in the comments could discourage people from actually watching the video. Not cool for creators who rely on views! Maybe think twice before pasting those summaries. I used free gemini to generate this response. lol
I realise that it took some time and effort to make just a replacement hook but, the outcome is awesome, to think you made that with a microwave oven is incredible. Thanks 😊👍👍🙏🏻
What fun! For me, I would not mess about trying to cast the screw threads. I would cast the item without threads ans then drill and tap it afterwards. It takes a bit of practice, but not much.
10:22 Using a TORX screw could help here. Or maybe quenching the screw, although that might not be easy to do and I guess if the screw snapped that would be way worse. Nice build, thanks for the vid.
Thanks! There is no need for the hooks to match...that way 1 member of the family can feel like king/queen hanging the towel on a golden coloured hook 😀 (golden for now...until it gets tarnished)
Would it be possible to reuse the mold for multiple castings? I don't understand the vacuum cleaner vacuum station purpose, is the mold so porous that it lets the air pass?
It's possible to make reusable molds, but the process is a bit different. I plan to create a video on it at some point. Have you had a chance to watch the kiln/vacuum video linked in the description? In it, I demonstrate the effectiveness of vacuum with a few examples. The mold is indeed porous, allowing air to pass through but not the metal. Cheers!
How interesting, thanks for sharing! Can I ask - not a scientist - is it safe to use the microwave on it's side? Cause I thought the waves were from the top, "bounces" around the sides and the rotating plate helps the electro-waves hit all sides of the object for even heating (when used right side up)? I'm interested in using a taller mwk like yours but it wont fit unless on it's sides 🤔
Thanks for watching! I can't speak for all microwaves, but I have never had any issues. In theory, there could be parts in the microwave that wear down faster due to change in orientation, but that's just a theory. The only potential issue (in theory) is for the microwave to break earlier than it normally would. I've been doing this for more than 5 years. Sure, some microwaves have broken down, but I can’t definitively say it was due to microwaving kilns, changing orientations of the microwave, or melting metals. My microwaves are used much more frequently than they typically would be in an average household, so that’s another factor to consider. The white microwave I use in the video is 4 years old. The magnetron died after 3 months of use, so I replaced it. Since then, the microwave, which was second-hand/Amazon returns, has been running without problems for over 3 years. As for microwave radiation escaping, that should not happen regardless of orientation. There are microwave leakage detectors that can be used to check for any leakage. I don’t want to encourage people to use their microwaves flipped on the side. All I can do is share my experience and leave that decision up to the individual. Cheers! Denny
@@ShakeTheFuture Oh wow, thanks for taking the time to leave such an in-depth reply, Denny! I'll definitely take everything into consideration - it does give me more confidence, thank you once again!
Ever consider trying stainless steel 3D printing filament? e.g. If you can print plastic, you can make pure metal parts. The stainless Filamet enables one to print bound-metal filament on common 3D printers and debind & sinter printed parts in common kiln equipment. Once parts have been fired in a sintering furnace, the result is a 100% metal 3D printed part.
Appliance repair guy here..... The TCO (thermal cut-out) sensor will cut off power to the unit when your magnetron unit gets too hot. This keeps the ceramic magnets on the magtube from cracking. The best thing to do is not to remove the TCO sensor. However increasing cool airflow through the magnetron area of the microwave should improve this issue.
@@jamesblackwell5141 Thank you! I considered this, but I wasn't sure where to pull/push the air through. I guess vacuum it from the vent (duh.) I'm concerned that mine overheats but other's microwaves don't seem to have this problem.
@@dustybrown4599 Some microwaves overheat too easily. I've used microwaves that weren't suitable for these kinds of projects due to overheating issues, but it's never been as bad as yours - just 2 minutes in. I only encounter overheating problems in July and August when attempting to melt something during the hottest hours of the day. By the way, check if the fan is running; it might be dead. If so, the microwave will overheat pretty quickly.
