new table

[686]

i just made a new table for my casting. it is for my 90 lb magma bottom pour pot and my 45 lb magma caster. my table is covered in formica. it is realy floring out of a bowling aley. solid 1/2 in formica with the wood color face. my question is , is my pots going to put out too much heat out there bottoms to hurt the table top? i do lay my molds on it while casting. thought about laying a piece of sheet metel under them . what about 1/8 or 1/4 in masonite? any thoughts?

[xr650]

I set my moulds on a piece of 1/2" Plywood sign board. The paper scorches, but the heat doesn't travel to the bench top.
If I were using a thin piece of metal I would put a spacer on each end so I had an air insulator between the metal and the bench top.

[GabbyM]

I used a piece of aluminum roofing flashing under my sizer and caster.
Have a couple of scrap pieces of aluminum plate to set molds on. The plate helps draw heat out of the molds and dissipate it. Gives a soft landing compared to steel also.

[686]

up----

[Just Duke]

Hardy-board/backer will work to cover your top with.

[686]

i did see the hardy-board backer in 1/4 in . i did not know how it would hold up to constit mold laying down and picking up, back and forth. i did pick up a small sheet of masonite 1/8 in thick. i got to thinking i use to have a cloth towel laying beside the 90 lb pot's legs . i used it that way for a year never a hear problum until i started sitting the molds on it. after 8 hrs of casting this way the towel looked like an iron was left sitting on it to long. i then changed to a thin sheet of sheet metal. the molds slide good with no heat problum. i just did not want to mess up my new coundter top. my 90 lb pot is on 8 in. legs it is hot under it but must not be hot enugh to hurt thr towel that was next to the legs, not under the pot. thanks hor the help.

[MakeMineA10mm]

I'm moving my casting shop soon, and have a work bench all ready to install. It is wood made with 4x4s and 3/4" OSB. On top, I'm installing malanine for a smooth top, but under my Magma 90-lber is going to be a shallow steel tub, so that if there is ever a valve problem, the tub will catch the lead. This will also protect the wood from the heat, during normal use (but not if the lead spills). I'm also going to have a wood-burning stove in the new shop, and the moulds are getting set on that, in-between pours...

[Jack Stanley]

My casting bench is also my swaging area but it is covered with formica . When casting I set my pots on a piece of half inch plywood and don't worry to much about slop and drips . When using multiple molds such as a H&G six cavity , I'll set them on a ten pound ingot that is destined for the pot to act as a heat sink (and warm it up a bit ) . If I'm using smaller mold by them selves thay aren't on the wood long enough to cause problems .

By the way my ingot mold for the ten pounder is a section of small channel iron with ends heli-arced onto it .

Jack