Sunday, November 15, 2015

Lead Submarine! Fabrication of Mist's One-piece Keel Bulb


The Pattern and two sided mold box.


Coating the pattern in graphite to keep the moist sand from sticking to the pattern.


Adding sand with mixture of bentonite, 100 lbs sifted sand, 12 lbs bentonite, and 1 gal water. Mix with gloved hands for a long time.


Pack the sand in tight, both sides of pattern.


Rob is fabricating the foiled shape core. Shifted sand with sodium silicate then place in bag, add carbon dioxide gas for half-hour. The core turns into solid chunk sand in shape of foil.


Splitting the two sides of mold to remove the pattern.



Inserting the foil shaped core.


Aligning the mold with pour spout of the kettle.


Melting two gallons of lead.


Splitting the mold boxes to reveal the lead bulb.


Big THANKS! to Rob for all the advice and fabrication of kettle and trolly.


Minor trimming and the keel blade slides right in the bulb's socket.

The whole event was great fun with a great group of friends. Combine weight of the keel bulb and blade is 161 lbs, a little light. I'm to adjust the height of the blade in the socket and add more lead.

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