I'd love to have a CAD program attached to a 3D printer just to make things that I have in my head. I use "Hillbilly CAD" (Cardboard Aided Design) well actually cereal box cardboard is my go to for making patterns and trying shapes before I cut expensive steel. When I cast aluminum I don't worry too much about making mistakes because when I screw up or don't love how something turns out I just throw it back into the soup and use it again. When you have to buy material to machine you make damn sure all your measurements are dead on and you make all your cuts perfectly or your mistakes go into the bin. They will get reused later for something but it really hurts my feelings chucking a big piece of 3 inch round stock into the junk pile and calling the metal store to send you another chunk of 6061. Anyway I had a bee up my ass wanting to make a fuel block for the Jimmy 302. I spent a couple days whittling and refining and casting and throwing mistakes back into the pot till I came up with this.... It has 3/8 pipe threads in both ends and 1/4 npt on top and a 1/8 npt port for a pressure gauge. Summer better get here soon , I'm running out of aluminum muffins....I really should be drinking beer by the pool if it ever stops raining.
I do that at work, when we are allowed in the building. I am making space to start doing it in my shop, soon. Google "lost PLA casting". Tons of good info. 3D printers have come WAY down in price.
Looks nice. This a wax casting? The flow through design, is that for ease of machining or for an overflow/return line ?
It's a sand casting made with a wooden plug and petrobond sand Because of the gauge port , it makes it able to plumb an inlet from either end depending on which way the gauge faces.
Nice job. I'd like to do some casting in the future - I've been collecting scrap alum for that eventuality. This is an item what would make a good first project.
I’m working on converting an OT Motor EFI intake to dual IDFs using 3D printing. Printed in PETG first to check fit. I will print it in Carbon Fiber Polycarbonate to test with then I will cast in aluminum.
Plus you have a one off piece instead of a Belly Button. No doubt at some point and time someone will say "where did you get that".
Seeing what some of you guys can do with aluminium casting and machining I thought one of you guys would have come up with a Ansen style dual master cylinder using the dimensions and internals of a normal dual master cylinder.
The Jalopy Journal
