Contents of this Page:
Design
Construction notes
Parts List
Other pages:
Design:
I wanted my foundry to be mobile, so I ended up with the following design: a cart on casters on which a furnace could be mounted, with an integral lifting device for the furnace top. The cart sits on four castors (the front two are swivel castors). A winch has been mounted on the handle of the cart, and is connected by cable to a lifting frame. The furnace is bolted to the cart for stability. The furnace top (actually tabs welded to the top) sits on the frame. The lift provides enough clearance to remove the crucible from the furnace with tongs (see the tongs page for details). The cart is a bit overbuilt because I used materials that I had on hand.
Construction Notes:
The
bottom rails are 1" X 1 1/4" square tubing. The rails extend far enough on the
side to accommodate the castor mounting plates.
Four holes are drilled in the castor mounting plates to mount
the castors.
The
mounting plates are welded to the bottom rails and the castors are bolted to the plates
The
Lift/Handle is layed out in a very scientific manner (eyeballed). Actually a carpenters
square and a level helped. After the tubing is cut to size, it is welded to the base
plate. The winch plate is welded to the right upright and the winch is bolted to the
plate. The finished cart was treated with Ospho (rust killer) and painted with
rustoleum primer. After the paint dried , the U-bolt and pulley was mounted to
the top rail.
This is the finished cart and lift in action.
This is a closeup which shows how the lift guides are welded
to the inside of the handle uprights. I left enough clearance for the lift to slide up and
down without binding. This works fine for a small furnace
Parts List:
- 1 Ea - winch
- 1 Ea - block (pulley)
- 4 Ea - 3" X 5" X 1/8" plates to mount castors
- 1 Ea - castors (2 rigid and 2 swivel)
- 1 Ea - 12" X 20" X 1/8" plate for cart bottom
- 2 pieces 16 1/2" long X 1 1/4" square tubing (side rails for base)
- 2 pieces 17 1/4" long X 1 1/4" square tubing (front and back rails for base)
- 2 pieces 32" long X 1 1/2"Square tubing for handle/lift uprights
- 1 piece 17" long X 1 1/2"Square tubing for handle/lift (handle/crossbar)
- 1 Pint - Ospho rust killer
- 1 Can - Rustoleum primer
- 1 Ea - U-bolt
- 1 Ea - Eye bolt
- 16 Ea - 1/4" X 1" Crown bolts
- 16 Ea - 1/4" Bolts
- 32 Ea. - 1/4" Washers