Open pit forges for melting aluminum foil and soda cans

This is for informational purposes only.  I would take time looking at all the different videos out there to see all the different ways to do this and also learn from mistakes that others have made. Research is a must before attempting this.

Now I choose this video as an example for several reasons.
1- the guy is as new at it, as I am
2- he did it with a simple fire and no fancy hook ups ( It think once you master it you can get fancier)
3- he shows how you can make copy's of things (which can be great for simple replacement parts) 
*** but also watch the video below for making a sling shot....I think how she makes the molds is amazing and opens the door to many possiblity's. 

Now this video is showing aluminum cans. Which if melting have a lot of extra stuff in them. So you would actually have to melt cool and melt one more time for impurity's. See the below video for the sling shot to understand how to deal with this.....she even shows her errors so you learn from them

Understanding Aluminum foil for melting
I on the other hand am looking to do aluminum foil. which is actually a bit harder because it can burn and turn to black dusk. Aluminum Foil is made with with stand temps of around 500°. for use in you oven and stove top. The melting point for it is 660°  And for cans and pans it is 1221° so the fire you see in the above video would be to hot for Aluminum foil....have to experiment a bit to find the right kind of blaze. 

And if you really get into it this is a list of the melting points for other metals. Click Here

So knowing this fact will help you not burn your aluminum. Also rolling it up tight before melting will reduce the changes of it burning.

So instead of putting that aluminum in your recycle bin save it for a cool project. 




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Ideas of things to make

• - Sling shot ***MUST WATCH** this video shows an excellent way of making cheap forms for what ever you want to make!! 

•  Here is a site with fun stuff to make with it Click Here in fact I would call this a great go to site for this.

 
A few other videos on it worth watching

Ok I love love this one!  After trying this whole forge thing out, if it is something you are going to continue with, I think this is the perfect easy design worth taking the time to make.

 

How to do it in a hole in the ground.  Instead of a fan or a blow dryer I have an old air mattress pump that will work just as good and it has rechargeable batteries so no electricity needed. 

Here is one made of bricks.

Then you have the ones that uses gas...I am way to novice to want to screw around with gas, but here are some plans if you have some skills to make this happen
Click Here

and was looking at my rocket stove and  that can easily be turned into a forge

Rocket stoves 

Song for this post has to be  Modern English - I Melt With You

How to melt plastic bottles

 Reuse prepper style

ok how useful can this really be. Well considering our dumps are filled with an endless supply (even with recycling) It can come in super handy.

Crafter's already do this to make beads and jewelry.

Some ideas that come to mind are:

• Make a mold out of clay to pour your plastic into and you can make
• Arrow tips
• Replacement parts on equipment

and making sturdy glass replacements by simply making a square frame to pour the plastic into.

Even make reusable mini green house covers to get an extra crop out of the fall season. (milk jugs can do the same thing these are just prettier :)

 CROSSBOW BOLT TIPS

One other thing worth remembering if you have a pistol crossbow. When using homemade bolts made of wood the tips crush when shot at a target (as seen in the video on my post Click Here) BUT if you dip the tops into the melted plastic and hold it downward till it dry (fast drying) it will make the tip strong enough to use the wood bolts!


HOW TO MELT PLASTIC BOTTLES


 Use scissors to cut the plastic bottles into small pieces. Make the pieces small enough to fit inside an old metal container.

Oven Method
Melting plastic in a toaster oven is ideal because it helps to contain the fumes, making it a little safer to be in close proximity to your project. To use this method, cut the pieces of plastic into even-sized bits. It is recommended that you stay away from soda bottles, as they do not melt very well and produce tons of fumes. Bottle caps from milk or soda bottles melt very well and come in a variety of colors that you can swirl or clump together to create a colorful nik nak or light-catching window decoration.
Place the bits of plastic into an oven-safe dish or tin. Arrange them however you like, but bear in mind that this plastic will not melt into a pourable liquid. When plastic is melted, it tends to remain on the sticky side. Soda bottle caps should be “baked” at 350 degrees F and milk bottle lids should be baked at 325 degrees F. If you do decide to try melting soda bottles, stick to the clear ones and bake them around 425 degrees F. After the plastic has melted, use tongs or an oven mitten to remove the dish and quickly scoop the plastic into the mold using the wooden or metal stick. Allow the plastic to cool before gently removing it from the mold.

More of a prepper way because you can do this over fire to.
Double-Boiling Method
A double-boiler is a great way to ensure that the plastic is heated evenly and thoroughly. Water can be used in the bottom pot, however oil tends to produce much better results. If oil is used, it is extremely important that the necessary precautions are taken to ensure that flare-ups and an oil/grease fire do not erupt. Remember that water should NEVER be thrown onto an oil fire. If a fire does erupt, the pan should be completely covered with a lid until the flames are completely gone. Alternatively, and preferably, one could use a fire extinguisher.
Start by bringing the water to a boil, or by heating the oil. Cut the plastic into evenly-sized pieces and add them into the top pot. When place the pot onto the bottom one and keep an eye on the plastic. When it seems to be melted, turn off the heat and quickly but safely transfer the plastic into the mold. Allow the plastic to cool completely before sliding it out of the mold.
If you want to use different colored plastic pieces to create a swirled effect, use the metal or wooden stick to swirl the plastic as soon as it hits the mold. If you allow the plastic time to cool, your swirling effect will not look as nice.

Stay away from toaster oven as the plastic is melting, as the excessive smoke and fumes are harmful.

Wear protective clothing when handling melted plastic. Hot plastic can burn skin if improperly handled.

 Info from here

see example here of milk jugs (this looks like really hard plastic so may come in handy for mold making) CLICK HERE

Sorry no luck on any PDF's for this




ok song for this post has to be Frank Zappa!! Plastic People! Never got to see Frank Zappa but have seen his sons show Zappa does Zappa and he does his father proud!