Heads up on recycled sand and core voids

I learned it was the recycled sand. We reuse sand from broken molds to save money, but the clay gets low after a few uses. Last week, a whole batch of parts had holes inside because the sand didn't hold up. I tested the moisture, and it was too dry. Now I mix in new sand every third time to keep it right. It's a small thing, but it stops wasting metal. If you see this too, check your sand. Don't let old sand mess up your castings.

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3 Comments

gavin7006mo ago

Man, I used to shrug off sand talk too. Then I poured a bunch of parts with hidden holes inside, total scrap. The old sand was just too dry to hold shape. Now I refresh it every few cycles, and my castings come out solid. It's a tiny step that saves a ton of hassle and metal.

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perez.pat6mo ago

Ugh, heard this sand drama before. Fresh sand fixes it.

4

theac636mo ago

But how big of a deal is it really? Like, if you have a playground or a sandbox, sure, old sand gets gross. But for most backyard stuff, is it a crisis or just kinda dirty? I've seen people freak out over landscape sand just sitting there, and I'm not convinced it's a health emergency. Are we overthinking basic dirt?

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