My first furnace

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After the charcoal burnt out I inserted the propane burner.

It looked hot enough to melt so I put in my crucible & a small piece of scrap aluminium which melted readily.

I had prepared a simple mould by shoving a socket extension bar into a tin of oil bonded sand.

Sadly, due to my excitement, I dropped the crucible onto the concrete below. I beat a hasty retreat as the concrete popped & banged, throwing molten aluminium into the air.

You can see how the concrete spalled under the aluminium.

Not a total disaster though. I did get some aluminium in the mould.